Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

I'm gonna come back to that in a moment, but just to take on insoluble fiber real quick. Insoluble fiber, insoluble meaning this does not dissolve. No matter what you do, you could heat it up. You could stir it all you want. It doesn't matter. It's still gonna be there. And this is the grit. This is the roughage.

I'm gonna come back to that in a moment, but just to take on insoluble fiber real quick. Insoluble fiber, insoluble meaning this does not dissolve. No matter what you do, you could heat it up. You could stir it all you want. It doesn't matter. It's still gonna be there. And this is the grit. This is the roughage.

I'm gonna come back to that in a moment, but just to take on insoluble fiber real quick. Insoluble fiber, insoluble meaning this does not dissolve. No matter what you do, you could heat it up. You could stir it all you want. It doesn't matter. It's still gonna be there. And this is the grit. This is the roughage.

This is the more traditional understanding of fiber that we've always kind of learned, which is that you chew it up, you swallow it, it sweeps through your intestines, and then it launches out the other end like a bowel movement. So it has a bowel movement.

This is the more traditional understanding of fiber that we've always kind of learned, which is that you chew it up, you swallow it, it sweeps through your intestines, and then it launches out the other end like a bowel movement. So it has a bowel movement.

This is the more traditional understanding of fiber that we've always kind of learned, which is that you chew it up, you swallow it, it sweeps through your intestines, and then it launches out the other end like a bowel movement. So it has a bowel movement.

uh insoluble fiber is not the part generally speaking that really is important to the microbiome it's the soluble fiber and this insoluble fiber what's unique and interesting about it is that as interesting and complicated as we are as humans our digestive system is actually rather simple We only have 17 digestive enzymes that are designed to process complex carbohydrates.

uh insoluble fiber is not the part generally speaking that really is important to the microbiome it's the soluble fiber and this insoluble fiber what's unique and interesting about it is that as interesting and complicated as we are as humans our digestive system is actually rather simple We only have 17 digestive enzymes that are designed to process complex carbohydrates.

uh insoluble fiber is not the part generally speaking that really is important to the microbiome it's the soluble fiber and this insoluble fiber what's unique and interesting about it is that as interesting and complicated as we are as humans our digestive system is actually rather simple We only have 17 digestive enzymes that are designed to process complex carbohydrates.

And this number 17 is inadequate to allow us to break down fiber. We don't have the ability as humans to actually digest it. So if we didn't have microbes, if we didn't have a microbiome, we would never be able to get the benefits from fiber.

And this number 17 is inadequate to allow us to break down fiber. We don't have the ability as humans to actually digest it. So if we didn't have microbes, if we didn't have a microbiome, we would never be able to get the benefits from fiber.

And this number 17 is inadequate to allow us to break down fiber. We don't have the ability as humans to actually digest it. So if we didn't have microbes, if we didn't have a microbiome, we would never be able to get the benefits from fiber.

But because we have a microbiome and they're mostly concentrated in our colon, this is the main place, the colon is the large intestine where you will find these microbes. There's about 38 trillion of them there. Because they're there, the fiber will work its way through our small intestine, which is about 15 or 20 feet long.

But because we have a microbiome and they're mostly concentrated in our colon, this is the main place, the colon is the large intestine where you will find these microbes. There's about 38 trillion of them there. Because they're there, the fiber will work its way through our small intestine, which is about 15 or 20 feet long.

But because we have a microbiome and they're mostly concentrated in our colon, this is the main place, the colon is the large intestine where you will find these microbes. There's about 38 trillion of them there. Because they're there, the fiber will work its way through our small intestine, which is about 15 or 20 feet long.

And it will arrive in the colon in your right lower quadrant of your abdomen. And that's where it comes into contact with your gut microbiome. And this is their food. This is their food because it is one of the only things that we can guarantee that it will not be changed. It will not be altered by digestion. It will be exactly the same that you found it in your stomach.

And it will arrive in the colon in your right lower quadrant of your abdomen. And that's where it comes into contact with your gut microbiome. And this is their food. This is their food because it is one of the only things that we can guarantee that it will not be changed. It will not be altered by digestion. It will be exactly the same that you found it in your stomach.

And it will arrive in the colon in your right lower quadrant of your abdomen. And that's where it comes into contact with your gut microbiome. And this is their food. This is their food because it is one of the only things that we can guarantee that it will not be changed. It will not be altered by digestion. It will be exactly the same that you found it in your stomach.

And so those microbes, they have tons of these enzymes. So again, like we are big and complicated, but our digestive system is simple. We only have 17 enzymes, a single cellular bacteria that we can only see with a microscope. could have hundreds of enzymes alone. And collectively, the entire microbiome we've estimated could have 60,000 unique enzymes.

And so those microbes, they have tons of these enzymes. So again, like we are big and complicated, but our digestive system is simple. We only have 17 enzymes, a single cellular bacteria that we can only see with a microscope. could have hundreds of enzymes alone. And collectively, the entire microbiome we've estimated could have 60,000 unique enzymes.