Many of us may have suspected that calorie-controlled diets don't work. And now Professor Tim Spector, a leading Genetics expert at King's College, London has found compelling evidence why this is so, as written in his new book The Diet Myth (2015). He believes that with the right regimen of diet and exercise, we can be happy, healthy – and lean – and keep the pounds off for life.
What’s more, Prof Spector is offering a new theory about what really makes us fat — which could revolutionize our approach to weight loss. As one of the scientists leading worldwide research into the trillions of bacteria living in our stomachs, Prof Spector believes they hold an amazing power over our health and moods — and that our modern diet may be having a negative effect on them.
Prof Spector has found that the type and variety of our gut bacteria have an astonishing influence on many aspects of our health. He says that microbes not only help in digestion of our food, but they also control the calories we absorb and provide vital enzymes and vitamins, as well as keep our immune system healthy. Our gut microbes are also linked to cardiovascular health, risk of diabetes and mental well-being.
Prof Spector argues that, with the right regimen of diet and exercise, we can change our personal mix of gut bacteria to become one that keeps us happy, healthy and lean. He believes bacteria are likely to be responsible for much of our obesity epidemic. The root of the problem, he says, may be our modern diet and its effect on our gut bugs.
Compared with our ancestors, we have only a fraction of the diversity of microbial species living in our guts. Fifteen thousand years ago, man regularly ate around 150 ingredients in a week. Nowadays, most people consume fewer than 20 separate food items, and many of these are artificially refined. The increasing promotion and use of calorie-restrictive diets that depend on just a few ingredients will inevitably lead to a further reduction in microbe diversity and, eventually, to ill-health.
So, how does exercise affect the gut bacteria? One way in which it affects is by stimulating the immune system, which, in turn, sends stimulating chemical signals to the microbes in our guts, according to a 2011 study in the journal Immunology Investigations. Exercise also benefits our balance of gut bugs directly, according to a 2008 report in the journal Bio-science, Biotechnology and Biochemistry.
Another finding is that artificial sweeteners should be avoided. Tests on mice by Israeli researchers suggested that artificial sweeteners can alter the balance of gut bacteria, so that the bacteria, in turn, release chemicals that, ironically, raise blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of weight gain and diabetes. And this particularly harms the health-enhancing microbes, according to a 2008 study in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.
The diversity of microbes in our bodies is 30 percent lower than fifty years ago. Microbes in our gut affect our brain and mental health, and contribute to autism and depression and even the urge to eat more. A diet of junk food can dramatically reduce healthy gut microbes in only two days. Olive oil and nuts are ultimate health foods that nourish our microbes.
In conclusion, the type of food we eat and amount of exercise we do, are more important than just counting the calories, if we wish to reduce our weight or maintain good health.
What’s more, Prof Spector is offering a new theory about what really makes us fat — which could revolutionize our approach to weight loss. As one of the scientists leading worldwide research into the trillions of bacteria living in our stomachs, Prof Spector believes they hold an amazing power over our health and moods — and that our modern diet may be having a negative effect on them.
Prof Spector has found that the type and variety of our gut bacteria have an astonishing influence on many aspects of our health. He says that microbes not only help in digestion of our food, but they also control the calories we absorb and provide vital enzymes and vitamins, as well as keep our immune system healthy. Our gut microbes are also linked to cardiovascular health, risk of diabetes and mental well-being.
Prof Spector argues that, with the right regimen of diet and exercise, we can change our personal mix of gut bacteria to become one that keeps us happy, healthy and lean. He believes bacteria are likely to be responsible for much of our obesity epidemic. The root of the problem, he says, may be our modern diet and its effect on our gut bugs.
Compared with our ancestors, we have only a fraction of the diversity of microbial species living in our guts. Fifteen thousand years ago, man regularly ate around 150 ingredients in a week. Nowadays, most people consume fewer than 20 separate food items, and many of these are artificially refined. The increasing promotion and use of calorie-restrictive diets that depend on just a few ingredients will inevitably lead to a further reduction in microbe diversity and, eventually, to ill-health.
So, how does exercise affect the gut bacteria? One way in which it affects is by stimulating the immune system, which, in turn, sends stimulating chemical signals to the microbes in our guts, according to a 2011 study in the journal Immunology Investigations. Exercise also benefits our balance of gut bugs directly, according to a 2008 report in the journal Bio-science, Biotechnology and Biochemistry.
Another finding is that artificial sweeteners should be avoided. Tests on mice by Israeli researchers suggested that artificial sweeteners can alter the balance of gut bacteria, so that the bacteria, in turn, release chemicals that, ironically, raise blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of weight gain and diabetes. And this particularly harms the health-enhancing microbes, according to a 2008 study in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.
The diversity of microbes in our bodies is 30 percent lower than fifty years ago. Microbes in our gut affect our brain and mental health, and contribute to autism and depression and even the urge to eat more. A diet of junk food can dramatically reduce healthy gut microbes in only two days. Olive oil and nuts are ultimate health foods that nourish our microbes.
In conclusion, the type of food we eat and amount of exercise we do, are more important than just counting the calories, if we wish to reduce our weight or maintain good health.
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