Protective Diet Class #350

Promote: The Microbiome Population Project

This final class in the Microbiome Population Project will help you know what to focus on going forward to continue promoting healthy, butyrate-producing gut microbes. Simple daily practices ensure meal satisfaction and a lifetime of health and vitality.

Announcements

• Engage in our official support group, Protective Diet Living (PDL). Join Live Chats & Coaching Hour for personal assistance.
• Shop http://www.protectivediet.com/bulk, the organic farm that delivers near you, for low-cost, high-quality PD staples.

Vocabulary

Microbiome

Plant Fiber Diversity

Gut Dysbiosis

Resistant Starch

Day Fasting (OMAD)

Review We are creating a microbiome filled with health coaches—trillions of them—that are always with us, directing us to the right food choices, encouraging us to get outside in nature, to populate more friends, to de-stress. They direct us to socialize, travel, be curious, explore, and stay active. They are our cheerleaders. We avoid probiotic supplements because they do not promote microbial diversity. An imbalance of microbes or bacterial overgrowth is called dysbiosis.	Keep Disease in Remission Diseases are not hereditary. They occur across generations due to family diet and lifestyle patterns. Disease may be within you, but a microbiome rich in butyrate producers can alleviate symptoms. Angiogenesis inhibitors can shrink tumors. Eliminate gut dysbiosis to combat diseases like cancer, arthritis, thyroid disorder, heart disease, elevated blood pressure, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and autism, rather than relying on toxic pharmaceuticals.	Stay Hydrated Healthy microbes love to be hydrated. They thrive on calorie-free polyphenols, which create a favorable environment for them to multiply when they aren’t busy digesting our food. Brew a double batch of Tuber Tonic Plus or Flower Water once or twice a week. Or brew a concentrate and dilute it by-the-cup with mineral water (or water). Use plain Pellegrino (no flavors or additives) in glass bottles to avoid toxins like BPA. Check out the Beverages recipe category. Cheers to your microbes!
Focus on Plant Fiber Diversity We need to avoid anything that might spark cravings for sugar-loving microbes. The key is to consume a variety of colorful whole plant foods that are rich in fiber. Different types of fiber feed various beneficial gut bacteria, promoting a rich and varied microbial population. Diversity enhances nutrient absorption and promotes the growth of butyrate-producing microbes, which generate short-chain fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory properties and support gut health, satiation, cognitive function, positive mood, and immunity. Incorporate Variety: eat a diverse range of whole plant foods, including raw and cooked fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.Try New Recipes: start with a few recipes and add one new recipe each week to keep meals exciting and varied.Join Support Groups: ask our community to share their favorite Protective Diet recipes to expand your culinary repertoire.Change Up Your Greens: vary your salad base from romaine, iceberg & butter lettuce, to spinach, kale, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, zucchini, carrot, apple, fresh herbs, and more.Eat Seasonally: as seasons change, incorporate different vegetables and fruits and explore new recipes, like fall soups.Season with Spices: gradually build a spice collection of non-irradiated, organic spices as you make new recipes. No need to stock up away; only acquire them as recipes call for them. This approach will help you build a spice cabinet that not only enhances your palate but also your intake of polyphenols and protective phytochemicals, benefiting your microbes.Focus on Fermented Foods: include fermented foods, like Probiotic Pepper Sauce in your meals to support your microbiome.Choose Whole Grains: opt for whole grains like brown rice over white rice to promote satiety through butyrate production.
Include Resistant Starch Resistant starch is not fully digested in the small intestine. Instead, it travels to the large intestine where it nourishes gut microbes that digest/ferment it and produce butyrate, the superstar of gut health and satiation. The more resistant starch we include in our diet, the more we nourish those butyrate-producing microbes. Increase resistant starch by cooking, then cooling starches so they undergo retrogradation (crystallizing). For example, potato salad, pasta salad, fries, reheated soup, refrigerated or frozen bread, corn, legumes, and rice pudding. Raw foods include chia pudding, toasted oats, lentil sprouts, and air-popped popcorn.		Chew Your Food Proper chewing makes it easier for healthy microbes to digest plant fiber, allowing them to divide, proliferate, and multiply effectively. We do not blend our greens into smoothies because as we chew them, our oral microbes produce nitric oxide, which promotes smooth blood flow, lowering blood pressure.

Promote

Watch for Changing Food Preferences Our microbiome significantly influences our food preferences. In a dysbiotic state, we may crave sugar, junk, and a limited range of fibrous foods, leading to digestive issues. This lack of variety often stems from a deficiency in butyrate-producing microbes.   To assess your microbiome health, observe your reactions to meals. A tendency to reject plant foods can mean you are just getting started. Start simple, perhaps with kid-friendly dishes like spaghetti incorporating small amounts of veggies on the side. Go slow and gradually introduce new foods. One day you will be surprised to discover you like broccoli. That’s your microbes!   It’s essential to be patient with yourself as your palate develops. If you’re not accustomed to various spices or flavors, keep trying new things. This exposure can expand your preferences over time.   As you introduce diverse flavors, you may notice shifts in your cravings and tastes. For example, simple dishes like Asian Style Kale (made with tamari, ginger, and garlic) may suddenly become favorites. Eliminating oils and sugars will allow your healthy microbes to thrive, leading to greater healthy meal satisfaction.   Ultimately, your healthy microbes guide your cravings, making it easier and more enjoyable to maintain a nutritious diet. Cultivating these beneficial microbes is key to sustaining healthy, lifelong habits.	Consider Fasting The quickest way to improve a disbiotic gut filled with unhealthy microbes and relentless sugar cravings is to starve the bad ones. We can accomplish this to various degrees, with maximum benefits resulting from Day Fasting combined with a Protective Diet free from sugar and food additives. Healthy microbes thrive on fasting and fiber, which increases microbial diversity and proliferation of good bacteria. Embracing hunger, rather than fearing it, is healthy. Studies show that the greatest pleasure is not derived from eating the meal, but from anticipating eating the meal. When we’re not eating, we aren’t producing insulin, which leads to higher energy levels and lower cancer risk. Chronic insulin production contributes to obesity and inflammatory disease. If you feel uneasy about waiting to eat, it might be a sign that unhealthy microbes are craving sugar or processed foods. It’s okay to let them starve. To master fasting, a transitional approach might be:   Stop when you’re full. Be mindful of overeating. Too much food at once can overwhelm our microbes.Stop the snacks. If we are eating between meals and in a constantly fed state, our microbes never get a break from the work of digestion, making them too busy to reproduce and multiply.Intermittent fast. While simply following a Protective Diet lowers inflammation, introducing pauses in eating—like skipping breakfast and enjoying lunch and dinner—enhances these benefits.Day Fast (OMAD). Research indicates that a 24-hour fast can reset the gut. Fasting helps eliminate pathogens, the bad bacteria, and is the quickest way to detoxify and rejuvenate your microbiome. This leads to a population of health-promoting microbes. It’s truly magic for our microbiome. The first three days are a little challenging. Just make sure you hydrate with protective beverages or water, so you can have something that satisfies your microbes. They like to stay hydrated. Don’t go all day without drinking something. By the fourth day you will feel amazing. See examples of eating One Meal a Day (OMAD) on the Protective Diet YouTube channel.
Reduce Stress Reducing stress is essential. Stress can hinder the growth and diversity or our microbes. A depleted microbiome (called a “mono-microbiome”) leads to digestive disorders like constipation, diarrhea, and a limited palate, which is linked to neurodegenerative disorders. Destress by: Getting outside in nature on walks or gardeningEngaging socially through handshakes, hugs, & gatheringsTravel and explore new places and experiencesEstablish a sleep routine for microbiome supportPractice deep breathing to enhance oxygen flowStay active in activities that promote sweat and detoxExpress gratitude daily, especially before a meal
“I want you populated with trillions of microbes that cheer you on every day past the junk and the garbage that we are inundated with. We can just say, ‘No way, I gotta protect my good guys!’ Our microbes crave fiber, not butter or sugar, when we are committed to and consistent with a Protective Diet.”

Recommended Recipes	Recommended Classes
Pickled Mustard Seeds	#267 Finger Salad, Chips & Dip for Dinner
Sauerkraut Toast	#340 Resistant Starch & Unforgettable Theme Fries
Banana Bread Under Pressure	#347 30-Day Detox: The Microbiome Population Project
Soft Batch Oatmeal Cookies	#348 Populate: The Microbiome Population Project
Whole Wheat Pita Pocket Bread	#349 Protect: The Microbiome Population Project

---

Class Description:

This final class in the Microbiome Population Project will help you know what to focus on going forward to continue promoting healthy, butyrate-producing gut microbes. Simple daily practices ensure meal satisfaction and a lifetime of health and vitality.

Class URL: https://protectivediet.com/courses/protective-diet-education/lessons/class-350-the-microbiome-population-project-promote/