WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The nonprofit Physicians Committee releases seven dietary guidelines for a healthy microbiota, following the “No Guts, No Glory: the Microbiome in Diabetes” continuing medical education presentation at the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine (ICNM).
The seven guidelines are:
1. Build meals around plant-based foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. This plant-based foundation supports symbiosis, or microbial harmony, in our gut. A thriving microbiota helps maximize absorption of nutrients and vitamins, while regulating immune function, inflammation, hormones, mood, and behavior.
2. Aim to consume at least 50 to 55 grams of fiber each day. Historic populations consumed nearly three to four times as much fiber as we do today. Increasing dietary fiber intake by at least 14 grams a day decreases net energy intake by 10 percent.
3. Consume at least 5 to 8 grams of plant-based prebiotics each day. Good sources include Jerusalem artichokes, chicory root, raw dandelion greens, leeks, onions, garlic asparagus, whole wheat, beans, bananas, oats, and soybeans.
4. Add fermented foods, or probiotics, to your diet. Dietary sources include kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, soy sauce, water kefir, and kombucha.
5. Avoid red meat, high-fat dairy products, fried foods, food additives, and advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs include proteins and fats exposed to high heat and sugar molecules, like sausage links and candy bars.
6. Limit fat intake. Especially if you have or are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Instead, opt for healthful sources, including an ounce of nuts or seeds or a small amount of avocado.
7. Use antibiotics only when necessary and avoid using for viral illnesses. Overexposure to antibiotics destroys good gut bacteria, along with the bad.
The microbiota, composed of 1,000 different species, weighs 4 to 6 pounds and helps maintain internal homeostasis. What we eat feeds beneficial bacteria that respond to changes in just 24 hours. This influences both immune function and our risk for chronic disease.
“The microbiome is a complex field, but we can manipulate our dietary choices to create colonies where beneficial bacteria flourish,” says Meghan Jardine, M.S., M.B.A., R.D., L.D., C.D.E. “Whether you want to treat diabetes, reduce the risk of a heart attack, or bolster athletic performance, you can start by building meals around colorful, plant-based foods.”
Download a copy of Seven Dietary Guidelines for a Healthy Microbiota at ICNM16.org.
About the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine:
The fourth-annual International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine in Medicine (ICNM), hosted by the Physicians Committee and accredited by the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, takes place July 29 to 30, 2016, at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C., and shows 725 clinicians, from 25 countries, how to use the latest nutrition research to treat and prevent chronic disease. Follow the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at #ICNM16 and #PlantBasedRx.
