Have the guts to take care of your gut

Nikki Sommer, a nurse with Key West Surgical Group, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5 FM for Medical Matters this morning.

What is a gut microbiome?

Sommer said, “You know that expression, you are what you eat. You could be at risk for colorectal cancer, and it might depend on what you eat that affects your gut bacteria. So there is research going on that your gut microbiome, which is the bacteria in your gut, which includes trillions of bacteria and other microbes in your colon, can play a significant role in the development and progression of colorectal cancer based on your diet. We’ve talked about polyps. That’s why you have a colonoscopy. By age 50 nearly half of us will have polyps. But as they recommended now, screening starts at age 45, one of the reasons being, is there are abnormal growths in the lining of the large intestine. That’s what a polyp is. So lifestyle factors and genetics can affect some of the way those polyps are formed, and inflammation is one of them.”

What kind of foods are good for the microbiomes?

Sommer said, “We’ve talked about fiber too, how it’s good to have a high fiber diet unless, of course, you have some type of medical condition that warrants you not to have fiber. But for most of us, fiber is excellent, and the gut bacteria helps to break down that fiber, and you can find fiber from fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, beans. They produce large amounts of anti inflammatory and anti cancer compounds. This is where this is going. You should really have that in your diet, and that can help prevent inflammation, which can then lead to an increased risk of colon cancer. Really what we need to know is that there’s something really good in walnuts, berries, pomegranates and the gut bacteria convert these wonderful properties in the walnuts, berries and pomegranates into metabolites with powerful anti inflammatory effects on the colon polyps. We just need to know that if you eat walnuts, berries and pomegranates, your gut is breaking it down to prevent inflammation, which could, I guess, aggravate colon polyps or cause that. There are several articles saying that walnuts are very good for you. They have a lot of anti inflammatory properties, so a half a cup of walnuts a day will keep colon cancer away, hopefully.”

Your choices really can play a part in your health.

Sommer said, “Fiber helps keep you regulated, so when you hold on to your poop, so to speak, you’re holding on to bad bacteria. If you have diverticulosis, or have had the infection of diverticulitis, you have those pockets which will trap the bacteria and if your gut is moving slow because you don’t have enough of the right foods in your body to keep you going regular, you hold on to that bad bacteria.”

Colonoscopies are really important.

Sommer said, “It’s now age 45 we start to screen. Obviously, if you have a family history of colon cancer, you probably will talk to your doctor, and you might even need to be screened sooner, depending on how old the immediate family member was when they were diagnosed with colon cancer.”

Particularly if you have symptoms, you should talk to your doctor.

Sommer said, “Blood in the stool, some people have lower abdominal pain. They just don’t feel right in their gut and that’s just from talking to people who kind of come in and they know that there’s something wrong, and they’ve been putting it off. But walnuts, it’s very interesting. I think back to my grandparents, they always had a thing of walnuts with a nutcracker. I was never really a fan of just plain walnuts. I like walnuts in a cookie, or in a salad. My grandfather used to eat walnuts all the time. He didn’t die of cancer. Maybe that’s why.”

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