The Physicians Committee Releases Seven Dietary Guidelines for a Healthy Microbiota
30 Juli 2016 - 6:19PM
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).
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Physicians opt for microbiota-modulating
meals at the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine.
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.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160730005016/en/
Media:Physicians CommitteeJessica Frost,
202-527-7342jfrost@pcrm.org