Healing our gut microbiome was the last thing I learned in the cancer journey. But according to MD Anderson Oncologist and Researcher, Dr. Jennifer McQuade, it should have been the first. When McQuade’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, she began looking at what her mother could do in addition to treatments to improve her prognosis. Her research led her to the health of the microbiome.
The largest number of gut microbes in our microbiome is in our digestive tract. They help us to digest food, break down fiber which feeds our good bacteria, and defend us from pathogenic bacteria. Did you know that 70-80 percent of our immune cells are located in our gut lining?
According to gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, the magic happens when this fiber from plants reaches our large intestine where it is converted into short-chain fatty acids with powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. Dr. Bulsiewicz believes fiber was designed to be the best food for our microbiome. He recommends that we “count the plants” because the more different plants we eat in a week, the more diverse and healthier is our gut microbiome.
Dr. McQuade found that those patients who ate 50 grams of fiber each day had an improved response to immunotherapy and fared better in surviving chemotherapy. That’s huge folks! She also found that eating six fermented foods each day increased microbiome diversity and decreased inflammatory signals and activity. So, when you put these two together—increased fiber and fermented foods, you strengthen your immune system and mucosal lining which is much needed during cancer treatments.
Click here to view her presentation by signing up:
https://anticancerlifestyle.org/resources/gut-health-what-is-it-how-to-improve-it/
The health of the microbiome affects our risk for cancer and many diseases. It also has an impact on our response to immunotherapy and the overall survival of the cancer patient.
I certainly wish I had known about the importance of the gut microbiome so many years ago. With this pandemic continuing to wreak havoc around our world, and the increase of both cancer rates and autoimmune diseases, one of the most preventative things we can do is to properly nourish our gut. I have an entire chapter in my book on this. Better late than never.
How many of you knew the importance the gut plays in our overall health?
For Your Health,
Ginny
Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It recently received the Christian Authors Network’s (CAN) Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing for reaching 62.5 million people with a message of cancer prevention and survival. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers along with over 75 media outlets. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com.
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