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. This is exactly what I did as well. Her research led her to the health of the microbiome.
The largest number of gut microbes in our microbiome are 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 this all-important gut lining?
According to gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, the magic happens when this fiber 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.
And who created all these plants that complement our DNA and promote healing in our bodies with powerful antioxidants and phytochemicals? Only God Himself! It’s just one of the many ways He shows His love for us. He tells Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:29:
“See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.”
In this verse, God is telling Adam and Eve what He has created for them to eat. He’s talking about plants that produce seeds to produce more plants. These plants include fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, grains, and herbs and spices.
These plants provide many nutrients that our bodies need to thrive such as:
Vitamins and minerals necessary for our body to function properly.
Phytochemicals proven to fight many diseases including cancer
Antioxidants which absorb free radicals before they damage our bodies
And fiber which regulates our digestive system, lowers cholesterol, and feeds our good gut bacteria.
In her research, 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. My goal with chemotherapy was #1 for the chemo to work and #2 for me to survive! That’s huge folks!
She also found that eating six fermented foods each day like yogurt, kimchee, sauerkraut, and kefir 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 gut lining.
My Chocolate Banana Blueberry smoothie does exactly this. It contains almost 30 grams of fiber in one smoothie and 2 probiotic foods, but you can easily double both the sauerkraut which you won’t taste, and the yogurt and get four servings of probiotic foods. Yes, you can get four of your six probiotics in one meal replacement smoothie.
How to make this gut-building, heart and brain-protecting, cancer-fighting and immune-enhancing smoothie will be referenced below. This is a great smoothie to help you get through chemotherapy. As the chemo is destroying your gut lining as it kills your cancer, you are immediately rebuilding this lining. It’s also great for preventing cancer and its return by maintaining a healthy gut.
The health of our 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. According to this research. When Dr. McQuade and her colleagues presented this research at a medical convention recently, there was standing room only and now medical doctors and oncologists nationwide are catching on to the importance of maintaining a healthy gut during treatments for cancer patients.
I certainly wish I had known about the importance of the gut microbiome so many years ago. I wish I had known before I began chemotherapy. Fortunately, my naturopathic doctors at my cancer center had my back! They prescribed L-glutamine powder after chemotherapy which helped to protect my gut lining.
With this COVID 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 called “Unleash Your God-given Healing” on “Healing the Gut Lining.” Better late than never.
How many of you knew the importance our gut plays in our overall health?
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View the video on how to make my Chocolate Banana Blueberry Smoothie:
Chocolate Banana Blueberry Smoothie
Click here to sign up for the cancer course Annette Reeder, the Biblical Nutritionist, and I put together called Conquering Cancer Course
For Your Health and the Health of Your Gut,
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.
Ginny