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Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

nytimes.com

11–20 of 322 posts

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#11
I was shocked to read that the gut microbiome's gene set is about 150 times larger than the human gene complement [1]. I don't know a ton about microbiology, but it seems like that wouldn't drastically increase the time to sequence these microbes since we are talking about total set size, not the size of individual genomes? There is still so much to learn from the human genome alone - I fully expect many of our next great medical advances will come from studying these gut flora.

Hopefully that will also bring a little more science to the probiotics industry :)

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3779803/

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#12

I dropped all forms of sugar and corn syrup a few months ago. I was never a health nut. Quite the opposite. It's incredible how much your physiology alters just from that. Water tastes good now. I used to drink water with crystal light, because it was so bland. Shed 20lbs without even exercising. I eat bananas, apples, peanut butter and chicken. Learned to cook a few things. You sort of have to, if you want to avoid…

While I applaud your efforts to eat well, I'd posit that with some attention, you could measurably decrease the expense if you factor in certain foods and factor out others.

For example, I enjoy tacos as lunch a few times a week. I make them from scratch, and while this doesn't adhere to your recommendation of no starches, I doubt they cost me $1.00 per taco, and that's with avocado, beans, onions, and peppers (plus the tortillas, of course). If I added meat, that would almost double the cost, so I don't.

Other foods are like that too, stir fry with veggies and shrimp, instead of beef saves me another 20-30% on cost.

I also shop at Aldi, or at Wal-Mart as often as befits what foods I'm eating, which knocks another 30-40% off of my food budget.

Eating well doesn't have to cost a ton.

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#13
post #5
post #4

This is only tangentially related, but I've been practicing intermittent fasting for the past year, and I cannot recommend it enough -- it honestly changed my life. I feel better, I sleep more regularly, I have more energy, and my mind is more alert. I only eat from 12PM to 8PM. IF is also supposed to have an impact on your microbiome, reduce inflammation, and encourage autophagy (especially in the brain). PS: Please…

Could you describe this in more detail? When do you stop eating, and for how long?

I'm not the person you are asking but I can chime in because I also IF.

For me, I simply eat one meal a day, it's really that simple. For me it's almost always dinner, but if I'm super hungry during the day I'll eat lunch and skip dinner.

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#14

I dropped all forms of sugar and corn syrup a few months ago. I was never a health nut. Quite the opposite. It's incredible how much your physiology alters just from that. Water tastes good now. I used to drink water with crystal light, because it was so bland. Shed 20lbs without even exercising. I eat bananas, apples, peanut butter and chicken. Learned to cook a few things. You sort of have to, if you want to avoid…

I have now been seeing from numerous sources that in order to lose weight, diet dominates exercise. One of the reasons is that exercise is associated with compensatory behaviors (such as increased hunger). So exercise for the health benefits, but alter your diet to lose weight.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-exercise-para...

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#15

I dropped all forms of sugar and corn syrup a few months ago. I was never a health nut. Quite the opposite. It's incredible how much your physiology alters just from that. Water tastes good now. I used to drink water with crystal light, because it was so bland. Shed 20lbs without even exercising. I eat bananas, apples, peanut butter and chicken. Learned to cook a few things. You sort of have to, if you want to avoid…

I highly suspect any highly restrictive diet will have the same effect no matter the restriction. Especially if "junk food" is one of the restrictions.

You hear plenty of stuff like "I went vegan, food tastes so much better now, I've lost weight, I have so much energy, my mood is better, blah blah blah." Same with "alkaline diet," "cabbage soup diet," "low inflammation diet," "bacon diet," "salad diet," "gluten free diet," etc.

Also bananas, apples, and coconut milk have plenty of sugar.

Pick 6 other random non-junk food foods, eat nothing but those for the next couple months, you'll lose weight that way too. Let's just say, off the top of my head, the pork chops, oatmeal, pineapple, orange, green bean, soy milk diet. Try it.

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#16
post #4

This is only tangentially related, but I've been practicing intermittent fasting for the past year, and I cannot recommend it enough -- it honestly changed my life. I feel better, I sleep more regularly, I have more energy, and my mind is more alert. I only eat from 12PM to 8PM. IF is also supposed to have an impact on your microbiome, reduce inflammation, and encourage autophagy (especially in the brain). PS: Please…

How do you still fit in around 2.5k cals in the short time where you do eat? In other words, how do you ensure that you maintain your weight while fasting?

I imagine one has to force feed quite a lot in in that period.

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#17

I dropped all forms of sugar and corn syrup a few months ago. I was never a health nut. Quite the opposite. It's incredible how much your physiology alters just from that. Water tastes good now. I used to drink water with crystal light, because it was so bland. Shed 20lbs without even exercising. I eat bananas, apples, peanut butter and chicken. Learned to cook a few things. You sort of have to, if you want to avoid…

Bananas and apples have plenty of sugar in them FYI. Depending on the brand, same with peanut butter.

A banana has 30g carbs (15g sugars), while the Trader Joe's peanut butter I am looking at has 7g carbs (2g sugars) in a 32g serving.

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#18
post #8
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you describe this in more detail? When do you stop eating, and for how long?

I stop eating at 8PM and don't eat until the next day at 12PM (so my "breakfast" is actually at lunch). My fast lasts ~16 hours daily, giving me an 8-hour feeding window (my friends always make fun of that term). We're already used to an 8-hour fast (sleeping), so it's really not a huge lifestyle change. I don't do anything fancy with calories or macronutrients, anymore. I did when I was going to the gym more regular…

Do you allow for coffee (or tea) in the mornings, or is it just water?

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#19
post #8
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you describe this in more detail? When do you stop eating, and for how long?

I stop eating at 8PM and don't eat until the next day at 12PM (so my "breakfast" is actually at lunch). My fast lasts ~16 hours daily, giving me an 8-hour feeding window (my friends always make fun of that term). We're already used to an 8-hour fast (sleeping), so it's really not a huge lifestyle change. I don't do anything fancy with calories or macronutrients, anymore. I did when I was going to the gym more regular…

Any thoughts on the old adagium dat breakfast like a king, ...? Skipping breakfast - no dips in the morning?

Re: Exercise Alters Our Microbiome

#20
post #15

I dropped all forms of sugar and corn syrup a few months ago. I was never a health nut. Quite the opposite. It's incredible how much your physiology alters just from that. Water tastes good now. I used to drink water with crystal light, because it was so bland. Shed 20lbs without even exercising. I eat bananas, apples, peanut butter and chicken. Learned to cook a few things. You sort of have to, if you want to avoid…

I highly suspect any highly restrictive diet will have the same effect no matter the restriction. Especially if "junk food" is one of the restrictions. You hear plenty of stuff like "I went vegan, food tastes so much better now, I've lost weight, I have so much energy, my mood is better, blah blah blah." Same with "alkaline diet," "cabbage soup diet," "low inflammation diet," "bacon diet," "salad diet," "gluten free…

OP's remarkable point is that she is restricting food groups, not calories.
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