Sunshine Trick SUPERCHARGES your Microbiome
If you haven’t focused on your gut health yet, it’s time.
The evidence of how critical it is to your overall health and well-being isn’t just in… it’s piling up.
Not a week goes by that I don’t read more research highlighting how vital a healthy microbiome is.
Study after study concludes that having a good gut-bug balance slashes your risk for countless diseases, including type 2 diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.
But for many folks, their microbiome is FAR from healthy. A steady diet of ultra-processed convenience foods is taking its toll on our belly bugs.
These foods lack the vital nutrients needed to properly feed our gut bacteria. Plus, they’re also loaded with inflammation-triggering chemicals, preservatives, and sodium that wreak havoc on the bacteria in our intestines.
This means we need to step up our game when it comes to protecting our gut health.
A good probiotic is a great start. But there’s another microbiome-boosting step you can take that you’ll NEVER see coming!
That step I’m talking about is a literal one… OUT the front door and INTO the sunshine.
Because research published in the journal Nature Communications has tied vitamin D… the so-called sunshine vitamin… to better gut health.
Researchers recruited 567 senior men in their 80s for the study. Their blood was tested for vitamin D levels. And stool samples were analyzed to identify the types and quantity of bacteria in their guts.
It turns out the guys with the highest vitamin D levels were also far more likely to have a good mix of 12 types of beneficial bacteria.
These good gut bugs are CRITICAL because they produce a fatty acid called butyrate. You’ve likely never heard of it before. But once you discover what it DOES, you’ll never forget it.
Butyrate…
- fights gut inflammation
- exerts anti-cancer activity
- improves blood sugar balance
- defends against cell damage
- and protects your gut lining
That last benefit might not seem all that impressive at first glance. But it’s one of the fatty acids’ MOST vital roles.
Because a healthy gut lining is necessary to allow vitamins and minerals to pass through to your bloodstream while blocking toxins, pathogens, and other dangers.
On the other hand, leaky guts are linked to a long list of health problems, including irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, Cohn’s, autoimmune conditions, arthritis, asthma, and allergies.
A healthy vitamin D level… and the balanced microbiome it supports… can help keep your gut lining strong.
To raise your D levels, spend more time outdoors in the direct sun. Eat D-rich foods, including fatty fish and dairy products. And if needed, fill in with a D supplement.
P.S. As vital as vitamin D is, research reveals it’s practically useless without THIS companion mineral to activate it. CLICK HERE for the whole scoop.
Source:
“Vitamin D metabolites and the gut microbiome in older men.” Nat Commun 11, 5997 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19793-8
