#80 - Healing Your Gut Through Fiber Fueled With Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, also known as Dr. B, is the author of the book Fiber Fueled. The book comes highly recommended by Nick and dives deep into nutrition and taking care of your gut through plant diversity and increasing bacteria through microbiome diversity. Our gut microbiome, which determines how your body consumes and handles food, is vastly different between every person. Dr. B will tell us about the importance of fiber on our gut and how it determines how you sleep, feel and live. Dr. B knew before college that he wanted to be a doctor, and spent the following 16 years pursuing that goal. In his early 30’s, he had a health crisis of his own and was forced to reexamine his diet. When he made small changes in his diet, he instantly started feeling young and vibrant again. He began  questioning why he was never sufficiently taught nutrition during his time at renown universities and turned to his own research. He took his message to social media in an effort to reach more people, which ultimately led him to the decision to write a book. Discussing the pushback received when speaking out on this topic, Dr. B says he never felt discouraged by close mindedness.  Then, Dr. B breaks down the concept of microbiome diversity. He says it’s time that everyone becomes aware of the significance of our microbiomes. We all contain more microbial cells than human cells. Dr. B argues that it is in fact impossible to be a healthy person if your microbiome is diseased or damaged. Our microbiomes break down food, give us access to nutrients, connect to 70% of our immune system, affect metabolism, hormones, blood pressure, mood and more. Within a healthy ecosystem, Dr. B explains the necessity for biodiversity, as each individual species brings something useful to the environment. This is no exception in the human body, as less species consumption becomes problematic and can lead to disease. Elimination type diets such as paleo and keto ultimately do more harm than good. Plants contain fiber, and fiber is the preferred food of these gut microbes. Eating a large array of plants feeds as many of the microbes as possible, and removing specific foods from your diet deprives them.  We are now at a point where most people are completely disconnected from the source of their food. Getting connected with local farmers, going to the farmers market and eating both locally and seasonally is how we can become reconnected to our foods. While probiotics are beneficial for many people, it’s important to remember that gut microbiomes are all different and will not respond the same way to the same supplements. Microbes feed on prebiotics such as fiber, starches and polyphenols and, combined with probiotics, transform them into short chain fatty acids. This is where we really get the benefits. If you’re consuming enough fiber, your body will tell you when to stop eating. Dr, B thinks of the gut as a muscle which can be trained. Finally, Dr. B offers some guidance as to how you can get started healing your gut. There are many different forms of healthy diets that exist, but Dr. B stresses having plant diversity within your diet is essential to human health. He also speaks of the many benefits of eating fermented foods such as miso, kombucha, tempeh and sauerkraut. In closing, Dr. B breaks down the direct and powerful connection between the gut and the brain. Thanks for tuning in and remember to leave a review and share with a friend! Timestamps: 00:01 - Nick introduces today’s episode with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz 01:06 - Introduction to The Bare Performance Podcast 2:50 - How Dr. B got interested in g