Boost Gut Health and Fight Frailty

It is well known that the bacteria which inhabit our gastrointestinal tracts - known as our gut microbiome - are immensely important to our health, especially that of our brains. But research has more recently been mounting that a healthy gut microbiome might also be a vital part of fighting off the frailty which can snatch away health and capacity as people age. This study looked at the influence of a Mediterranean Diet on improving gut health and how that also affected indicators of frailty - and found that an better gut health could be helpful in fighting frailty.

So what is it about the Mediterranean diet that helps gut health and does everyone have to follow and exact eating plan to get the benefits?

In Brain Body Food I discuss this in practical terms: gut bacteria do much better on food eaten as close as possible to its natural state, they don't like processed food much or an excess of fat, sugar or 'junk foods' and many 'artificial' food additives do them no good at all. But they love fibrous foods like fruits, vegetables and pulses! So, you don't have to follow a specific eating plan really as long as you give then more of what they like and less of what they don't: eat fresh, seasonal foods as much as possible including plenty of variety of vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds.

But always remember that protein food at the centre of each meal as you move beyond your 60s and into later years.

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