Digging Deep | Soil’s Vital Role in Gut Health

Did you know that the health of your gut is directly related to the dirt under your feet?

Healthy soil is essential for a healthy gut. When soil is healthy it can produce nutrient-rich food that supports our health. Fixing our soil degraded is not just a concern for the environment, but may also be the key to our long-term health and wellbeing.

The soil-gut link

Microorganisms in our soil are similar to those that live in our gut. They play a vital role in maintaining the health of both. These microorganisms help to break down nutrients, promote plant growth and resist disease (1).

It's not just plants that benefit from the diversity of soil life; it has a positive effect on human health. It not only produces healthy foods but also improves air, water and the food we eat (2).

Unfortunately, soils are being negatively affected by intensive farming, poor land management and environmental changes. The soil used to grow plants has a lower diversity of microorganisms than it did in pre-industrial times. This affects the quality and health of the plants that are grown for human consumption and livestock consumption (3).

Glyphosate, also known as RoundUp, is a widely used herbicide that destroys soil biodiversity. Since its introduction into the U.S. food system in 1990, symptoms and conditions that are related to gut health have increased significantly (5). The first step to reducing the intake of glyphosate, which is harmful to the gut microbiome, is choosing organic and sustainably produced food.

Microbial magic

The majority of microbes in our bodies reside in the gut. These microbes play a crucial role in the maintenance of our immune and metabolism systems.

A microbiome that is unhealthy can also be a factor in many diseases. These include infectious diseases and chronic conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular diseases.

The foods we eat can influence the microbiome in our gut. The nutrients in our food fuel good bacteria and create an environment that allows them to flourish (8).

Diversity is key

It is important to maintain a diverse range of bacteria in our guts. This will keep them healthy and robust. A diverse microbiome in the gut improves our ability fight diseases and breakdown essential substances (9).

A balanced diet that includes a variety of organisms and foods is similar to encouraging biodiversity in a farm. As relying too heavily on one crop type can damage the soil, relying too heavily on specific foods or probiotics may reduce the diversity in bacteria within your gut.

Solving the soil problem

Restoring soil health doesn't just benefit the environment - it also benefits our health. Regenerative farming practices improve soil health, and they produce healthier crops. It is therefore our choice whether to invest in farming practices that nourish and protect soil health. This will ensure our own health.

I am committed to guiding individuals away from harmful foods systems and encouraging investment in sustainable, regenerative practices. My Regenerative Nutrition Programs support only these agricultural practices. They also provide simple but powerful solutions that eliminate toxicities, restore a healthy microbiome, and promote a healthy microbiome through pure, concentrated organic food.

Join me in reclaiming our food system. Visit the Gut Restoration Expert for more information.

References

1) Kuchment, O. (2020, April 08). How soil microbes help plants resist disease. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from: https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2020/04/06/how-soil-microbes-help-plants-resist-disease/#:~:text=Soil%20microbes%20affect%20plants%20in%20an%20astounding%20way.&text=These%20soil%20microbes%20lend%20the,a%20broad%20range%20of%20pathogens.

2) Wall, D. H., Nielsen, U. N., & Six, J. (2015). Soil biodiversity and human health. Nature, 528(7580), 69–76. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature15744

3) Mayer (1997) Mayer A-M. Historical changes in the mineral content of fruits and vegetables. British Food Journal. 1997;99(6):207–211. doi: 10.1108/00070709710181540.

4) Anderson G. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Pathoetiology and Pathophysiology: Roles of Astrocytes, Gut Microbiome, and Muscle Interactions via the Mitochondrial Melatonergic Pathway, with Disruption by Glyphosate-Based Herbicides. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Dec 29;24(1):587. doi: 10.3390/ijms24010587. PMID: 36614029; PMCID: PMC9820185.

5) Milesi MM, Lorenz V, Durando M, Rossetti MF, Varayoud J. Glyphosate Herbicide: Reproductive Outcomes and Multigenerational Effects. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 Jul 7;12:672532. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.672532. PMID: 34305812; PMCID: PMC8293380.

6) Rinninella, E., Raoul, P., Cintoni, M., Franceschi, F., Miggiano, G., Gasbarrini, A., & Mele, M. C. (2019). What is the Healthy Gut Microbiota Composition? A Changing Ecosystem across Age, Environment, Diet, and Diseases. Microorganisms, 7(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7010014

7) van Nood E, Vrieze A, Nieuwdorp M, Fuentes S, Zoetendal EG, de Vos WM, et al. Duodenal infusion of donor feces for recurrent Clostridium difficile. N Engl J Med. 2013;368: 407–15. 10.1056/NEJMoa1205037

8) Harris, E. V., de Roode, J. C., & Gerardo, N. M. (2019). Diet–microbiome–disease: Investigating diet’s influence on infectious disease resistance through alteration of the gut microbiome. PLoS pathogens, 15(10), e1007891.

9) Bush, Zach. “Why Probiotics Don’t Always Work.” Holistic Primary Care, 20 Mar. 2020, holisticprimarycare.net/topics/digestive-health/why-probiotics-don-t-always-work/.

10) Montgomery DR, Biklé A, Archuleta R, Brown P, Jordan J. Soil health and nutrient density: preliminary comparison of regenerative and conventional farming. PeerJ. 2022 Jan 27;10:e12848. doi: 10.7717/peerj.12848. PMID: 35127297; PMCID: PMC8801175.

11) Dudek-Wicher, R. K., Junka, A., & Bartoszewicz, M. (2018). The influence of antibiotics and dietary components on gut microbiota. Przeglad gastroenterologiczny, 13(2), 85–92. https://doi.org/10.5114/pg.2018.76005

12) Katz, S. E. (2016). Wild fermentation: The flavor, nutrition, and craft of live-culture foods.

13) Mayer, E. A., Tillisch, K., & Gupta, A. (2015). Gut/brain axis and the microbiota. The Journal of clinical investigation, 125(3), 926–938. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI76304

14) Thursby, E., & Juge, N. (2017). Introduction to the human gut microbiota. The Biochemical journal, 474(11), 1823–1836. https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20160510)

15) Woodside, J. V. (2015). Nutritional aspects of irradiated food. Stewart Postharvest Review, 11(3), 1-6.