December 4, 2024 • 51 mins
Did you know that a balanced gut microbiome can improve nutrient absorption, reduce inflammation, and support mood regulation? Incorporating simple habits into your daily routine—such as eating fiber-rich foods, staying hydrated, restful sleep and managing stress—can make a significant difference in how your digestive system works and gut microbiota function. Join Kate Scarlata and Dr. Megan Riehl on this must-listen episode of The Gut Health Podcast as they break down their top 10 tips for gut health and offer actionable strategies for overall wellness!
You will learn the key elements that link stress to our digestive health, exploring everything from the impact on gut motility to the downstream effects on our resident gut microbiota. Learn the science behind cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), meditation, and the connection to digestion.
Explore the power of nutrition to supercharge your gut microbiota but also the fascinating impact of diet on mood. With guidance on incorporating fiber-rich and fermented foods into your diet, Kate and Dr. Riehl emphasize gentle introductions for sensitive tummies and the many benefits of regular exercise for both the body and the mind. Tune in for engaging tips and personal stories that empower your journey to a balanced and happy life for you (and your gut!).
Podcast Reviews (Thank you!!)
References:
Cognitive behavioral therapy for irritable bowel syndrome induces bidirectional alterations in the brain-gut-microbiome axis associated with gastrointestinal symptom improvement
Alteration of faecal microbiota balance related to long-term deep meditation
Diet and Gut Microbiome: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9455721/
Benefits of Forest bathing: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6886167/pdf/12199_2019_Article_822.pdf
Learn more about Kate and Dr. Riehl:
Website: www.katescarlata.com and www.drriehl.com
Instagram: @katescarlata @drriehl and @theguthealthpodcast
Order Kate and Dr. Riehl's book, Mind Your Gut: The Science-Based, Whole-body Guide to Living Well with IBS.
The information included in this podcast is not a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider before starting any new treatment or making changes to existing treatment.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kate Scarlata (00:19):
Thank you.
The Gut Health Podcast willempower you with a fascinating
scientific connection betweenyour brain, food and the gut.
Come join us.
We welcome you.
Dr. Riehl (00:34):
Hello friends, and welcome to The Gut Health
Podcast, where we talk about allthings related to your gut and
well-being.
We are your hostsI'm Dr Megan Riehl, a GI health
psychologist
Kate Scarlata (00:47):
and I'm Kate Scarlata, a GI dietitian.
We started The Gut HealthPodcast to share science-based
information in a very digestibleway.
Just two friends who wrote abook about IBS.
We really like to have funtogether and we wanted everyone
to have access to science-basedinformation to live a balanced,
(01:10):
full and happy life.
Check out the show notesbecause we have some really
wonderful reviews of The GutHealth Podcast thus far and we
are really pleased with thefeedback we're getting on this
little side project that we havestarted this year.
Dr. Riehl (01:28):
Yeah, it's a side project, but, man, we are
building a wonderful communityand it is so fun to read the
reviews and see our friends andcolleagues and patients sharing
this podcast with their lovedones, our own loved ones sharing
The Gut Health Podcast.
So we're really excited forthis episode, where it's Kate
(01:51):
and I and we're going to begiving you our top 10 easy and
actionable strategies for yourgut health and overall wellness,
because, let's face it, guthealth matters for everyone.
Kate Scarlata (02:05):
You got it.
Dr. Riehl (02:06):
Yes, we've got it.
We've got it.
When we talk about gut health,the impact of stress is
typically a part of thisconversation, right?
Stress management is one of ourtop 10 essentials for your gut
health and beyond.
Kate, you ever been stressed?
Kate Scarlata (02:23):
Just a little bit .
Just a little bit, especiallywhen you have a 10-month-old
crazy chocolate lab.
That's right, it's a bit crazy.
And, Megan, do you feelstressed?
Dr. Riehl (02:33):
Never, never! Working mom, three littles, husband,
job, podcast, book, right.
No one is immune to stress, butthose of us that can learn and
implement healthy copingstrategies tend to manage the
stress a little bit better andthe stress has less of an effect
(02:55):
on our body.
And that's the reality here isthat we think about stress as
something that's emotional, andit can be, but it also can have
really profound impacts on oursleep, on headaches, on our
cardiovascular health and ourgut health.
So here are a few reasons whymanaging stress is essential for
(03:17):
all of us to have a happy gut.
Let's start with the gut-brainconnection.
The gut-brain areinterconnected through this
complex network that we now knowas the gut-brain axis.
It's a communicationsuperhighway and that highway is
bidirectional.
It goes from gut to brain andbrain to gut, and stress can
(03:38):
alter this communication thathappens between this brain and
this gut of ours and, from a GIperspective, it can certainly
affect our digestive processesand our gut function, and you
may see some of thesealterations with changes in gut
motility.
So motility is how fast or howslow things move through the
(04:01):
digestive tract, those thingstypically being food, and this
can result in symptoms likediarrhea or constipation,
depending on whether motility isincreased or decreased.
Stress can affect this.
We also see that stress canalter our gut microbiota.
We've talked about this a lotover the last year with the
(04:23):
introduction of The Gut HealthPodcast.
So chronic stress cannegatively affect the balance of
the gut bacteria that are inour system, and this can lead to
something called dysbiosis and,just as an FYI, we're going to
be covering this again in 2025.
But dysbiosis is an imbalanceof the microorganisms that live
(04:46):
in our human body, or what welike to refer to as our
microbiome, and this is a reallyhot topic because this
imbalance can contribute to notjust gastrointestinal issues,
but many other aspects of ourphysical health, a couple other
ways that stress can impact ourbody.
So this is a big topic too howstress can trigger inflammatory
(05:09):
responses in our body, and thiscan certainly affect our gut,
and this is another reason why,for people that are living with
IBS, as well as inflammatorybowel disease or IBD, we like to
look at how are we managing ourstress, because increased
levels of stress hormones likecortisol can promote
(05:29):
inflammation, which canexacerbate these conditions, and
finally, we can see changes inappetite.
So I know I think I've talkedabout this before that when the
stress goes up, my trips to thegrocery store and including some
Ben and Jerry's pints of icecream also tends to go up, and
(05:49):
so stress can impact how we eat,it can impact the food choices
that we make as well, as forsome people it increases their
appetite, for some it decreases,and really along that spectrum,
we need to focus on ournutrient intake to help our
microbiome, to help our overallgut health.
(06:11):
So did you know that the gutmicrobiome, those trillions of
microbes living in our digestivetract, play a crucial role in
managing our mind and ouroverall health?
And what's fascinating is thatthis relationship, just like
that gut-brain connection, isalso a two-way street.
(06:33):
Just like your microbiomeimpacts your brain, your brain
profoundly influences thecomposition and functionality of
our gut microbiome, and sothat's why a couple stress
management tips can be reallybeneficial from both a brain
perspective, but also a gutperspective.
(06:55):
So what do you think about this, Kate?
Kate Scarlata (06:58):
It's so fascinating, Dr.
Megan Riehl, it is sofascinating, and I see that in
my own experiences.
I'm one of those people thatloses their appetite when
they're stressed.
It's the last thing I can do iseat, even before I get on to do
a speaking engagement at aconference, like no, you know.
See me afterwards, though, andI'm eating a large lunch, but
(07:20):
before not so much, so Iresonated with what you were
saying, for sure.
Dr. Riehl (07:26):
Yeah.
So throughout today's episodewe're going to give some smart
gut tips.
What we want to inspire aresome very actionable strategies
that, when you're done listeningtoday, hopefully you'll
remember Kate and I and you'llchoose a couple of these gut
tips to kind of engage in, oryou'll pat yourself on the back
(07:46):
and be like, hey, I'm alreadydoing that.
So healthy gut, healthy mindhere.
So my first tip is that overthe next month, you will
dedicate 10 minutes to start amindfulness practice, and if the
concept of mindfulnessmeditation is just too much for
you, then start with 10 minutesof just muscle relaxation and
(08:08):
there are a lot of apps outthere.
You can google passive musclerelaxation we've talked about
this a little bit in previousepisodes and just spend 10
minutes a day focusing oncalming your body, releasing
stress and tension from yourmuscles.
You can track this, if that'syour jam, using a journal or an
app and just kind of keep trackof, very brief, how you've been
(08:32):
feeling from a gut perspective,mood perspective, stress levels,
and what you'll start to findis that you look forward to this
.
And if you really want to protip, something that I do as part
of my practice is I spend my 10minutes.
I do this close to bed in theevening and then I pair it with
(08:52):
a nice warm cup of calmingherbal tea I like sleepy time
tea.
Or you can do a light snacklike a probiotic rich yogurt and
after a month I really feellike you will not only benefit
from a stress managementperspective, but you will look
forward to this little treat foryourself in the evening.
Kate Scarlata (09:11):
I love that.
And I think about yourInstagram, Dr Riehl, where you
have these mindful minuteopportunities.
I mean that would be a reallygood starting point, just to go
onto your Instagram account andtake part in some of those
beautiful scenes that you haveon your Instagram account.
What is the handle, again, foryour Instagram @DrRiehl?
(09:32):
That's pretty easy, Dr, prettyeasy R-I-E-H-L.
Dr Riehl.
You got it.
Love that.
Okay, so you know one of my topessentials for gut health,
obviously.
Okay, so you know one of my topessentials for gut health
obviously is eating a nutritiousdiet.
As a dietitian, obviously I gotinto this field because I
believe in the power of goodnutrition and I believe that
(09:54):
diet matters particularly forour gut and overall well-being.
So our philosophy, though, hasnever been restrict, restrict,
restrict.
When it comes to eating, wereally think about balancing and
not banning food, so thinkabout eating a diverse range of
foods.
So, when it comes to reallymaintaining gut health, there
(10:20):
are some key factors about ourdiet that really can help hinder
or help our gut microbiome.
Diet in itself.
There's many components withinfood itself that can be very
positive for the gut microbiome.
These are your primarily focuson foods that are rich in fiber,
rich in plants, different typesof colors.
So when we think about plantfoods, they are really our top
(10:43):
fuel for our gut microbiota.
They love, love, love fiber.
So eating a variety ofdifferent types of plants allows
our gut microbes to also bediverse, and a more diverse
microbiome, lots of differenttypes of microbes, is associated
with a healthier microbiome.
So lots of different plantsleads to lots of different
(11:05):
microbes, positive changes inthe gut microbiome and the two
key things in plants arepolyphenols and fiber.
There's other nutrients andvitamins and deliciousness and
fruits and plant-based foods,but remember fiber, number one
fuel.
So focus on fiber, becausedietary fiber is essential for
(11:27):
gut health and, of course, as Imentioned, the gut microbes'
favorite fuel.
It acts as a prebiotic, whichthis means it is fuel for
health-promoting microbes.
So we'll talk a little bit morein depth about fiber in a
little bit.
But also polyphenols are infood and these often give color
to different types of fruits andvegetables.
(11:48):
Polyphenol-rich foods includethings like extra virgin olive
oil, berries, bright coloredkiwi fruit and even dark
chocolate and wine yay, inmoderation, in moderation are
rich in polyphenols and thesealso act like prebiotics.
Again, food forhealth-promoting microbes.
(12:09):
So that's awesome.
A couple other components whenit comes to good nutrition is
healthy fats, and when we talkabout healthy fats, think
avocado, think omega-3 fats,like found in flaxseed and
walnuts, even in fatty fish likesalmon.
These all can haveanti-inflammatory effects and
(12:30):
are really good for our guthealth.
Conversely, fats that aresaturated, found in red meats
and butter, those seem to beless favorable to the gut
microbiome.
Meal timing is also reallyimportant, and we have talked a
lot about this throughoutvarious episodes.
But when you eat, you instigatethis gastrocolic reflex.
(12:53):
This is a really powerfulreflex that stimulates colonic
motility.
So eating breakfast is reallyimportant because the
gastrocolic reflexlux is workingits best.
So for those of you that tendto have a sluggish gut, try to
for sure eat breakfast andreally get that gastrocolic
(13:13):
reflux up and running.
You also want to give a littlebreak between eating, so grazing
and gut health.
It may seem like that's what youshould be doing, but you really
want to give your gut a littlebreak in between eating, and the
reason being is that you needto be in a fasting state for
your gut to initiate what wecall the MMC phase three.
(13:35):
This is a migrating motorcomplex phase three that only
will do a housekeeping wave ofthe small intestine, getting rid
of food debris out of the smallgut when you're fasting.
So if you're not giving breaksand you're constantly sipping on
something that has calories andnibbling on some pretzels 24-7,
(13:56):
you're not really giving yourgut that little bit of a break.
So a good two to three hourbreak in between eating you can,
of course, drink water anytime.
That's not going to interruptthis cleansing wave.
But eating discreet meals andgiving your gut a little break
is also really, really important.
The other thing is that foodnot only delivers nutrition,
(14:17):
it's really a source of joy.
I mean, I've never met acroissant that didn't make me
happy.
I'm just saying and you have toremember that we're on this
planet for such a short timethat food should also be joyful
and fun and not exclude yourcultural favorites.
So just remember that while wesometimes have to eliminate
(14:39):
certain things from our diet forthose with celiac disease or
allergies, for most of us,really being on a restrictive
diet is really unnecessary.
Dr. Riehl (14:50):
So fun to eat the rainbow right, like that's how
we can inspire, getting accessto these different polyphenols
and our different fibers andexposing our kids.
So that's been something whereyou've inspired me, which
inspires my family and hopefullyall of our listeners, to make
(15:11):
food fun and joyful.
And that's the name of the game, right.
Kate Scarlata (15:15):
Totally agree with you.
And you know a colorful meal islike more enticing, it's pretty
.
You know it's intriguing tolook at a lot of different
colors in a salad or a fruitsalad or just on your plate,
right?
Yep, exactly.
So what is a good goal to sortof think about as you're
navigating variety, eating, moreplants, thinking about good
(15:36):
tips for diet and your gutmicrobiome?
I always say start with somefruit, vegetable, legume, nut,
seed that you have never tried.
This is a great thing to dowith kids too.
Have them help select this itemto try and I'll sit down and
try this new food.
I did this a lot when my kidswere little and it really did
(15:57):
expand their palates and gotthem interested and less fearful
of trying new foods.
So try to do that as sort of alittle tip to try something that
you've never tried.
Step outside of that box.
And then another really quickand easy tip is just try to
embark on eating breakfast.
You know it is an importantmeal, fuels your mind for the
(16:21):
day, fuels your body for the day.
If you're prone to constipation, it's really a non-negotiable.
You should be eating breakfastand see how that changes, how
you feel, on a regular basis.
So those are a couple justsmart tips, easy strategies to
get going.
Dr. Riehl (16:33):
So those are a couple , just smart tips, easy
strategies to get going.
Yes, so this combination ourfood, our mood, it all works
together.
And you know, our next topic isour gut instinct, basically.
Learning to listen to your gutand engage in the gut brain
(16:54):
therapies that are available tohelp us do that is incredibly
powerful.
And the gut is the second brain, hence the gut-brain.
So these gut instincts are realand it's so important to pay
attention to our body's signals.
Symptoms after eating canindicate food intolerances.
Symptoms after stressors couldbe your body's way of cueing you
(17:14):
to stop something, reflect onyour needs and then activate
your healthy coping skills.
I'm going to kind of get intosome of the brain-gut therapies
that are available, but I thinkthat it's really important that
we recognize that we can't justprocess our thoughts and
(17:34):
emotions, you know, with our bigbrain, our second brain, our
gut brain also focuses onimpacting us in a variety of
ways, from that gut instinct allthe way to orchestrating the
digestion of food and how weabsorb nutrients and that
motility I was talking aboutearlier.
So this unique system isequipped with its own reflexes
(17:59):
and sensory capabilities,enabling it to adapt to the
gut's distinct conditions inreal time independent of the
brain's oversight.
In fact, there's been researchon this that has found that the
gut could still operate withoutdirection from the brain, and
this is fascinating to me.
I'm sure our listeners alsolisten to this.
(18:21):
I mean, the gut could operateeven without the brain.
So it shows how powerful thisis and under normal conditions,
however, our gut and our brainlean on each other and they
really work together with thisintricate bidirectional
communication pathway.
So let's talk a little bitabout some of the gut-brain
therapies.
One that I commonly use inclinical practice every day is
(18:45):
something called cognitivebehavioral therapy or CBT.
Many people have heard of thisand for people with IBS there
have now been studies that showthat CBT doesn't just ease brain
activity related to stress, andwe do this by teaching people
different coping strategies,different ways of thinking,
(19:05):
called cognitive reframing.
So CBT doesn't just ease kindof our mental load, but it also
alters our gut microbes and thisis very new research because
again, we used to think aboutthese psychological therapies as
(19:26):
mostly affecting our brain andkind of trickling down to affect
the gut, but now we see thesebrain-gut behavioral therapies
as altering our gut microbes andbecause of this, CBT really
helps to teach us these flexiblethinking patterns and how to
process stress more effectively,which ultimately can impact how
we manage things like IBS aswell as inflammatory bowel
(19:46):
disease and other GI conditions.
There's also a reallyfascinating study looking at the
immersion of meditation toaffect, again, those living with
IBS-type symptoms and othergastrointestinal conditions.
So long-term regular meditationhas been shown to shift the
(20:08):
composition of the gutmicrobiota.
Now, this was in Tibetan monks.
So you know, Kate and I areprobably not necessarily
utilizing meditation in the samecapacity that Tibetan monks are
, but we could, because I really.
I think my take home with thisis that the implementation of
meditation skills is a lifelongpractice.
(20:28):
So if it doesn't feelcomfortable right now, that's
okay.
Taking again just a mindfulminute, like Kate was sharing
from my Instagram stories,that's dipping your toe into
reaping the benefits of calmingyour mind for 60 seconds and
that can build upon itself andas you kind of dive a little
(20:50):
deeper into mindfulnesspractices, that can, over time,
really help to not just calmyour mind but also help your gut
thrive.
A takeaway, a smart gut goal ofthinking about this powerful
communication pathway and theways in which we can use
psychological therapies to helpour overall gut health is a
(21:13):
technique called the three C's,and this is coming from a CBT
concept, and we know that ourthoughts impact how we feel
emotionally and physically, andso the three C's stands for
catch it, check it, change it.
When you're experiencing timesof stress, typically those first
thoughts that pop into yourmind about the stressor may not
(21:36):
be your most constructive,thoughtful thoughts, and so when
you can kind of keep in yourmind and chant to yourself,
catch those thoughts, check themfor accuracy and change them to
something that's morebeneficial for that present
moment, that can be a reallygreat not only stress management
(21:57):
but also cognitive strategythat you can apply.
And you can use this for guthealth, but you could use this
just for general life stressors,and we talk more about this
technique in our book Mind YourGut.
So think about the three C's,catch a, check it, change it and
utilize this in your day to day.
Catch a, check it, change itand utilize this in your
(22:18):
day-to-day.
So our number four concept toreally be thinking about was
from an episode that we justloved with Dr Cathy Goldstein.
That really helped to remind usabout the importance of
prioritizing sleep, and sleepimpacts digestion, and it's
something that I haveprioritized over the last year
with my self-imposed 10:30bedtime.
(22:39):
And really, Dr.
Goldstein brought up thisconcept that many people
experience calledpsychophysiological insomnia,
and this is becoming too focusedon controlling sleep, which
leads to lack of sleep.
So the real things that we wantto focus on when it comes to
(23:01):
the quality of our sleep, whichcan be so crucial for gut health
, are to establish a routine forsleep aiming for seven to nine
hours of restful sleep.
It's no longer cool to bragabout not getting a lot of sleep
.
It's just not healthy.
It's not a good way to takecare of yourself, and so
(23:23):
optimizing the quality of yoursleep and prioritizing this is
something that we want for everysingle listener.
So don't let your bed becomeyour kitchen table or your
workspace or where you watch alot of TV.
The bed is for sleep and sex.
That's it Sleep and sex thosetwo things, and you want to make
(23:43):
it a really wonderful,comfortable environment.
So think about your sheetquality.
Darkness is also important andthe routine that you can follow.
So consistency is the goal.
Set a bedtime and stick to it.
No screens after your bedtime,roll over and allow yourself to
(24:03):
settle into your bed, relax yourmuscles and go off to sleepy
dreamland.
Kate Scarlata (24:11):
Did you know IBS impacts about 11% of people
globally.
It's a complex disorder totreat and certainly one to live
with, but we have a solution.
Mind Your Gut (24:22):
The Science-based, Whole- body Guide
to Living Well with IBS.
In Mind Your Gut authors KateScarlata, a GI expert,
registered dietitian, and DrMegan Riehl, a GI expert
psychologist, create a holisticguide to help you get your life
back and feel your best.
You will learn the link betweenthe gut, brain and food, why
(24:46):
stress and food can exacerbatesymptoms, and symptom-based
solutions to calming thegut-brain connection and help
you modify diet triggers.
Mind Your Gut offers targetedmind-gut behavioral therapies,
such as body relaxation methodsand stress management tools, as
well as delicious gut-soothingrecipes and many practical
(25:08):
nutrition tips.
Mind your Gut is the first ofits kind to provide a full
toolbox of therapeutic optionsfor IBS symptom management.
Mind Your Gut the science-basedwhole body guide to living well
with IBS, is available inhardcover and as an audio book
on Amazon, Target and more.
Dr. Riehl (25:30):
So, Kate, What's next?
Kate Scarlata (25:32):
So well, I wanted to get back to fiber, because
you know I'm all about nutrition.
That's right.
These key factors for guthealth and nutrition,
particularly and just themessaging that we're getting on
TikTok and with many influencers, you know, eat more fiber plant
, plant, plant, plant, plantplant, which I'm all about.
However, there is an ecosystemthat lives in your colon.
(25:55):
It's full of these trillions ofmicrobes.
I mentioned earlier that theyjust love fiber and when they
have and consume fiber, theymake a lot of gas.
We want to change thatecosystem very slowly, and that
means that when we startaddressing our fiber intake, we
want to do that in a slow manner, particularly if you are one
(26:18):
that has irritable bowelsyndrome or inflammatory bowel
disease, one that may be moresensitive in the gut, intestinal
space.
So really important strategyhere is, when you're changing
your diet, do so in a gradualmanner.
This will allow that ecosystemin the microbes to just adjust
(26:41):
to that new change in diet.
So it's really really important.
So one of the tips that I oftensay for this is just increment
by adding a couple high fiberfoods to your diet over the
course of a week.
So if you decided, oh, you lovechia seeds, a tablespoon has
five grams of fiber, I wouldn'tbe loading up with a tablespoon
(27:03):
of breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Maybe just start with maybe ateaspoon or two, particularly if
you're sensitive, and thenmaybe add a new fruit or
vegetable with dinner and justslowly increment so that you get
to your goals.
We're looking at somewherebetween 25 and 35 grams of fiber
per day, more so for men, alittle less for women.
In that range is a really goodgoal.
(27:26):
I did want to talk a little bitabout fiber too and mood,
because again we think of justthe gut and brain being sort of
separate entities and clearly atthis point I think you're
understanding they are so highlylinked and I find you know,
just before I get into my studywith mood and fiber, what I find
(27:48):
so intriguing with what DrRiehl said is just changing in
your stress management skillscan change the microbes that
reside in your gut.
How crazy is that?
That it just draws to theconnection that your brain has
so much influence over thesemicrobes as well.
(28:09):
Obviously what we're feedingthem has that makes so much
sense.
But then when you think aboutjust managing stress, it can
change your mood, can changeyour microbes, so so cool.
Dr. Riehl (28:20):
And nobody is immune to this.
Like we said earlier, this isimportant for all of us to
remember and that's why, eventhose that are living without a
digestive health conditionthat's diagnosed, you may see
little blips in the course of ayear where you're like man my
stomach just hurts more often,or I'm going to the bathroom
more or less, and you know, ifyou draw the kind of line back,
(28:44):
you're probably going to findeither you had been traveling
and there was a change there,you have had a different stress
in your life, or there'ssomething going on with your
nutrition.
There's a variety of factors,but I think in our clinical
practices we can usually look atpatterns and help people gain
some insights here.
Kate Scarlata (29:05):
Absolutely so.
There was a really interestingrandomized control trial looking
at a high prebiotic diet sohigh fiber, plant-based, with
polyphenols and they found thatthe diet improved not only mood
but anxiety, stress and improvedsleep in adults that had
moderate psychological distressas sort of a baseline.
(29:28):
So the diet involved consumingat least seven daily servings of
soluble fiber-rich foods andthese included items like
asparagus and garlic and onionand oats, whole wheat and beans.
And when they compared that toa probiotic supplement, the
probiotic really didn't make adifference.
But it was this dietary changethat was feeding the microbes
(29:52):
that reside in the gut, thesebeneficial nutritional
components that they enjoy.
So very, very interesting.
The probiotic didn't reallyhelp with mental health benefits
, but the enhanced beneficialdiet did so, just really
highlighting the potential ofdietary interventions and
enhancing mental health throughthis gut and brain communication
(30:14):
.
And as I mentioned, when you'readding, I just want to reiterate
you know a couple tips for somegentle fibers to add into your
diet.
And when I say gentle, thesejust tend to be even tolerated
by those with the most sensitiveof guts.
So starting with things like acouple teaspoons of chia seeds
is a good little extra fiberboost.
(30:35):
Green kiwi fruit has a lot ofpolyphenols, excellent fiber.
Oatmeal oats tend to betolerated.
If you need a gluten-free diet,make sure that the oats are
certified gluten-free.
A whole orange, a russet potatoeven eating the skin and even
some blueberries those are goodgentle fibers to start with if
(30:58):
you just want to start enhancingyour fiber intake.
But even if you have asensitive gut, those are good
starting fiber-rich foods to gowith.
Dr. Riehl (31:07):
Yeah, so my pandemic experimentation with chia seed
pudding.
I learned the very, very hardway, where my recipe was like
two tablespoons of chia seed andI made five of those and ate
them three days in a row and byday four I was a bloated mess.
(31:27):
I thought I was going toexplode.
And guess what I did?
I was texting my GI dietitianfriends going did I overdo it?
On something To which theyimmediately responded with oh my
gosh, yes, like back it up alittle bit.
So low and slow on the fiberintroduction here.
Kate Scarlata (31:47):
Oh my gosh, absolutely
Dr. Riehl (31:49):
Build your way up, build your way up and to go
along with that.
Like you know, when we'restressed, sometimes just finding
little things that we cancontrol can be really beneficial
.
A lot of times, stress andanxiety are driven by things
that are uncontrollable, they'reunpredictable, and that just
(32:10):
makes us kind of anxious andafraid and looking for something
that we can control.
And so something that you canis staying hydrated.
Water certainly supports ourdigestion and can help prevent
constipation.
It's probably one of the firstthings that we ask people that
are constipated is how much areyou drinking in a day?
So, aiming to drink enoughwater, we recommend eight cups
(32:35):
of eight ounces of water a day,so eight eight-ounce glasses per
day.
And that is especiallyimportant as you're increasing
your fiber intake.
So just keep that in mind.
Drink that water with everymeal and at snack time.
My God, a water bottle isavailable on every corner these
days.
(32:55):
We can't leave without likehaving six cups in our hands.
We keep our kids hydrated.
Everybody's got a water bottle,so just make sure you're
actually using it.
And you can check your peecolor.
If you're looking a light haycolor most of the time, that's
the goal.
So if it's bright yellow, youbetter fill up that Stanley and
(33:15):
get drinking Absolutely.
Kate Scarlata (33:17):
And you know it will be a little bright in the
morning.
You haven't been drinking, mostlikely while you were sleeping,
or people don't when they'resleeping.
Maybe you do so.
If it's a little darker in themorning, that's okay, you should
expect that.
But as you start hydratingduring the day, that light hay
color, that is definitely a goodgoal.
You don't want it see-throughlike clear water because you're
(33:39):
probably just pushing througheven more than you need to.
But look for that light haycolor.
That is definitely the goal.
Dr. Riehl (33:46):
So you get a little endorphin bump when you look
down there and you're headed inthe right color trajectory and
you know that right there isgoing to give you a little like,
hey, you met a goal and you'redoing this, your day is going
well,
Kate Scarlata (33:59):
yes, and you know , the brain is 70% water.
It's like let's hydrate thatbrain.
We kind of need it, right DrRiehl?
Dr. Riehl (34:07):
That's right, very important, very important.
Kate Scarlata (34:10):
Okay, so we're moving down through these 10 top
tips and now we're on numberseven, and that is incorporating
some fermented foods, andfermented foods don't
necessarily mean that they'reprobiotic rich.
And fermented foods don'tnecessarily mean that they're
probiotic rich, but they aremade with some type of live and
active culture and that live andactive culture appears to
(34:31):
enhance gut health.
And there was a very keyseminal study out of Stanford
University, however very smallbut very interesting, and we
talked about this, I believe, inour very first podcast.
But just to review quickly,this was a small study in 36
healthy adults.
They split the group and gaveone group fermented food six
(34:53):
servings per day.
The fermented food that theychose all had live and active
cultures, so they weren't likesourdough bread that had live
and active cultures, and thenthey baked it and now they're
not live anymore.
They stuck with things likekimchi, sauerkraut, for instance
, and yogurt with live andactive cultures.
And then the other group had ahigh-fiber diet 40 grams of
(35:14):
fiber, so we're talking pretty,pretty high.
And they did all sorts ofmeasurements, looking at
different types of metabolites,they looked at immune profiling
in these individuals and theyfound that the fermented food
diet arm those that got the sixservings of fermented food had a
greater diversity in their gutmicrobiome.
(35:37):
Again, this is a marker of goodgut health.
The high-fiber diet arm did nothave that.
They did have some changes, butnot to this great diversity
that they witnessed in thefermented foods.
So just like a check positivefor getting in those fermented
foods, they also looked at thesedifferent types of immune cells
and they found that they wereless activated in the fermented
(36:00):
food group, particularlyinterleukin-6, which has been
linked to conditions such asrheumatoid arthritis, type 2
diabetes and chronic stress.
So our smart strategy and tipfor you today is to think about
getting in a fermented food atleast once every day, maybe
(36:22):
every other day if you can, andwe're looking for getting those
with live and active cultures.
So good things like culturedcottage cheese, kombucha, kimchi
, yogurt those tend to be theones that are alive and just try
to incorporate a littlefermented, get a little cultured
, get a little cultured.
Dr. Riehl (36:41):
And you know, I think that this is kind of a fun
experiment with your kids too.
These flavors can be reallyintense and some kids are going
to gravitate right toward it.
Probably the earlier you canintroduce it the better, so that
it's just a part of their foodculture, their food repertoire.
But it can be fun to kind ofsmell it, taste it.
(37:02):
I will be very honest thesearen't foods that are in a ton
of my day-to-day.
Certainly, yogurts I'm goodwith that, but I think setting
the example as the parent, totry it as a family and talk
about how it really is helpfulfor our body, it's a fun little
challenge.
So check back in 2025 about howthe Riehl family is doing on
(37:25):
our kimchi challenges.
Kate Scarlata (37:27):
Yeah and as a dietitian I often think of
things like kombucha could bemixed in with another type of
juice.
You could also try yogurt andmake it into a ranch dip, or mix
it with peanut butter, orexplore different recipes using
either cottage cheese or yogurt,so you can kind of play around
(37:49):
with the food itself.
If, straight up, plain yogurtisn't your kid's jam, then maybe
mixing it with some vanilla anda little bit of maple syrup
might get them a little bit moreintrigued If it looks like
whipped cream or tastes likesour cream, we're in so that is
a fantastic idea, I love that Alot of times we'll use Greek
(38:10):
yogurt, we put just a little bitof taco seasoning in it and we
pop that on top of tacos or overour nachos and it's delicious.
So there's one tip there to geta little more fermented foods in
your diet.
And then number eight, which isreally near and dear to me,
because exercise has always beena huge part of my just mental
(38:33):
health and everyday living, witha chocolate lab these days.
So moving your body veryimportant, and I think you just.
It's really important to findsomething that is fun for you,
whether that's dancing in yourkitchen or getting out in nature
, which is my favorite thing todo, walking the beach and
(38:53):
listening to those calming wavesWhatever really like fills your
cup.
That is the way you should moveyour body.
If it's a really jazzerciseclass or a yoga class, whatever
it is, find what it is and getit happening, and find at least
30 minutes a day to be movingyour body.
(39:14):
That's just all we really need.
I'm a big forest bather, treehugger, you know whatever you
want to call it, but there issome benefits to exercising in
nature, and so forest bathinghas been shown to enhance
immunity, helps treat chronicdiseases, regulate mood, reduce
anxiety and depression.
It's really interesting some ofthe health benefits of just
(39:37):
really being covered in a treearea, quiet on your own, which I
absolutely love.
So, as part of your strategy,well, let's first start, megan,
what's your jam?
What are you liking to do thesedays with your exercise?
Dr. Riehl (39:54):
Yeah, I'm still a Peloton girl.
I mean, hey, alex Toussaint, hehas supported the American
College of Gastroenterology withrides before, so we love Alex
on The Gut Health Podcast.
I just love the music, I lovethe energy.
I love an instructor that'stelling me to just keep going,
and a lot of times my kids arelike running around in the
(40:16):
basement.
They are still playing, butthey are also seeing mom
prioritize exercise as not justgood for my physical health, but
certainly I'm a better personafter I've gotten some exercise
in.
I love that.
So that is really what I prioritize.
And then just family walks,like getting out with the kids
especially.
We had our first snow inMichigan yesterday.
(40:38):
That meant I was getting outthe snow pants, the boots, the
hats, the gloves because we arestill going outside.
We are going outside to play,the weather will not stop us.
And then I think that that isreally an important thing for
all of us to kind of think about.
Is we got to continue to getoutside, get that fresh air?
Move your body, don't let theelements get in the way, and I
(41:01):
will give you a plug too.
So if you want some inspiration, if you want to see a cute dog
waddling down the path nodisrespect, Lucy, none,
Mabel.
Oh, shoot, oh.
Rest in peace, sorry.
Kate Scarlata (41:17):
You know, Lucy gets a little cred.
She was number one chocolatelab.
She was number one.
Dr. Riehl (41:22):
Lucy was the number one, and now Mabel is waddling
behind her in all her gloryforest bathing with you,
absolutely.
Yeah, so if you want a cutepuppy to inspire you and to see
Kate and her husband out there.
Getting out together as acouple is also really wonderful.
Follow Kate on Instagram.
(41:42):
What's your handle, Kate?
Kate Scarlata (41:44):
@KateScarlata So, yes, definitely join us.
We're out and about quite a bitthese days.
And, just to your point, whenthe kids were younger my kids
are older, I'm almost going tobe a grandma in about a month we
always got a babysitter so thatwe could run together and it
really was just a wonderful time.
(42:05):
We just prioritized thatopportunity to get together and
just even as a husband and wifeand talk and regroup for the
week.
So that's always fun too.
And I'm a Peloton girl too andI do really enjoy the spinning
as well.
I'm much more of an outdoorgirl.
That is my priority.
But I know, as a young mom, theindoor activities.
(42:27):
I did all indoor activitieswhen my kids were little.
Because you're a little bitmore on house arrest, should we
say.
Dr. Riehl (42:34):
That's right.
And if there is a gym thatoffers daycare, think about that
as an investment.
That if you can go on a coldSaturday and the kids get to go
play in the daycare and you gettime to go for a walk on a track
or go for a swim, again, theycan be financial investments,
(42:55):
but they are going to help youin the long run and especially
those of you that are strugglinga bit with your gut health.
The exercise is a reallyimportant piece of all of this.
So with that, I think it's areally good segue to our ninth
strategy and an essential andthis is applying a personalized
(43:17):
approach.
And this is something that Iask people in therapy, but I
also ask my friends and lovedones, and that is "how are you
really doing?
What are your needs?
If you're somebody that'sreally struggling with stress or
anxiety, maybe that's oneaspect of your health that you
take a look at and set smallgoals.
(43:39):
Maybe that means that you aregoing to connect with a
therapist in the coming months.
Maybe that means you haverecognized that your diet's a
little out of whack and you wantto give it what we call the
gentle diet cleanup and reallyjust start to make you know.
Maybe it's you begin to havebreakfast every day.
(43:59):
So picking just one or twoaspects of your health based on
what your needs are and settingsmall goals is really essential
here.
And maybe it's also that you'rejust rushing too much in your
life.
Again, none of us are immune tothis.
We all can do better.
But I'm going to make a littlegut health suggestion here.
(44:22):
So maybe you take theopportunity that we all have
what's something that we all doPoop.
That's right, we all poop.
So use the time on theporcelain throne that we all
hopefully will have in a givenday as a mini self-care moment.
Leave your phone outside thebathroom.
Get yourself in proper poopingposition, which means that
(44:46):
you're seated at about a30-degree angle, sitting with
your straight spine gentlyleaning forward, feet up,
preferably on something like asquatty potty or a stool that
puts your knees slightly aboveyour hips.
So you're in that properpooping position.
Whether you have a GI issue ornot, this is the ideal position
(45:07):
to defecate.
Allow yourself just three tofive diaphragmatic breaths while
you're sitting there.
Allow yourself just three tofive diaphragmatic breaths while
you're sitting there.
Relax your system and commit todoing this every time you go,
because, darn it, if you have acleansing poop, it's going to
make your day better, and somini self-care moment on the
(45:30):
porcelain throne is reallysomething that you can gift
yourself every single day.
Amen, amen, amen, all right,amen, amen, amen, all right.
So number 10, we've made it tothe end of our list.
This has been fun.
I'm excited.
So I'm excited to share thislast one with you.
If you are somebody, if you area listener, if you are listening
and sharing this informationwith somebody else and you're
really struggling with adigestive health condition, our
(45:53):
last strategy is to get yourselfyour Dream Team, and this Dream
Team is typically made up of agood gastroenterologist, an
amazing GI dietitian, a GIpsychologist, and there are a
lot of other partners that wecan bring into the team as well,
such as a pelvic floor physicaltherapist, as an example.
(46:16):
So if you are somebody thatcontinues to have gut problems
and you do not have a dream teamor you have not felt heard by
your medical professional, youdeserve it.
You deserve to know that youcan live better than suffering
every day, and through a varietyof strategies whether it be the
(46:37):
combination of nutrition,mental health, behavioral health
strategies addressing the gutbrain, you can really experience
improvements in not just yoursymptoms but your overall
perspective on living with ahealth issue.
So, Dream Team, everybody, itis so very important and
deserved by everybody to enjoygut health.
(47:01):
What do we think about that?
Kate Scarlata (47:03):
You know I was just going to say I mean,
there's evidence to prove that,having a Dream Team, you will
have better results in yoursymptoms, in your healthcare
experience.
So it's not just we like theDream Team approach.
It has evidence to suggest thatit's really the best approach,
especially for irritable bowelsyndrome, which you know, I'm
(47:24):
sure, across many otherdigestive diseases and
conditions it would bebeneficial as well.
But you know my data that I'veread is primarily looking at it
in irritable bowel syndrome.
So, yeah, get your right peoplein place so that you feel
supported on your healthcarejourney in a way that matters to
you.
Dr. Riehl (47:42):
Yep, it's truly the gold standard in IBS care and,
as you said, really importantfor other chronic gut issues.
So, Kate, it's December 2024.
What are your personaltakeaways from this incredibly
exciting past year?
Kate Scarlata (47:59):
Well, first of all, I can't believe that we one
wrote a book and published it,that we decided off, kind of the
cuff, like we need to do a guthealth podcast because there's
really not a lot ofevidence-based information out
there, and geez, we just madethat happen really quickly and
I'm really proud of the workthat you and I have done.
(48:19):
I have survived somehow raisinga very busy chocolate lab in
the midst of all this andlearned that I'm going to be a
grandmother.
So there's been just such anincredibly rewarding and
exciting year.
A lot of hard work I'm going tosay a lot, a lot of hard work,
(48:41):
but amazing and just with all ofthe GI community is so fabulous
and I'm so grateful to befriends with many of the experts
that we were able to bring onjust so easily.
They provided their time toshare their knowledge, so, so
amazing.
And, yeah, I'm looking forwardto 2025 because we have some
(49:01):
incredible guests already linedup in some really fabulous
topics.
How about you, Megan?
Dr. Riehl (49:09):
I mean, yeah, it's been a whirlwind and I have
truly enjoyed every opportunityto engage with my patients.
I still have a full-timeclinical practice and I love
that work.
I love my job at conferencesand at meetings this past year,
(49:35):
and then make my way home to dowhat every parent has to do, and
that's figure out what to feedour kids and model healthy
behaviors and have some fun inbetween.
So, man, it can be hard outthere as a working mom and this
year especially, I have been sothankful for the incredible
community, especially of Womenin GI.
There are rock star physicians,dietitians, pelvic floor
(50:02):
therapists that are doing suchamazing work in the GI space and
again I'm so thankful to havethem have my back, and again I'm
so thankful to have them havemy back and I certainly have
theirs as we navigate this, youknow, interesting time in the
world.
(50:25):
So, just to your point too,every conversation that we've
had with people on the podcastand also out in the community
has just deepened my knowledgeand fueled my curiosity and it
truly just makes me excitedabout really the wonders of the
gut and the mind.
And so we're not going anywhere.
We've got a lot of excitingthings coming up.
So we really we want to expressour profound gratitude for our
(50:45):
listeners, our guests and oursponsors, and all those that are
doing their best to live ahealthy life and all those that
are doing their best to live ahealthy life.
Thank you for every like, shareand comment.
Keep them coming.
We have exciting shows plannedfor 2025.
Kate Scarlata (51:06):
Thanks everyone for joining us on this really
fun journey and hope that youhave learned a lot from both of
us and our wonderful guests.
Dr. Riehl (51:12):
Thanks friends, thank you for joining us as we grow
this gut health community.
We hope you enjoyed thisepisode and don't forget to
subscribe, rate and leave us acomment.
You can also follow us onsocial media @The Gut Health
Podcast, where we'd love for youto share your thoughts,
questions and experiences.
Thanks for tuning in, friends.
Thank you.
The Gut Health Podcast willempower you with a fascinating
scientific connection betweenyour brain, food and the gut.
Come join us.
We welcome you.
Dr. Riehl (00:34):
Hello friends, and welcome to The Gut Health
Podcast, where we talk about allthings related to your gut and
well-being.
We are your hostsI'm Dr Megan Riehl, a GI health
psychologist
Kate Scarlata (00:47):
and I'm Kate Scarlata, a GI dietitian.
We started The Gut HealthPodcast to share science-based
information in a very digestibleway.
Just two friends who wrote abook about IBS.
We really like to have funtogether and we wanted everyone
to have access to science-basedinformation to live a balanced,
(01:10):
full and happy life.
Check out the show notesbecause we have some really
wonderful reviews of The GutHealth Podcast thus far and we
are really pleased with thefeedback we're getting on this
little side project that we havestarted this year.
Dr. Riehl (01:28):
Yeah, it's a side project, but, man, we are
building a wonderful communityand it is so fun to read the
reviews and see our friends andcolleagues and patients sharing
this podcast with their lovedones, our own loved ones sharing
The Gut Health Podcast.
So we're really excited forthis episode, where it's Kate
(01:51):
and I and we're going to begiving you our top 10 easy and
actionable strategies for yourgut health and overall wellness,
because, let's face it, guthealth matters for everyone.
Kate Scarlata (02:05):
You got it.
Dr. Riehl (02:06):
Yes, we've got it.
We've got it.
When we talk about gut health,the impact of stress is
typically a part of thisconversation, right?
Stress management is one of ourtop 10 essentials for your gut
health and beyond.
Kate, you ever been stressed?
Kate Scarlata (02:23):
Just a little bit .
Just a little bit, especiallywhen you have a 10-month-old
crazy chocolate lab.
That's right, it's a bit crazy.
And, Megan, do you feelstressed?
Dr. Riehl (02:33):
Never, never! Working mom, three littles, husband,
job, podcast, book, right.
No one is immune to stress, butthose of us that can learn and
implement healthy copingstrategies tend to manage the
stress a little bit better andthe stress has less of an effect
(02:55):
on our body.
And that's the reality here isthat we think about stress as
something that's emotional, andit can be, but it also can have
really profound impacts on oursleep, on headaches, on our
cardiovascular health and ourgut health.
So here are a few reasons whymanaging stress is essential for
(03:17):
all of us to have a happy gut.
Let's start with the gut-brainconnection.
The gut-brain areinterconnected through this
complex network that we now knowas the gut-brain axis.
It's a communicationsuperhighway and that highway is
bidirectional.
It goes from gut to brain andbrain to gut, and stress can
(03:38):
alter this communication thathappens between this brain and
this gut of ours and, from a GIperspective, it can certainly
affect our digestive processesand our gut function, and you
may see some of thesealterations with changes in gut
motility.
So motility is how fast or howslow things move through the
(04:01):
digestive tract, those thingstypically being food, and this
can result in symptoms likediarrhea or constipation,
depending on whether motility isincreased or decreased.
Stress can affect this.
We also see that stress canalter our gut microbiota.
We've talked about this a lotover the last year with the
(04:23):
introduction of The Gut HealthPodcast.
So chronic stress cannegatively affect the balance of
the gut bacteria that are inour system, and this can lead to
something called dysbiosis and,just as an FYI, we're going to
be covering this again in 2025.
But dysbiosis is an imbalanceof the microorganisms that live
(04:46):
in our human body, or what welike to refer to as our
microbiome, and this is a reallyhot topic because this
imbalance can contribute to notjust gastrointestinal issues,
but many other aspects of ourphysical health, a couple other
ways that stress can impact ourbody.
So this is a big topic too howstress can trigger inflammatory
(05:09):
responses in our body, and thiscan certainly affect our gut,
and this is another reason why,for people that are living with
IBS, as well as inflammatorybowel disease or IBD, we like to
look at how are we managing ourstress, because increased
levels of stress hormones likecortisol can promote
(05:29):
inflammation, which canexacerbate these conditions, and
finally, we can see changes inappetite.
So I know I think I've talkedabout this before that when the
stress goes up, my trips to thegrocery store and including some
Ben and Jerry's pints of icecream also tends to go up, and
(05:49):
so stress can impact how we eat,it can impact the food choices
that we make as well, as forsome people it increases their
appetite, for some it decreases,and really along that spectrum,
we need to focus on ournutrient intake to help our
microbiome, to help our overallgut health.
(06:11):
So did you know that the gutmicrobiome, those trillions of
microbes living in our digestivetract, play a crucial role in
managing our mind and ouroverall health?
And what's fascinating is thatthis relationship, just like
that gut-brain connection, isalso a two-way street.
(06:33):
Just like your microbiomeimpacts your brain, your brain
profoundly influences thecomposition and functionality of
our gut microbiome, and sothat's why a couple stress
management tips can be reallybeneficial from both a brain
perspective, but also a gutperspective.
(06:55):
So what do you think about this, Kate?
Kate Scarlata (06:58):
It's so fascinating, Dr.
Megan Riehl, it is sofascinating, and I see that in
my own experiences.
I'm one of those people thatloses their appetite when
they're stressed.
It's the last thing I can do iseat, even before I get on to do
a speaking engagement at aconference, like no, you know.
See me afterwards, though, andI'm eating a large lunch, but
(07:20):
before not so much, so Iresonated with what you were
saying, for sure.
Dr. Riehl (07:26):
Yeah.
So throughout today's episodewe're going to give some smart
gut tips.
What we want to inspire aresome very actionable strategies
that, when you're done listeningtoday, hopefully you'll
remember Kate and I and you'llchoose a couple of these gut
tips to kind of engage in, oryou'll pat yourself on the back
(07:46):
and be like, hey, I'm alreadydoing that.
So healthy gut, healthy mindhere.
So my first tip is that overthe next month, you will
dedicate 10 minutes to start amindfulness practice, and if the
concept of mindfulnessmeditation is just too much for
you, then start with 10 minutesof just muscle relaxation and
(08:08):
there are a lot of apps outthere.
You can google passive musclerelaxation we've talked about
this a little bit in previousepisodes and just spend 10
minutes a day focusing oncalming your body, releasing
stress and tension from yourmuscles.
You can track this, if that'syour jam, using a journal or an
app and just kind of keep trackof, very brief, how you've been
(08:32):
feeling from a gut perspective,mood perspective, stress levels,
and what you'll start to findis that you look forward to this
.
And if you really want to protip, something that I do as part
of my practice is I spend my 10minutes.
I do this close to bed in theevening and then I pair it with
(08:52):
a nice warm cup of calmingherbal tea I like sleepy time
tea.
Or you can do a light snacklike a probiotic rich yogurt and
after a month I really feellike you will not only benefit
from a stress managementperspective, but you will look
forward to this little treat foryourself in the evening.
Kate Scarlata (09:11):
I love that.
And I think about yourInstagram, Dr Riehl, where you
have these mindful minuteopportunities.
I mean that would be a reallygood starting point, just to go
onto your Instagram account andtake part in some of those
beautiful scenes that you haveon your Instagram account.
What is the handle, again, foryour Instagram @DrRiehl?
(09:32):
That's pretty easy, Dr, prettyeasy R-I-E-H-L.
Dr Riehl.
You got it.
Love that.
Okay, so you know one of my topessentials for gut health,
obviously.
Okay, so you know one of my topessentials for gut health
obviously is eating a nutritiousdiet.
As a dietitian, obviously I gotinto this field because I
believe in the power of goodnutrition and I believe that
(09:54):
diet matters particularly forour gut and overall well-being.
So our philosophy, though, hasnever been restrict, restrict,
restrict.
When it comes to eating, wereally think about balancing and
not banning food, so thinkabout eating a diverse range of
foods.
So, when it comes to reallymaintaining gut health, there
(10:20):
are some key factors about ourdiet that really can help hinder
or help our gut microbiome.
Diet in itself.
There's many components withinfood itself that can be very
positive for the gut microbiome.
These are your primarily focuson foods that are rich in fiber,
rich in plants, different typesof colors.
So when we think about plantfoods, they are really our top
(10:43):
fuel for our gut microbiota.
They love, love, love fiber.
So eating a variety ofdifferent types of plants allows
our gut microbes to also bediverse, and a more diverse
microbiome, lots of differenttypes of microbes, is associated
with a healthier microbiome.
So lots of different plantsleads to lots of different
(11:05):
microbes, positive changes inthe gut microbiome and the two
key things in plants arepolyphenols and fiber.
There's other nutrients andvitamins and deliciousness and
fruits and plant-based foods,but remember fiber, number one
fuel.
So focus on fiber, becausedietary fiber is essential for
(11:27):
gut health and, of course, as Imentioned, the gut microbes'
favorite fuel.
It acts as a prebiotic, whichthis means it is fuel for
health-promoting microbes.
So we'll talk a little bit morein depth about fiber in a
little bit.
But also polyphenols are infood and these often give color
to different types of fruits andvegetables.
(11:48):
Polyphenol-rich foods includethings like extra virgin olive
oil, berries, bright coloredkiwi fruit and even dark
chocolate and wine yay, inmoderation, in moderation are
rich in polyphenols and thesealso act like prebiotics.
Again, food forhealth-promoting microbes.
(12:09):
So that's awesome.
A couple other components whenit comes to good nutrition is
healthy fats, and when we talkabout healthy fats, think
avocado, think omega-3 fats,like found in flaxseed and
walnuts, even in fatty fish likesalmon.
These all can haveanti-inflammatory effects and
(12:30):
are really good for our guthealth.
Conversely, fats that aresaturated, found in red meats
and butter, those seem to beless favorable to the gut
microbiome.
Meal timing is also reallyimportant, and we have talked a
lot about this throughoutvarious episodes.
But when you eat, you instigatethis gastrocolic reflex.
(12:53):
This is a really powerfulreflex that stimulates colonic
motility.
So eating breakfast is reallyimportant because the
gastrocolic reflexlux is workingits best.
So for those of you that tendto have a sluggish gut, try to
for sure eat breakfast andreally get that gastrocolic
(13:13):
reflux up and running.
You also want to give a littlebreak between eating, so grazing
and gut health.
It may seem like that's what youshould be doing, but you really
want to give your gut a littlebreak in between eating, and the
reason being is that you needto be in a fasting state for
your gut to initiate what wecall the MMC phase three.
(13:35):
This is a migrating motorcomplex phase three that only
will do a housekeeping wave ofthe small intestine, getting rid
of food debris out of the smallgut when you're fasting.
So if you're not giving breaksand you're constantly sipping on
something that has calories andnibbling on some pretzels 24-7,
(13:56):
you're not really giving yourgut that little bit of a break.
So a good two to three hourbreak in between eating you can,
of course, drink water anytime.
That's not going to interruptthis cleansing wave.
But eating discreet meals andgiving your gut a little break
is also really, really important.
The other thing is that foodnot only delivers nutrition,
(14:17):
it's really a source of joy.
I mean, I've never met acroissant that didn't make me
happy.
I'm just saying and you have toremember that we're on this
planet for such a short timethat food should also be joyful
and fun and not exclude yourcultural favorites.
So just remember that while wesometimes have to eliminate
(14:39):
certain things from our diet forthose with celiac disease or
allergies, for most of us,really being on a restrictive
diet is really unnecessary.
Dr. Riehl (14:50):
So fun to eat the rainbow right, like that's how
we can inspire, getting accessto these different polyphenols
and our different fibers andexposing our kids.
So that's been something whereyou've inspired me, which
inspires my family and hopefullyall of our listeners, to make
(15:11):
food fun and joyful.
And that's the name of the game, right.
Kate Scarlata (15:15):
Totally agree with you.
And you know a colorful meal islike more enticing, it's pretty
.
You know it's intriguing tolook at a lot of different
colors in a salad or a fruitsalad or just on your plate,
right?
Yep, exactly.
So what is a good goal to sortof think about as you're
navigating variety, eating, moreplants, thinking about good
(15:36):
tips for diet and your gutmicrobiome?
I always say start with somefruit, vegetable, legume, nut,
seed that you have never tried.
This is a great thing to dowith kids too.
Have them help select this itemto try and I'll sit down and
try this new food.
I did this a lot when my kidswere little and it really did
(15:57):
expand their palates and gotthem interested and less fearful
of trying new foods.
So try to do that as sort of alittle tip to try something that
you've never tried.
Step outside of that box.
And then another really quickand easy tip is just try to
embark on eating breakfast.
You know it is an importantmeal, fuels your mind for the
(16:21):
day, fuels your body for the day.
If you're prone to constipation, it's really a non-negotiable.
You should be eating breakfastand see how that changes, how
you feel, on a regular basis.
So those are a couple justsmart tips, easy strategies to
get going.
Dr. Riehl (16:33):
So those are a couple , just smart tips, easy
strategies to get going.
Yes, so this combination ourfood, our mood, it all works
together.
And you know, our next topic isour gut instinct, basically.
Learning to listen to your gutand engage in the gut brain
(16:54):
therapies that are available tohelp us do that is incredibly
powerful.
And the gut is the second brain, hence the gut-brain.
So these gut instincts are realand it's so important to pay
attention to our body's signals.
Symptoms after eating canindicate food intolerances.
Symptoms after stressors couldbe your body's way of cueing you
(17:14):
to stop something, reflect onyour needs and then activate
your healthy coping skills.
I'm going to kind of get intosome of the brain-gut therapies
that are available, but I thinkthat it's really important that
we recognize that we can't justprocess our thoughts and
(17:34):
emotions, you know, with our bigbrain, our second brain, our
gut brain also focuses onimpacting us in a variety of
ways, from that gut instinct allthe way to orchestrating the
digestion of food and how weabsorb nutrients and that
motility I was talking aboutearlier.
So this unique system isequipped with its own reflexes
(17:59):
and sensory capabilities,enabling it to adapt to the
gut's distinct conditions inreal time independent of the
brain's oversight.
In fact, there's been researchon this that has found that the
gut could still operate withoutdirection from the brain, and
this is fascinating to me.
I'm sure our listeners alsolisten to this.
(18:21):
I mean, the gut could operateeven without the brain.
So it shows how powerful thisis and under normal conditions,
however, our gut and our brainlean on each other and they
really work together with thisintricate bidirectional
communication pathway.
So let's talk a little bitabout some of the gut-brain
therapies.
One that I commonly use inclinical practice every day is
(18:45):
something called cognitivebehavioral therapy or CBT.
Many people have heard of thisand for people with IBS there
have now been studies that showthat CBT doesn't just ease brain
activity related to stress, andwe do this by teaching people
different coping strategies,different ways of thinking,
(19:05):
called cognitive reframing.
So CBT doesn't just ease kindof our mental load, but it also
alters our gut microbes and thisis very new research because
again, we used to think aboutthese psychological therapies as
(19:26):
mostly affecting our brain andkind of trickling down to affect
the gut, but now we see thesebrain-gut behavioral therapies
as altering our gut microbes andbecause of this, CBT really
helps to teach us these flexiblethinking patterns and how to
process stress more effectively,which ultimately can impact how
we manage things like IBS aswell as inflammatory bowel
(19:46):
disease and other GI conditions.
There's also a reallyfascinating study looking at the
immersion of meditation toaffect, again, those living with
IBS-type symptoms and othergastrointestinal conditions.
So long-term regular meditationhas been shown to shift the
(20:08):
composition of the gutmicrobiota.
Now, this was in Tibetan monks.
So you know, Kate and I areprobably not necessarily
utilizing meditation in the samecapacity that Tibetan monks are
, but we could, because I really.
I think my take home with thisis that the implementation of
meditation skills is a lifelongpractice.
(20:28):
So if it doesn't feelcomfortable right now, that's
okay.
Taking again just a mindfulminute, like Kate was sharing
from my Instagram stories,that's dipping your toe into
reaping the benefits of calmingyour mind for 60 seconds and
that can build upon itself andas you kind of dive a little
(20:50):
deeper into mindfulnesspractices, that can, over time,
really help to not just calmyour mind but also help your gut
thrive.
A takeaway, a smart gut goal ofthinking about this powerful
communication pathway and theways in which we can use
psychological therapies to helpour overall gut health is a
(21:13):
technique called the three C's,and this is coming from a CBT
concept, and we know that ourthoughts impact how we feel
emotionally and physically, andso the three C's stands for
catch it, check it, change it.
When you're experiencing timesof stress, typically those first
thoughts that pop into yourmind about the stressor may not
(21:36):
be your most constructive,thoughtful thoughts, and so when
you can kind of keep in yourmind and chant to yourself,
catch those thoughts, check themfor accuracy and change them to
something that's morebeneficial for that present
moment, that can be a reallygreat not only stress management
(21:57):
but also cognitive strategythat you can apply.
And you can use this for guthealth, but you could use this
just for general life stressors,and we talk more about this
technique in our book Mind YourGut.
So think about the three C's,catch a, check it, change it and
utilize this in your day to day.
Catch a, check it, change itand utilize this in your
(22:18):
day-to-day.
So our number four concept toreally be thinking about was
from an episode that we justloved with Dr Cathy Goldstein.
That really helped to remind usabout the importance of
prioritizing sleep, and sleepimpacts digestion, and it's
something that I haveprioritized over the last year
with my self-imposed 10:30bedtime.
(22:39):
And really, Dr.
Goldstein brought up thisconcept that many people
experience calledpsychophysiological insomnia,
and this is becoming too focusedon controlling sleep, which
leads to lack of sleep.
So the real things that we wantto focus on when it comes to
(23:01):
the quality of our sleep, whichcan be so crucial for gut health
, are to establish a routine forsleep aiming for seven to nine
hours of restful sleep.
It's no longer cool to bragabout not getting a lot of sleep
.
It's just not healthy.
It's not a good way to takecare of yourself, and so
(23:23):
optimizing the quality of yoursleep and prioritizing this is
something that we want for everysingle listener.
So don't let your bed becomeyour kitchen table or your
workspace or where you watch alot of TV.
The bed is for sleep and sex.
That's it Sleep and sex thosetwo things, and you want to make
(23:43):
it a really wonderful,comfortable environment.
So think about your sheetquality.
Darkness is also important andthe routine that you can follow.
So consistency is the goal.
Set a bedtime and stick to it.
No screens after your bedtime,roll over and allow yourself to
(24:03):
settle into your bed, relax yourmuscles and go off to sleepy
dreamland.
Kate Scarlata (24:11):
Did you know IBS impacts about 11% of people
globally.
It's a complex disorder totreat and certainly one to live
with, but we have a solution.
Mind Your Gut (24:22):
The Science-based, Whole- body Guide
to Living Well with IBS.
In Mind Your Gut authors KateScarlata, a GI expert,
registered dietitian, and DrMegan Riehl, a GI expert
psychologist, create a holisticguide to help you get your life
back and feel your best.
You will learn the link betweenthe gut, brain and food, why
(24:46):
stress and food can exacerbatesymptoms, and symptom-based
solutions to calming thegut-brain connection and help
you modify diet triggers.
Mind Your Gut offers targetedmind-gut behavioral therapies,
such as body relaxation methodsand stress management tools, as
well as delicious gut-soothingrecipes and many practical
(25:08):
nutrition tips.
Mind your Gut is the first ofits kind to provide a full
toolbox of therapeutic optionsfor IBS symptom management.
Mind Your Gut the science-basedwhole body guide to living well
with IBS, is available inhardcover and as an audio book
on Amazon, Target and more.
Dr. Riehl (25:30):
So, Kate, What's next?
Kate Scarlata (25:32):
So well, I wanted to get back to fiber, because
you know I'm all about nutrition.
That's right.
These key factors for guthealth and nutrition,
particularly and just themessaging that we're getting on
TikTok and with many influencers, you know, eat more fiber plant
, plant, plant, plant, plantplant, which I'm all about.
However, there is an ecosystemthat lives in your colon.
(25:55):
It's full of these trillions ofmicrobes.
I mentioned earlier that theyjust love fiber and when they
have and consume fiber, theymake a lot of gas.
We want to change thatecosystem very slowly, and that
means that when we startaddressing our fiber intake, we
want to do that in a slow manner, particularly if you are one
(26:18):
that has irritable bowelsyndrome or inflammatory bowel
disease, one that may be moresensitive in the gut, intestinal
space.
So really important strategyhere is, when you're changing
your diet, do so in a gradualmanner.
This will allow that ecosystemin the microbes to just adjust
(26:41):
to that new change in diet.
So it's really really important.
So one of the tips that I oftensay for this is just increment
by adding a couple high fiberfoods to your diet over the
course of a week.
So if you decided, oh, you lovechia seeds, a tablespoon has
five grams of fiber, I wouldn'tbe loading up with a tablespoon
(27:03):
of breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Maybe just start with maybe ateaspoon or two, particularly if
you're sensitive, and thenmaybe add a new fruit or
vegetable with dinner and justslowly increment so that you get
to your goals.
We're looking at somewherebetween 25 and 35 grams of fiber
per day, more so for men, alittle less for women.
In that range is a really goodgoal.
(27:26):
I did want to talk a little bitabout fiber too and mood,
because again we think of justthe gut and brain being sort of
separate entities and clearly atthis point I think you're
understanding they are so highlylinked and I find you know,
just before I get into my studywith mood and fiber, what I find
(27:48):
so intriguing with what DrRiehl said is just changing in
your stress management skillscan change the microbes that
reside in your gut.
How crazy is that?
That it just draws to theconnection that your brain has
so much influence over thesemicrobes as well.
(28:09):
Obviously what we're feedingthem has that makes so much
sense.
But then when you think aboutjust managing stress, it can
change your mood, can changeyour microbes, so so cool.
Dr. Riehl (28:20):
And nobody is immune to this.
Like we said earlier, this isimportant for all of us to
remember and that's why, eventhose that are living without a
digestive health conditionthat's diagnosed, you may see
little blips in the course of ayear where you're like man my
stomach just hurts more often,or I'm going to the bathroom
more or less, and you know, ifyou draw the kind of line back,
(28:44):
you're probably going to findeither you had been traveling
and there was a change there,you have had a different stress
in your life, or there'ssomething going on with your
nutrition.
There's a variety of factors,but I think in our clinical
practices we can usually look atpatterns and help people gain
some insights here.
Kate Scarlata (29:05):
Absolutely so.
There was a really interestingrandomized control trial looking
at a high prebiotic diet sohigh fiber, plant-based, with
polyphenols and they found thatthe diet improved not only mood
but anxiety, stress and improvedsleep in adults that had
moderate psychological distressas sort of a baseline.
(29:28):
So the diet involved consumingat least seven daily servings of
soluble fiber-rich foods andthese included items like
asparagus and garlic and onionand oats, whole wheat and beans.
And when they compared that toa probiotic supplement, the
probiotic really didn't make adifference.
But it was this dietary changethat was feeding the microbes
(29:52):
that reside in the gut, thesebeneficial nutritional
components that they enjoy.
So very, very interesting.
The probiotic didn't reallyhelp with mental health benefits
, but the enhanced beneficialdiet did so, just really
highlighting the potential ofdietary interventions and
enhancing mental health throughthis gut and brain communication
(30:14):
.
And as I mentioned, when you'readding, I just want to reiterate
you know a couple tips for somegentle fibers to add into your
diet.
And when I say gentle, thesejust tend to be even tolerated
by those with the most sensitiveof guts.
So starting with things like acouple teaspoons of chia seeds
is a good little extra fiberboost.
(30:35):
Green kiwi fruit has a lot ofpolyphenols, excellent fiber.
Oatmeal oats tend to betolerated.
If you need a gluten-free diet,make sure that the oats are
certified gluten-free.
A whole orange, a russet potatoeven eating the skin and even
some blueberries those are goodgentle fibers to start with if
(30:58):
you just want to start enhancingyour fiber intake.
But even if you have asensitive gut, those are good
starting fiber-rich foods to gowith.
Dr. Riehl (31:07):
Yeah, so my pandemic experimentation with chia seed
pudding.
I learned the very, very hardway, where my recipe was like
two tablespoons of chia seed andI made five of those and ate
them three days in a row and byday four I was a bloated mess.
(31:27):
I thought I was going toexplode.
And guess what I did?
I was texting my GI dietitianfriends going did I overdo it?
On something To which theyimmediately responded with oh my
gosh, yes, like back it up alittle bit.
So low and slow on the fiberintroduction here.
Kate Scarlata (31:47):
Oh my gosh, absolutely
Dr. Riehl (31:49):
Build your way up, build your way up and to go
along with that.
Like you know, when we'restressed, sometimes just finding
little things that we cancontrol can be really beneficial
.
A lot of times, stress andanxiety are driven by things
that are uncontrollable, they'reunpredictable, and that just
(32:10):
makes us kind of anxious andafraid and looking for something
that we can control.
And so something that you canis staying hydrated.
Water certainly supports ourdigestion and can help prevent
constipation.
It's probably one of the firstthings that we ask people that
are constipated is how much areyou drinking in a day?
So, aiming to drink enoughwater, we recommend eight cups
(32:35):
of eight ounces of water a day,so eight eight-ounce glasses per
day.
And that is especiallyimportant as you're increasing
your fiber intake.
So just keep that in mind.
Drink that water with everymeal and at snack time.
My God, a water bottle isavailable on every corner these
days.
(32:55):
We can't leave without likehaving six cups in our hands.
We keep our kids hydrated.
Everybody's got a water bottle,so just make sure you're
actually using it.
And you can check your peecolor.
If you're looking a light haycolor most of the time, that's
the goal.
So if it's bright yellow, youbetter fill up that Stanley and
(33:15):
get drinking Absolutely.
Kate Scarlata (33:17):
And you know it will be a little bright in the
morning.
You haven't been drinking, mostlikely while you were sleeping,
or people don't when they'resleeping.
Maybe you do so.
If it's a little darker in themorning, that's okay, you should
expect that.
But as you start hydratingduring the day, that light hay
color, that is definitely a goodgoal.
You don't want it see-throughlike clear water because you're
(33:39):
probably just pushing througheven more than you need to.
But look for that light haycolor.
That is definitely the goal.
Dr. Riehl (33:46):
So you get a little endorphin bump when you look
down there and you're headed inthe right color trajectory and
you know that right there isgoing to give you a little like,
hey, you met a goal and you'redoing this, your day is going
well,
Kate Scarlata (33:59):
yes, and you know , the brain is 70% water.
It's like let's hydrate thatbrain.
We kind of need it, right DrRiehl?
Dr. Riehl (34:07):
That's right, very important, very important.
Kate Scarlata (34:10):
Okay, so we're moving down through these 10 top
tips and now we're on numberseven, and that is incorporating
some fermented foods, andfermented foods don't
necessarily mean that they'reprobiotic rich.
And fermented foods don'tnecessarily mean that they're
probiotic rich, but they aremade with some type of live and
active culture and that live andactive culture appears to
(34:31):
enhance gut health.
And there was a very keyseminal study out of Stanford
University, however very smallbut very interesting, and we
talked about this, I believe, inour very first podcast.
But just to review quickly,this was a small study in 36
healthy adults.
They split the group and gaveone group fermented food six
(34:53):
servings per day.
The fermented food that theychose all had live and active
cultures, so they weren't likesourdough bread that had live
and active cultures, and thenthey baked it and now they're
not live anymore.
They stuck with things likekimchi, sauerkraut, for instance
, and yogurt with live andactive cultures.
And then the other group had ahigh-fiber diet 40 grams of
(35:14):
fiber, so we're talking pretty,pretty high.
And they did all sorts ofmeasurements, looking at
different types of metabolites,they looked at immune profiling
in these individuals and theyfound that the fermented food
diet arm those that got the sixservings of fermented food had a
greater diversity in their gutmicrobiome.
(35:37):
Again, this is a marker of goodgut health.
The high-fiber diet arm did nothave that.
They did have some changes, butnot to this great diversity
that they witnessed in thefermented foods.
So just like a check positivefor getting in those fermented
foods, they also looked at thesedifferent types of immune cells
and they found that they wereless activated in the fermented
(36:00):
food group, particularlyinterleukin-6, which has been
linked to conditions such asrheumatoid arthritis, type 2
diabetes and chronic stress.
So our smart strategy and tipfor you today is to think about
getting in a fermented food atleast once every day, maybe
(36:22):
every other day if you can, andwe're looking for getting those
with live and active cultures.
So good things like culturedcottage cheese, kombucha, kimchi
, yogurt those tend to be theones that are alive and just try
to incorporate a littlefermented, get a little cultured
, get a little cultured.
Dr. Riehl (36:41):
And you know, I think that this is kind of a fun
experiment with your kids too.
These flavors can be reallyintense and some kids are going
to gravitate right toward it.
Probably the earlier you canintroduce it the better, so that
it's just a part of their foodculture, their food repertoire.
But it can be fun to kind ofsmell it, taste it.
(37:02):
I will be very honest thesearen't foods that are in a ton
of my day-to-day.
Certainly, yogurts I'm goodwith that, but I think setting
the example as the parent, totry it as a family and talk
about how it really is helpfulfor our body, it's a fun little
challenge.
So check back in 2025 about howthe Riehl family is doing on
(37:25):
our kimchi challenges.
Kate Scarlata (37:27):
Yeah and as a dietitian I often think of
things like kombucha could bemixed in with another type of
juice.
You could also try yogurt andmake it into a ranch dip, or mix
it with peanut butter, orexplore different recipes using
either cottage cheese or yogurt,so you can kind of play around
(37:49):
with the food itself.
If, straight up, plain yogurtisn't your kid's jam, then maybe
mixing it with some vanilla anda little bit of maple syrup
might get them a little bit moreintrigued If it looks like
whipped cream or tastes likesour cream, we're in so that is
a fantastic idea, I love that Alot of times we'll use Greek
(38:10):
yogurt, we put just a little bitof taco seasoning in it and we
pop that on top of tacos or overour nachos and it's delicious.
So there's one tip there to geta little more fermented foods in
your diet.
And then number eight, which isreally near and dear to me,
because exercise has always beena huge part of my just mental
(38:33):
health and everyday living, witha chocolate lab these days.
So moving your body veryimportant, and I think you just.
It's really important to findsomething that is fun for you,
whether that's dancing in yourkitchen or getting out in nature
, which is my favorite thing todo, walking the beach and
(38:53):
listening to those calming wavesWhatever really like fills your
cup.
That is the way you should moveyour body.
If it's a really jazzerciseclass or a yoga class, whatever
it is, find what it is and getit happening, and find at least
30 minutes a day to be movingyour body.
(39:14):
That's just all we really need.
I'm a big forest bather, treehugger, you know whatever you
want to call it, but there issome benefits to exercising in
nature, and so forest bathinghas been shown to enhance
immunity, helps treat chronicdiseases, regulate mood, reduce
anxiety and depression.
It's really interesting some ofthe health benefits of just
(39:37):
really being covered in a treearea, quiet on your own, which I
absolutely love.
So, as part of your strategy,well, let's first start, megan,
what's your jam?
What are you liking to do thesedays with your exercise?
Dr. Riehl (39:54):
Yeah, I'm still a Peloton girl.
I mean, hey, alex Toussaint, hehas supported the American
College of Gastroenterology withrides before, so we love Alex
on The Gut Health Podcast.
I just love the music, I lovethe energy.
I love an instructor that'stelling me to just keep going,
and a lot of times my kids arelike running around in the
(40:16):
basement.
They are still playing, butthey are also seeing mom
prioritize exercise as not justgood for my physical health, but
certainly I'm a better personafter I've gotten some exercise
in.
I love that.
So that is really what I prioritize.
And then just family walks,like getting out with the kids
especially.
We had our first snow inMichigan yesterday.
(40:38):
That meant I was getting outthe snow pants, the boots, the
hats, the gloves because we arestill going outside.
We are going outside to play,the weather will not stop us.
And then I think that that isreally an important thing for
all of us to kind of think about.
Is we got to continue to getoutside, get that fresh air?
Move your body, don't let theelements get in the way, and I
(41:01):
will give you a plug too.
So if you want some inspiration, if you want to see a cute dog
waddling down the path nodisrespect, Lucy, none,
Mabel.
Oh, shoot, oh.
Rest in peace, sorry.
Kate Scarlata (41:17):
You know, Lucy gets a little cred.
She was number one chocolatelab.
She was number one.
Dr. Riehl (41:22):
Lucy was the number one, and now Mabel is waddling
behind her in all her gloryforest bathing with you,
absolutely.
Yeah, so if you want a cutepuppy to inspire you and to see
Kate and her husband out there.
Getting out together as acouple is also really wonderful.
Follow Kate on Instagram.
(41:42):
What's your handle, Kate?
Kate Scarlata (41:44):
@KateScarlata So, yes, definitely join us.
We're out and about quite a bitthese days.
And, just to your point, whenthe kids were younger my kids
are older, I'm almost going tobe a grandma in about a month we
always got a babysitter so thatwe could run together and it
really was just a wonderful time.
(42:05):
We just prioritized thatopportunity to get together and
just even as a husband and wifeand talk and regroup for the
week.
So that's always fun too.
And I'm a Peloton girl too andI do really enjoy the spinning
as well.
I'm much more of an outdoorgirl.
That is my priority.
But I know, as a young mom, theindoor activities.
(42:27):
I did all indoor activitieswhen my kids were little.
Because you're a little bitmore on house arrest, should we
say.
Dr. Riehl (42:34):
That's right.
And if there is a gym thatoffers daycare, think about that
as an investment.
That if you can go on a coldSaturday and the kids get to go
play in the daycare and you gettime to go for a walk on a track
or go for a swim, again, theycan be financial investments,
(42:55):
but they are going to help youin the long run and especially
those of you that are strugglinga bit with your gut health.
The exercise is a reallyimportant piece of all of this.
So with that, I think it's areally good segue to our ninth
strategy and an essential andthis is applying a personalized
(43:17):
approach.
And this is something that Iask people in therapy, but I
also ask my friends and lovedones, and that is "how are you
really doing?
What are your needs?
If you're somebody that'sreally struggling with stress or
anxiety, maybe that's oneaspect of your health that you
take a look at and set smallgoals.
(43:39):
Maybe that means that you aregoing to connect with a
therapist in the coming months.
Maybe that means you haverecognized that your diet's a
little out of whack and you wantto give it what we call the
gentle diet cleanup and reallyjust start to make you know.
Maybe it's you begin to havebreakfast every day.
(43:59):
So picking just one or twoaspects of your health based on
what your needs are and settingsmall goals is really essential
here.
And maybe it's also that you'rejust rushing too much in your
life.
Again, none of us are immune tothis.
We all can do better.
But I'm going to make a littlegut health suggestion here.
(44:22):
So maybe you take theopportunity that we all have
what's something that we all doPoop.
That's right, we all poop.
So use the time on theporcelain throne that we all
hopefully will have in a givenday as a mini self-care moment.
Leave your phone outside thebathroom.
Get yourself in proper poopingposition, which means that
(44:46):
you're seated at about a30-degree angle, sitting with
your straight spine gentlyleaning forward, feet up,
preferably on something like asquatty potty or a stool that
puts your knees slightly aboveyour hips.
So you're in that properpooping position.
Whether you have a GI issue ornot, this is the ideal position
(45:07):
to defecate.
Allow yourself just three tofive diaphragmatic breaths while
you're sitting there.
Allow yourself just three tofive diaphragmatic breaths while
you're sitting there.
Relax your system and commit todoing this every time you go,
because, darn it, if you have acleansing poop, it's going to
make your day better, and somini self-care moment on the
(45:30):
porcelain throne is reallysomething that you can gift
yourself every single day.
Amen, amen, amen, all right,amen, amen, amen, all right.
So number 10, we've made it tothe end of our list.
This has been fun.
I'm excited.
So I'm excited to share thislast one with you.
If you are somebody, if you area listener, if you are listening
and sharing this informationwith somebody else and you're
really struggling with adigestive health condition, our
(45:53):
last strategy is to get yourselfyour Dream Team, and this Dream
Team is typically made up of agood gastroenterologist, an
amazing GI dietitian, a GIpsychologist, and there are a
lot of other partners that wecan bring into the team as well,
such as a pelvic floor physicaltherapist, as an example.
(46:16):
So if you are somebody thatcontinues to have gut problems
and you do not have a dream teamor you have not felt heard by
your medical professional, youdeserve it.
You deserve to know that youcan live better than suffering
every day, and through a varietyof strategies whether it be the
(46:37):
combination of nutrition,mental health, behavioral health
strategies addressing the gutbrain, you can really experience
improvements in not just yoursymptoms but your overall
perspective on living with ahealth issue.
So, Dream Team, everybody, itis so very important and
deserved by everybody to enjoygut health.
(47:01):
What do we think about that?
Kate Scarlata (47:03):
You know I was just going to say I mean,
there's evidence to prove that,having a Dream Team, you will
have better results in yoursymptoms, in your healthcare
experience.
So it's not just we like theDream Team approach.
It has evidence to suggest thatit's really the best approach,
especially for irritable bowelsyndrome, which you know, I'm
(47:24):
sure, across many otherdigestive diseases and
conditions it would bebeneficial as well.
But you know my data that I'veread is primarily looking at it
in irritable bowel syndrome.
So, yeah, get your right peoplein place so that you feel
supported on your healthcarejourney in a way that matters to
you.
Dr. Riehl (47:42):
Yep, it's truly the gold standard in IBS care and,
as you said, really importantfor other chronic gut issues.
So, Kate, it's December 2024.
What are your personaltakeaways from this incredibly
exciting past year?
Kate Scarlata (47:59):
Well, first of all, I can't believe that we one
wrote a book and published it,that we decided off, kind of the
cuff, like we need to do a guthealth podcast because there's
really not a lot ofevidence-based information out
there, and geez, we just madethat happen really quickly and
I'm really proud of the workthat you and I have done.
(48:19):
I have survived somehow raisinga very busy chocolate lab in
the midst of all this andlearned that I'm going to be a
grandmother.
So there's been just such anincredibly rewarding and
exciting year.
A lot of hard work I'm going tosay a lot, a lot of hard work,
(48:41):
but amazing and just with all ofthe GI community is so fabulous
and I'm so grateful to befriends with many of the experts
that we were able to bring onjust so easily.
They provided their time toshare their knowledge, so, so
amazing.
And, yeah, I'm looking forwardto 2025 because we have some
(49:01):
incredible guests already linedup in some really fabulous
topics.
How about you, Megan?
Dr. Riehl (49:09):
I mean, yeah, it's been a whirlwind and I have
truly enjoyed every opportunityto engage with my patients.
I still have a full-timeclinical practice and I love
that work.
I love my job at conferencesand at meetings this past year,
(49:35):
and then make my way home to dowhat every parent has to do, and
that's figure out what to feedour kids and model healthy
behaviors and have some fun inbetween.
So, man, it can be hard outthere as a working mom and this
year especially, I have been sothankful for the incredible
community, especially of Womenin GI.
There are rock star physicians,dietitians, pelvic floor
(50:02):
therapists that are doing suchamazing work in the GI space and
again I'm so thankful to havethem have my back, and again I'm
so thankful to have them havemy back and I certainly have
theirs as we navigate this, youknow, interesting time in the
world.
(50:25):
So, just to your point too,every conversation that we've
had with people on the podcastand also out in the community
has just deepened my knowledgeand fueled my curiosity and it
truly just makes me excitedabout really the wonders of the
gut and the mind.
And so we're not going anywhere.
We've got a lot of excitingthings coming up.
So we really we want to expressour profound gratitude for our
(50:45):
listeners, our guests and oursponsors, and all those that are
doing their best to live ahealthy life and all those that
are doing their best to live ahealthy life.
Thank you for every like, shareand comment.
Keep them coming.
We have exciting shows plannedfor 2025.
Kate Scarlata (51:06):
Thanks everyone for joining us on this really
fun journey and hope that youhave learned a lot from both of
us and our wonderful guests.
Dr. Riehl (51:12):
Thanks friends, thank you for joining us as we grow
this gut health community.
We hope you enjoyed thisepisode and don't forget to
subscribe, rate and leave us acomment.
You can also follow us onsocial media @The Gut Health
Podcast, where we'd love for youto share your thoughts,
questions and experiences.
Thanks for tuning in, friends.
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