I had a three-fold interest in the information presented in this book. First, I was interested in what dietary changes could assist my mother in fighting off dementia and could help me fight off depression and chronic fatigue. Second, the statistics for anxiety disorders intrigued me, since the main character in the novel I am writing suffers from an anxiety disorder. And finally, I wanted to know how the gut influences those who suffer from migraine headaches (another ailment of my main character). The information was fascinating, even if the proposed program seems daunting (perhaps not as daunting as the whole 30 program, which suggested the elimination of so many things I enjoy). I think the biggest hindrance to adopting this dietary plan is the prevalence of fermented foods.
The basic premise is that the state of the microbiome is the key to human health. I took great interest in a small section devoted to a relatively new science, epigenetic medicine, or the science of how diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management influence the expressions of our DNA and, eventually, our brain health. After this brief introduction to the importance of one's microbiome, the author provides a questionnaire to help the reader determine the level of dysfunction in their microbiome. As I read all the things that can be detrimental to one's brain health, it surprised me that my oldest son is as healthy as he is. He struggled with many of the factors mentioned on the questionnaire. He was born via c-section (meaning he did not get the vaginal birth transfer of healthy maternal gut bacteria). I received antibiotics, passed to him, to prepare for the c-section. He breastfed for less than three months and suffered from frequent ear infections, requiring antibiotic treatment and the eventual placement of tubes. We, as a society, have been so eager to eliminate bad germs and bacteria, that we often destroy the good along with it and then wonder why we are sick.
Another interesting, though slightly disgusting, tool the doctor recommends is FMT, or Fecal Microbiota Transplantation. This process involves taking the healthy stool from someone with a healthy microbiome and transplanting it into the gut of an individual suffering from various ailments (it is primarily used in the U.S. to treat C. Difficile infections, but many of Perlmutter's patients went to other countries for the procedure and found it helpful in battling things like Tourette's Syndrome, Autism, and a range of other difficulties). They say it is very helpful for individuals suffering from Crohn's. I can see where placing samples from healthy individuals might battle the unhealthy elements in the gut of a patient plagued by health difficulties. Even though it sounds gross, it also sounds promising.
So what does the doctor prescribe? His plan involves six steps: 1) Choose foods rich in probiotics; 2) Go low-carb and embrace high-quality fats; 3) Enjoy tea, coffee, chocolate and red wine for polyphenols; 4) choose foods rich in prebiotics; 5) Drink filtered water; and 6) fast every season. This sounds far more do-able than the strict eliminations many current dietary challenges propose. But even so, I'm not sure I'm ready to eat sauerkraut to balance out my gut environment with healthy bacteria. I will recommend the book to my parents. The ideas are intriguing and remind me of a similar informative book I read, Clean Gut. Even if the information only helped me contemplate the character in my novel, it was worth the read. Moreover, I'm now off to read an article he referenced entitled, "Mind Altering Microbes: Probiotic Bacteria May Lessen Anxiety and Depression," by University College Cork (I see now that this information is old news as it came out in 2011). Next, I intend to head to the author's own website, www.drperlmutter.com, to see what other resources he has available.
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