“Eat a peck of dirt before you die”
In The Microbiome Solution, Dr Robynne Chutkan walks us through an amazing journey in the minuscule world of microbes. She brings awareness and understanding to what the microbiome is and the importance of growing up and living in an environment that is microbe friendly.
“We’ve evolved over millions of years to host an incredible army of microbes that are able to produce the substances our body requires but can’t make.”
In the first part of the book, “Getting to know your gut bacteria”, the author compares our body to a factory and our microbes to working bees. In a fun and simple way she explains how our microbiome develops and evolves from the time of conception to adulthood.
“Think of your body as a factory. We house the machinery (represented by our organs), but the question is: who operates it? Our Microbes do!”
The second part of the book, “Messing up with the Microbiome”, discusses modern plagues and “the hygiene hypothesis”, the habit of overprescribing and misusing antibiotics, the symptoms and signs of gut dysbiosis, the relationship between obesity and our gut bacteria, and modern microbial disruptors.
To inspire renewed hope in the third part of the book, “Rewilding Ourselves”, the author enlightens readers with her secret to restore gut flora, her program The Microbiome Solution. Dr. Chutkhan’s plan combines a change in lifestyle with probiotics and other supplements over pharmaceuticals, preferring a regenerative approach to illness.
The most intriguing topic to me is in chapter thirteen, where the author tells readers everything we need to know about stool transplants. My favorite quote is when she explains how Canadian Researchers found a way of “rePOOPulating” gut bacteria with a synthetic stool mixture.
The book ends with an entire chapter dedicated to recipes that improve gut functioning, bringing Microbiome Solution Recipes to the table.
I found this to be an amazing book, and was impressed by the amount of valuable information provided in “The Microbiome Solution”. Dr. Chutkhan says it all well, with a vocabulary suitable to most people, even those with little understanding of medical terminology. A “must read” for anyone who is curious about the workings of their guts. If I were to choose how many stars this book is worth, I would give it a constellation. Well Done!
