NPR Interview Last Week

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 8:45 am

Good Morning!

I caught the tail-end of an NPR interview last week with a researcher in Ireland. The topic was the importance of gut health/gut flora to overall health. I missed most of the discussion and wonder if anyone else here heard it.

They were talking about the importance of the brain/gut connection. I believe they said that having optimal gut flora could impact the brain in terms of improving mood and lessening anxiety and depression.

One comment really grabbed me. Apparently research has shown that stress alone can actually alter the gut flora negatively. WOW! We have always known here about the impact of stress on MC, so this is more proof that we are not just crazy.

Do you think that, SOMEDAY, all of the puzzle pieces of our disease will fit together?????

Love,

Polly

Post by **tex** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:11 am

Hi Polly,

Interesting, to say the least, and that certainly seems to fit right in with what many of us have experienced.

Could this be the show that you heard? This was published last Friday.

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/02/140146780 ... xious-mice

Polly wrote:Do you think that, SOMEDAY, all of the puzzle pieces of our disease will fit together?????

I have to say that there's more evidence being documented, (and/or it's being discovered at a faster rate), than I would have expected, just a few years ago.

Thanks for mentioning this broadcast.

Love,
Tex

karenswans · Post by **karenswans** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:39 am

Very interesting. My major flares are always related to stress. I think I just need my doctor to prescribe a trip to Hawaii every time I flare!

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:06 pm

Polly
most of the studies regarding this subject are done by practioners with a wholistic 'natural' approach. (ie not funded by big pharma)

my dear friend maria, who is a naturopath has mentioned that there are also studies that are proving it takes more than 12 months to repair the gut (leaky gut and villi damage) and regrow gut flora after chronic illness (again something Tex and yourself have proven)
and most patients do not stick with the protocol for that duration to achieve optimum results.

Maria attended a seminar about the subject and most of the practioners agreed that encouraging people to stick to adjustment for the long terms is hard, majority of people want the 'quick fix pill' and people are not willing to make drastic changes to their eating plan for the long term.

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 3:25 pm

Gabes,

I think you just pointed out one of the 'blessings' of MC -

people are not willing to make drastic changes to their eating plan for the long term.

So many people feel as though they should be eating differently, but can't stick to it. I can't imagine doing anything to undermine how much better I feel. Truly, there just isn't anything that tasty. (Or rather - there are so many delicious foods in the world, and I am fortunate that I can still eat quite a few of them.)

I was interested in that NPR piece - it would be so nice to know more! It almost seems to hint that the stress-gut connection is far more complex , and is at least a two-way street (or more than two).

Love,
Sara