Gut Health, How microbes are changing your mood.

Void · 2018-04-29 10:07:46

I have been running across this sort of thing lately. It seems to be a hot topic.

Other than the use of Bacteria instead of Microbes, this article seems to be credible to me.
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-43815370

Other materials I will post may be partially hot air, from people trying to sell something.

Of course this issue will be important here on Earth or Mars, or elsewhere I think.
Quote:

If anything makes us human it's our minds, thoughts and emotions.
And yet a controversial new concept is emerging that claims gut bacteria are an invisible hand altering our brains.
Science is piecing together how the trillions of microbes that live on and in all of us - our microbiome - affect our physical health.
But even conditions including depression, autism and neurodegenerative disease are now being linked to these tiny creatures.
We've known for centuries that how we feel affects our gut - just think what happens before an exam or a job interview - but now it is being seen as a two-way street.
Groups of researchers believe they are on the cusp of a revolution that uses "mood microbes" or "psychobiotics" to improve mental health.
The study that ignited the whole concept took place at Kyushu University in Japan.
The researchers showed that "germ-free" mice - those that never came into contact with microbes - pumped out twice the amount of stress hormone when distressed than normal mice.
The animals were identical except for their microbes. It was a strong hint that the difference was a result of their micro-organisms.
"We all go back to that first paper for the first wave of neuroscientists considering microbes," says Dr Jane Foster, a neuropsychiatrist at McMaster University in Canada.
"That really was very powerful for those of us who were studying depression and anxiety."
It was the first hint of microbial medicine in mental health.

......

So, I ran into an article from a "Doctor" who said that there are toxins in Nightshade vegetables which kill the good microbes.
I have lost that article, but here is a similar mention.
http://www.anaturalway.com/index.html

It is said that the poison in tomatoes is primarily in the seeds and the skin. The pulp is relatively OK.
I am not sure, but perhaps for potatoes cooking helps.
......

Another concern he expressed was antibiotics. He said if you use antibiotics, it can kill out your good microbes, and help the bad ones triumph.

He also said we get antibiotics from our meat, which could cause harm.

......

He was also against beans: (Concerned about Lectin)
http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/food- … oxins.html......
Quote:

Causes of red kidney bean poisoning
The main cause is a toxin called ‘phytohaemagglutinin’ or kidney bean lectin. This is a sugar based protein (glycoprotein) which is found in many types of beans which includes cannellini beans and broad beans.
But some of the highest concentrations of this toxin are found in red kidney beans.
This toxin is killed if red kidney beans are cooked at a high enough temperature and for the right length of time. It is also important that red kidney beans are prepared correctly before use which means soaking them for at least 8 hours before hand.
But if they are cooked for shorter periods of time or at lower temperatures such as those in slow cookers then this will be insufficient to kill this toxin.
Undercooked red kidney beans are more toxic than raw kidney beans.

Also does not like peanuts.

And here are your soft drinks: (They don't cite it but I think the Carbonation itself might also be harmful).
https://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/ … s-you-fat/

Summary:
So that doctor said that both your good microbes and bad microbes can communicate to your brain, and make you hungry for what they want.

If you kill out your good microbes which help you to want to eat what is good for you and keeps you fit and healthy, and to feel full, and the bad microbes take over the gut (Stomach, and Intestines), those microbes will make you hungry for foods that are bad for you and which will make you overweight an otherwise more sick.

So if you go to a fast food place (Or elsewhere), and eat meat with antibiotics, and drink carbonated beverages, you may enter a vicious cycle, where you crave even more of it.

This may be in part why their is such an obesity problem.

And it appears from the BBC article, some types of mental imbalance also may be caused by this.

So going to Mars, it may be well to fine tune the populations diet to avoid such problems, and also to bring along the needed microbes.

After all an effective, efficient, and healthy Martian population will help to assure it's success.

......

Many plants have evolved toxins to discourage animals from eating them. These in some cases are harmful to the good Microbes in our guts.

Done.

Last edited by Void (2018-04-29 10:37:07)

louis · 2018-04-29 16:48:57

There are clearly links between the microbial life in our gut and our physical/mental health. In terms of space exploration, and the negative effects of zero G on immunity function, it may well have something to do with the gut flora being discombobulated by zero G.

Regarding tomatoes, every study I have ever read suggests they are highly protective of good health (even as concentrate and in ketchup). They are at the heart of a "Mediterranean" diet which has been shown to be healthy, along with other foods like olives and beans of various sorts.

Void wrote:

I have been running across this sort of thing lately. It seems to be a hot topic.
Other than the use of Bacteria instead of Microbes, this article seems to be credible to me.
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-43815370
Other materials I will post may be partially hot air, from people trying to sell something.
Of course this issue will be important here on Earth or Mars, or elsewhere I think.
Quote:
If anything makes us human it's our minds, thoughts and emotions.
And yet a controversial new concept is emerging that claims gut bacteria are an invisible hand altering our brains.
Science is piecing together how the trillions of microbes that live on and in all of us - our microbiome - affect our physical health.
But even conditions including depression, autism and neurodegenerative disease are now being linked to these tiny creatures.
We've known for centuries that how we feel affects our gut - just think what happens before an exam or a job interview - but now it is being seen as a two-way street.
Groups of researchers believe they are on the cusp of a revolution that uses "mood microbes" or "psychobiotics" to improve mental health.
The study that ignited the whole concept took place at Kyushu University in Japan.
The researchers showed that "germ-free" mice - those that never came into contact with microbes - pumped out twice the amount of stress hormone when distressed than normal mice.
The animals were identical except for their microbes. It was a strong hint that the difference was a result of their micro-organisms.
"We all go back to that first paper for the first wave of neuroscientists considering microbes," says Dr Jane Foster, a neuropsychiatrist at McMaster University in Canada.
"That really was very powerful for those of us who were studying depression and anxiety."
It was the first hint of microbial medicine in mental health.
......
So, I ran into an article from a "Doctor" who said that there are toxins in Nightshade vegetables which kill the good microbes.
I have lost that article, but here is a similar mention.
http://www.anaturalway.com/index.html
It is said that the poison in tomatoes is primarily in the seeds and the skin. The pulp is relatively OK.
I am not sure, but perhaps for potatoes cooking helps.
......
Another concern he expressed was antibiotics. He said if you use antibiotics, it can kill out your good microbes, and help the bad ones triumph.
He also said we get antibiotics from our meat, which could cause harm.
......
He was also against beans: (Concerned about Lectin)
http://www.medic8.com/healthguide/food- … oxins.html......
Quote:
Causes of red kidney bean poisoning
The main cause is a toxin called ‘phytohaemagglutinin’ or kidney bean lectin. This is a sugar based protein (glycoprotein) which is found in many types of beans which includes cannellini beans and broad beans.
But some of the highest concentrations of this toxin are found in red kidney beans.
This toxin is killed if red kidney beans are cooked at a high enough temperature and for the right length of time. It is also important that red kidney beans are prepared correctly before use which means soaking them for at least 8 hours before hand.
But if they are cooked for shorter periods of time or at lower temperatures such as those in slow cookers then this will be insufficient to kill this toxin.
Undercooked red kidney beans are more toxic than raw kidney beans.
Also does not like peanuts.
And here are your soft drinks: (They don't cite it but I think the Carbonation itself might also be harmful).
https://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/ … s-you-fat/
Summary:
So that doctor said that both your good microbes and bad microbes can communicate to your brain, and make you hungry for what they want.
If you kill out your good microbes which help you to want to eat what is good for you and keeps you fit and healthy, and to feel full, and the bad microbes take over the gut (Stomach, and Intestines), those microbes will make you hungry for foods that are bad for you and which will make you overweight an otherwise more sick.
So if you go to a fast food place (Or elsewhere), and eat meat with antibiotics, and drink carbonated beverages, you may enter a vicious cycle, where you crave even more of it.
This may be in part why their is such an obesity problem.
And it appears from the BBC article, some types of mental imbalance also may be caused by this.
So going to Mars, it may be well to fine tune the populations diet to avoid such problems, and also to bring along the needed microbes.
After all an effective, efficient, and healthy Martian population will help to assure it's success.
......
Many plants have evolved toxins to discourage animals from eating them. These in some cases are harmful to the good Microbes in our guts.

Done.

Void · 2018-04-29 20:30:50

Well, I am not a doctor. In the case of vegetables however, "Natural" may not guarantee it is good for you without precautions.

In the case of nightshade vegetables, someone claims that at least some people have trouble with them:
http://www.anaturalway.com/index.html
Quote:

What is Solanine and Why are Nightshade Vegetables Harmful?
Solanine is a poisonous substance that occurs naturally in potatoes and other members of the nightshade family,
such as tomatoes, peppers, tobacco, goji berries and eggplants. A very small amount of solanine can be toxic,
and in very large doses it can be fatal.
Most animals, including humans, have learned the lesson and learned to leave nightshades alone.
Leaves, roots, flowers, stems, and fruits can all contain solanine in varying levels.
It is now apparent that there are groups of people who cannot tolerate nightshades in their diets,
wish to avoid them anyway or find that eliminating them helps alleviate a variety of mental,
emotional and physical problems.
The following links will provide more information on these poisonous vegetables.

But of course if it's on the internet it has to be real! Or not. We will see.

A different article I read said that the Italians use the tomato pulp but not the seeds or skin.

Last edited by Void (2018-04-29 20:34:23)

elderflower · 2018-04-30 05:11:35

The green parts of potatoes are toxic, as I understand, and the tubers need to be kept in the dark to avoid their becoming green.
As to tomatoes, I suppose that the seeds are spread by something that eats the fruit and passes the seeds undigested in little blobs of fertiliser. Making this part of the plant toxic would seem to be defeating the object. Maybe, though, humans are not the vector for which the tomato has evolved.

Void · 2018-04-30 11:12:28

I remain open to receiving additional information on the subject of toxins in food, that may affect my gut microbe population.

Apparently some people may be more tolerant.

A person can choose to avoid some foods. I have a relative who is allergic to mushrooms. So, it may not be one size fits all here on Earth.

......

For outerspace communities, however, I suggest that an effort should be made to detoxify the food sources, since it is likely that crop pests can be kept at bay by other means than toxic chemicals in the food.

For instance last summer I tried to grow squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, and tomatoes at the northern location where I live.

The ground squirrels go after the newly sprouted squash, and sunflower seedlings, chop them apart. So, I ended up buying squash plants more mature from a greenhouse. The sunflowers I finally had to grow in pots up and away from the rodents.

Towards the end of the growing season, the deer did their best to eat the squash wholesale, but that at least was fenced in. The pumpkins and tomatoes were not fenced in and finally the deer decided to eat everything about the pumpkins.

As was predicted, on a website I visited, the tomatoes were the least afflicted. The deer only got after them very late in the season, and not completely. So they don't particularly care for nightshade plants.

......

I don't particularly care to give up on nightshades, particularly potatoes, and mushrooms and fungi, so I suggest a program to reduce the amount of toxins in the breeds that would be taken into space.

In Europe they may be hostile to genetic engineering for that. I don't care myself, its ok with me.

But it may be possible to do traditional methods to develop varieties with less toxic effects.

It is unlikely that deer, ground squirrels, and pest insects, ect. will be hard to control in space gardens. It is very unlikely that they would be there at all.

The potatoes and mushrooms are two that do not need pollinators, so they should be prime targets for detoxification.

Certainly if we go to all the trouble of putting people in communities in outerspace such an effort would be wise, to reduce the chances of mental illness, and ill health issues in people we will want to be productive and not destructive.

I guess that is enough.

Done.

Last edited by Void (2018-04-30 11:18:13)

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#1 2018-04-29 10:07:46

Gut Health, How microbes are changing your mood.

#2 2018-04-29 16:48:57

Re: Gut Health, How microbes are changing your mood.

#3 2018-04-29 20:30:50

Re: Gut Health, How microbes are changing your mood.

#4 2018-04-30 05:11:35

Re: Gut Health, How microbes are changing your mood.

#5 2018-04-30 11:12:28

Re: Gut Health, How microbes are changing your mood.

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