Here’s something I thought you might find interesting: researchers at Harvard University Medical School recently discovered that bacteria in the gut can trigger the autoimmune response associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

In simple terms, an autoimmune response means that there’s an immune response in the body that goes astray, causing the body to attack its own tissues instead of a foreign invader, in this case causing the breakdown in healthy joint cartilage seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

So what does all this mean when it comes to the trillions of bacteria living in your digestive tract every day? It means that they can affect your whole body, sometimes even causing conditions nowhere near the gut, and it’s something I’ve been saying for years! Not only that, but more and more studies these days are proving me right, showing that many autoimmune conditions begin right in the gut.

This isn’t surprising, since more than 70% of your body’s immune defenses are found in the gut—and when things like digestive problems, gut bacteria imbalance and toxin overload put a strain on the immune system, it often leads to the development of autoimmune conditions. 

The folks at Harvard are planning to look at the effects of intestinal bacteria on other autoimmune conditions as well, including type 1 diabetes, so stay tuned! And remember to take good care of your gut!

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Sounds like common sense, right? Especially with all the healthy benefits Omega-3 fats bring to the table…literally!

Just recently after an extensive review of clinical trials involving heart disease and fat intake, researchers at Harvard University concluded that cutting back on unhealthy saturated fats in the diet and replacing them with healthier polyunsaturated fats like Omega-3s can reduce the risk of heart disease by 19 percent. That’s pretty big!

For a while now researchers have been looking at the benefits of lowering saturated fat intake in folks with known heart disease risk, but it seems that the discussion was missing a key point: what was replacing the saturated fats??  When it was polyunsaturated fats—like fish-derived Omega-3s and Omega-9 fats olive oil—heart disease risk was reduced, but when it was trans fats? Different story altogether.

So if steak is on the menu for dinner tonight, make it a grass-fed steak. Grass fed beef is naturally lower in saturated fat and higher in beneficial Omega-3s. And why not add a walk after dinner? Exercise also lowers the risk of heart disease, and it’s good for your whole body!

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