New Research on the Gut Microbiome

If you’re interested in a root-cause approach to health, one must talk about the gut microbiome! Now researchers at Rutgers University have given us a new way to talk about this. They call it the “Core Microbiome” – the crucial group of microbes that play a role in digestion, immune function, and even mental health.

Using advanced A.I., the researchers determined that the Core Microbiome consists of:

1. The Foundation Guild – Helpful bacteria that break down dietary fibers to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and keep harmful bacteria in check.
2. The Pathobiont Guild – Needed in small amounts to “educate” the immune system, these microbes can drive disease if they become dominant.

This doesn’t change the root-cause approach to care, where gut health is always part of the conversation, but it does give a new and creative way to describe it!

New Research on Exercise and Hunger Control

If you’re wondering whether exercise can curb your appetite, a new study says intensity matters – especially for women.

If you’re looking for ways to manage hunger and food cravings, you’ll want to know about this new study from the University of Virginia that showed high-intensity exercise suppresses levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin more effectively than moderate exercise.

Here’s what they found:

• High-Intensity Exercise – After high-intensity workouts, participants had significantly lower ghrelin levels and reduced hunger. The effect was more pronounced in women, with lower levels of acylated ghrelin, which is directly linked to hunger.
• Moderate-Intensity Exercise – Moderate-intensity exercise didn’t have the same impact on ghrelin levels, and participants even reported slightly higher hunger than with no exercise.

Research on the Impact of Placebo Therapy

New research shows that placebos reduce stress, anxiety, and depression – even when people know they’re taking placebos! It used to be thought that the placebo effect only worked if people believed they were getting an active treatment. But this new study found that even knowing it’s a placebo can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in just two weeks.

This could indicate two things:

1. The mind is a powerful driver of change.
2. Taking an active role in healing (like by taking a pill) gives a sense of control and empowerment – an overlooked key to healing.

While it is easy to nerd out over metabolic pathways, nutrient interactions, and all things science, sometimes it is important to leave space for the inexplicable magic in healing.

New Research on Sleep

If you are in your 30s or 40s and struggle with sleep, now is the time to get support because new research shows sleep in early-middle age affects brain health.

Based on sleep questionnaires and brain MRIs, a new study found that issues like trouble falling asleep or waking too early around age 40 were linked with an older brain age. Not only was that true for a snapshot in time, but similar findings persisted over 5 years as long as sleep struggles were not addressed.

Functional medicine practitioners can help with sleep issues at any age if you are one who struggles.