Secret to Longevity May Lie in the Microbiome and the Gut
June 4th, 2018Via: Nature:
You are what you eat. Or so the saying goes. Science now tells us that we are what the bacteria living in our intestinal tract eat and this could have an influence on how well we age. Building on this, McGill University scientists fed fruit flies with a combination of probiotics and an herbal supplement called Triphala that was able to prolong the flies’ longevity by 60 % and protect them against chronic diseases associated with aging.
…
The fruit fly is remarkably similar to mammals with about 70 % similarity in terms of their biochemical pathways, making it a good indicator of what would happen in humans, adds Prakash.
“The effects in humans would likely not be as dramatic, but our results definitely suggest that a diet specifically incorporating Triphala along with these probiotics will promote a long and healthy life.”
I suffered from ulcerative colitis for years, from the late nineties through the mid aughts. I went to a number of very well-respected gastroenterologists, and I remember one in particular. She had a long wall full of medals, diplomas, and other symbols that recognized her greatness. I have never forgotten one piece of advice she gave me, which she said with great emphasis: “Don’t waste your money on probiotics, they don’t do anything.” The good news, of course, is that I stopped going to allopaths for my condition and eventually found a way out of the UC nightmare. And of course, my recovery was due in great part to taking probiotics.