Gut check Unleash the power of your microbiome to reverse disease and transform your mental, physical, and emotional health

Gundry (The Plant Paradox), director of the International Heart and Lung Institute in California, presents an enlightening exploration of how gut bacteria contribute to "our well-being and health." Different kinds of gut bacteria help break down different nutrients, he explains, noting that these "gut bugs" also serve as "bouncers" that prevent pathogens in the intestines from entering the bloodstream. Suggesting that the gut exerts a significant influence over mental health, Gundry observes that patients with major depressive disorder have been found to have an excess of "pro-inflammatory bacteria and depleted anti-inflammatory" bacteria in their intestinal tract. The author provides a detailed overview of how to nourish "your friendliest and most productive gut buddies" through dietary choices, recommending readers eat foods high in polyphenols (compounds that help regulate the gut's bacterial population and "protect against intestinal permeability")--such as plums, spinach, and walnuts--and avoid foods rich in lectin (an inflammatory protein)--such as tomatoes, brown rice, and peanuts. Gundry provides accessible descriptions of the complex biological mechanisms that power the microbiome and his recipes for miso Caesar dressing, kimchi pancakes, lamb burgers, and sauerkraut fritters will help readers put the advice into practice. The result is a solid blend of science and dietary guidance. Agent: Shannon Marven, Dupree Miller & Assoc. (Jan.)

A physician shows us the remarkable world of the human microbiome. Gundry, the director of the International Heart and Lung Institute in California, has written multiple bestsellers, including The Plant Paradox, Unlocking the Keto Code, and The Longevity Paradox. "All disease begins in the gut," wrote Hippocrates more than 2,000 years ago, and Gundry agrees. With his Gut Check program, "all diseases can be cured in the gut, too." The author claims that "about 90 percent of the people who followed the program saw their health restored." Gundry demonstrates the importance of the trillions of microorganisms in your colon ("gut buddies") that, when healthy, keep your bowel tightly sealed but secrete chemicals that suppress disease and fend off aging. Our gut buddies eat what we eat, and few readers will be surprised to learn that the modern diet is toxic, leading to an unhealthy microbiome, a leaky gut, and disease. Gundry holds a low opinion of many "conventional" conceptions of a healthy diet. The author concludes with an extremely detailed diet that will keep your bowel in top shape. No alternative practitioner, Gundry is a former cardiac surgeon, and he backs his statements with nearly 70 pages of journal references. Many describe diseases cured in laboratory animals, and readers will find few cures for their own disease (and a legal disclaimer at the beginning of the book). Readers will have better luck consulting Gundry or physicians "trained by me" at his clinics or his "subscription-based telemedicine service" and app. Though the idea that all disease results from a faulty microbiome is not universally accepted in the medical community, Gundry's fierce conviction, enthusiasm, and entrepreneurial skill have won him a loyal following that this book is unlikely to diminish. The secret to good health, for readers searching for such a secret. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.