Gut : The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ (Revised Edition)

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAS SEEN ON NETFLIX'S HACK YOUR HEALTH: THE SECRETS OF YOUR GUT“Everything you ever wanted to know about the gut (and then some).”—SELFDiscover the secrets of your digestive system—and how to hone a healthy gut—plus new research on the mind-gut connection.With quirky charm, science star and medical doctor Giulia Enders explains the gut's magic, answering questions like: What's really up with gluten and lactose intolerance? How does the gut affect obesity? What's the connection between our microbiome and mental health? Why does acid reflux happen? In this revised edition of her beloved bestseller, Enders includes a new section on the brain-gut connection, and dives into groundbreaking discoveries of psychobiotics—microbes with psychological effects that can influence mental health conditions like depression and even stress.For too long, the gut has been the body's most ignored and least appreciated organ. But it does more than just dirty work; it's at the core of who we are, and this beguiling book will make you finally listen to those butterflies in your stomach: they're trying to tell you something important. Our gut is almost as important to us as our brain and yet we know very little about how it works. Gut: The Inside Story is an entertaining, informative tour of the digestive system from the moment we raise a tasty morsel to our lips until the moment our body surrenders the remnants to the toilet bowl. No topic is too lowly for the author's wonder and admiration, from the careful choreography of breaking wind to the precise internal communication required for a cleansing vomit. Along the way, the author provides practical advice such as the best ways to sit on the toilet to have a comfortable bowel movement, how clean your kitchen should be for optimum gut health, and how different laxatives work. She tells stories of gut bacteria that can lead to obesity, autoimmune diseases, or even suicide, and she discusses the benefits of dietary supplements such as probiotics. This book is a fascinating primer for anyone interested in how our ideas about the gut are changing in the light of cutting-edge scientific research. In the words of the author, "We live in an era in which we are just beginning to understand just how complex the connections are between us, our food, our pets and the microscopic world in, on, and around us. We are gradually decoding processes that we used to believe were part of our inescapable destiny." AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Everything you ever wanted to know about the gut (and then some)." —SELF Discover the secrets of your digestive system—and how to hone a healthy gut—plus new research on the mind-gut connection . With quirky charm, science star and medical doctor Giulia Enders explains the gut's magic, answering questions like: What's really up with gluten and lactose intolerance? How does the gut affect obesity? What's the connection between our microbiome and mental health? Why does acid reflux happen? In this revised edition of her beloved bestseller, Enders includes a new section on the brain-gut connection, and dives into groundbreaking discoveries of psychobiotics—microbes with psychological effects that can influence mental health conditions like depression and even stress. For too long, the gut has been the body's most ignored and least appreciated organ. But it does more than just dirty work; it's at the core of who we are, and this beguiling book will make you finally listen to those butterflies in your stomach: they're trying to tell you something important. In this updated edition of a worldwide bestseller, Giulia Enders reveals the secrets and science of the digestive system--including new research on the connection between the gut and the brain. For too long, the gut has been the body's most ignored and least appreciated organ. But it does more than just dirty work; our gut is at the core of who we are. With quirky charm, science star and medical doctor Giulia Enders explains the gut's magic, answering questions like: Why does acid reflux happen? What's really up with gluten and lactose intolerance? How does the gut affect obesity and mood? A new section on the brain-gut axis dives into groundbreaking discoveries of psychobiotics - microbes with psychological effects that can influence conditions like depression and even stress. Aided with cheerful illustrations by Enders's sister Jill, this beguiling manifesto will make you finally listen to those butterflies in your stomach: they're trying to tell you something important. Gut feeling. How does pooping work? And why that's an important question ; The gateway to the gut ; The structure of the gut ; What we really eat ; Allergies and intolerances The nervous system of the gut. How our organs transport food ; Reflux ; Vomiting ; Constipation ; The brain and the gut The world of microbes. I am an ecosystem ; The immune system and out bacteria ; The development of the gut flora ; The adult gut population ; The role of the gut flora ; The bad guys: harmful bacteria and parasites ; Of cleanliness and good bacteria Update on the brain-but connection. New discoveries ; Clever cravings for fermented foods. With quirky charm, rising science star Giulia Enders explains the gut's magic, answering questions like: Why does acid reflux happen? What's really up with gluten and lactose intolerance? How does the gut affect obesity and mood? Enders's beguiling manifesto will make you finally listen to those butterflies in your stomach: they're trying to tell you something important