The Roundup

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Blast from the Past

New research found that high blood pressure is associated with gut dysbiosis, suggesting that one way to treat hypertension might be to consume a diet that promoted good gut health. The study found that in both rats and humans with hypertension, there was a significant decrease in microbial richness, diversity, an increased Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, and decreases in acetate- and butyrate-producing bacteria.

The best way to combat these problematic changes in gut bacteria is to eat a Paleo diet rich in plant foods, including both nonstarchy and starchy vegetables and fruits, as well as a diversity of fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, and other traditional fermented foods. By consuming both prebiotic-rich plant foods and probiotic-rich fermented foods, you should expect to see a shift towards a more diverse and well populated microbiome, which could potentially help reduce high blood pressure into a healthy range.

This is just one more reason why a whole foods Paleo diet is the best diet to follow to address hypertension. For more tips on natural ways to lower your blood pressure, check out my post: How (and Why) To Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally. For additional diet tips, check out this article by one of my staff nutritionists: 6 Ways To Lower Blood Pressure By Changing Your Diet.

If you or someone you love has hypertension, instead of going straight to the blood pressure medication, try a diet and lifestyle change first. Improving your gut health is just one of many beneficial effects a whole foods Paleo diet and lifestyle can provide.

Research Report

• A low carb diet improved diabetic patients’ quality of life after one year.
• The gut-brain axis may hold the key to discovering one of the root causes of neurodegenerative disease and psychiatric disorders.
• A high intensity workout 1.5 hours before bed was shown to improve sleep quality in regular exercisers.
• Struggling with infertility? Pay attention to your circadian rhythms.
• Natural environments, ancestral diets, and microbial ecology: is there a modern “paleo-deficit disorder“?
• New research has found altered fecal microbiota composition in patients with major depressive disorder.

Worth A Look

• Have you visited Thrive Market yet? Think Costco meets Whole Foods, online.
• Sleep deprivation can negatively impact your quality of life. Learn more with this infographic.
• Why not focus on healthy diet and lifestyle for our kids, instead of a cholesterol vaccine?
• Scientific American published a thoughtful rebuttal to Dean Ornish’s anti-meat op-ed piece from last month’s New York Times.
• We recently purchased a unique kids’ bike for Sylvie. You can read a review of Woombikes here.
• The Ancestral Health Society of New Zealand is holding its first international symposium in Queenstown, New Zealand from October 23rd – 25th, 2015.  Have you booked your seat?

For the Foodies

• PaleOMG: Potato Meatloaf Cups
• Paleo Parents: Spaghetti Squash and Bacon Fritters
• Primal Palate: Sweet and Sticky Chicken Wings
• Sarah Fragoso: Unstuffed Bell Peppers
• The Domestic Man: Chicken Korma
• Nom Nom Paleo: Grilled Green Chicken
• The Paleo Mom: Rustic Root Vegetable Soup with Meatballs
• Fed and Fit: Grilled BBQ Chicken Nuggets
• My Heart Beets: Ground Beef Bulgogi
• Plaid and Paleo: Tropical Mango Pork
• The Clothes Make The Girl: Paleo Ambrosia Salad
• The Ancestral Chef: Blueberry Coconut Ice Pops
• Real Food With Dana: Paleo Almond Joy Cookies (No Bake)

Filed under: Fitness