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How the food you eat affects your gut - Shilpa Ravella

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The bacteria in our guts can break down food the body can’t digest, produce important nutrients, regulate the immune system, and protect against harmful germs. And while we can’t control all the factors that go into maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, we can manipulate the balance of our microbes by paying attention to what we eat. Shilpa Ravella shares the best foods for a healthy gut.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

The food you eat fuels the trillions of bacteria that live inside your gut. We are only beginning to understand that gut bacteria can plan an important role in preventing or treating disease. In addition to diet, many other lifestyle factors can affect your gut microbiome. Two thousand years ago, Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.” Today we don’t yet have all the answers, but we’re learning more every day. For more original content and updates on breaking news and research related to food, the microbiome and general health and wellness, visit this site.

The Human Microbiome Project, a United States National Institutes of Health initiative, was launched in 2008. The goal of this project is to identify and characterize the human microbiome to determine which microorganisms are associated with health and disease. The microbiology of five sites is emphasized: oral, skin, vaginal, gut and nasal/lung. More information about the Human Microbiome Project can be found here.

This TED Talk also discusses microbiomes: How our microbes make us who we are.

Find this fascinating? Watch these TED-Ed lessons that discuss more about your microbes:
You are your microbes - Jessica Green and Karen Guillemin
The microbial jungles all over the place (and you) - Scott Chimileski and Roberto Kolter

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Shilpa Ravella
  • Director Andrew Foerster
  • Script Editor Mia Nacamulli
  • Animator Andrew Foerster
  • Storyboard Artist Andrew Foerster, James Turner
  • Art Director James Turner
  • Designer James Turner
  • Illustrator James Turner
  • Character Designer James Turner
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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