THE GUT: NOURISHING THE CORE FOR OPTIMAL WELLNESS....4
THE IMPORTANCE OF GUT HEALTH FOR OVERALL WELL-BEING ....4
CARING FOR INGESTED FOOD FOR OPTIMAL FUNCTION ....6
THE GUT AND ITS FUNCTION-A BRIEF OVERVIEW....7
THE GUT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH DIFFERENT FOOD CULTURES ....8
THE GUT'S ROLE IN NUTRIENT ABSORPTION AND IMMUNE FUNCTION ....10
CHAPTER 1: ANATOMY AND FUNCTIONS ....14
THE ROLE OF THE GUT IN THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ....14
What Is the Digestive System? ....15
What Does the Digestive System Do? ....15
THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN THE GUT AND THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM ....16
THE DIFFERENT GUT COMPONENTS AND THEIR DIGESTIVE FUNCTIONS....18
GUT MICROBIOTA AND HOW IT IMPACTS OVERALL HEALTH ....20
THE GUT-BRAIN CONNECTION ....22
THE INFLUENCE OF THE CONNECTION ON MOOD AND APPETITE ....23
CHAPTER 2: CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN FOOD....26
EXAMPLES OF VARIOUS GLOBAL FOOD CULTURES ....26
HOW DIFFERENT CULTURES SHAPED TRADITIONS AND DIETS ....29
THE IMPACT OF CULTURAL FOOD CHOICES ON GUT HEALTH ....32
CULTURAL PRACTICES THAT PROMOTE GOOD GUT HEALTH....34
CHAPTER 3: FOOD AND GUT HEALTH: VEGETARIAN DIETS ....38
THE EFFECTS OF THE VEGETARIAN DIET ON GUT HEALTH ....38
NUTRITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS AND BENEFITS OF A PLANT-BASED DIET ...........40
Benefits....41
Nutritional Considerations....41
VEGETARIAN DIETS VS. MEAT-BASED DIETS-A SHOWDOWN! ....43
PLANT-BASED PROTEIN SOURCES AND THEIR DIGESTIBILITY....45
THE BENEFITS OF SEA MOSS....48
2 CHAPTER 4: THE AMERICAN DIET-MEAT AND DIGESTION ....52
THE AMERICAN LOVE AFFAIR WITH MEAT: AN ANALYTICAL GAZE ....52
DECODING MEAT DIGESTION-THE IMPACTS AND CHALLENGES ....55
ACHIEVING PROTEIN HARMONY (BALANCE AND ALTERNATIVES) .....57
THE IMPACT OF ADDITIVES AND PROCESSED FOODS ON THE GUT ....60
CHAPTER 5: MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND GUT HEALTH....64
EXAMINING THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET'S IMPACT ON THE GUT ....64
DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS FOR LACTOSE INTOLERANCE, SULFATES, AND GLUTEN ALLERGIES ....67
BENEFITS OF MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE FOR OVERALL HEALTH ....69
MEDITERRANEAN INGREDIENTS AND THEIR POSITIVE EFFECTS ON THE GUT MICROBIOTA .....71
CHAPTER 6: EXPLORING ASIAN CUISINES-KIMCHI AND KOMBUCHA ....76
INTRODUCTION TO ASIAN CUISINE AND THE POPULARITY OF FERMENTED FOOD....77
THE ROLE OF KIMCHI AND KOMBUCHA IN GUT HEALTH ....80
TRADITIONAL ASIAN PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT HEALTHY GUT MICROBIOMES ....82
ASIAN SPICES AND HERBS WITH DIGESTIVE BENEFITS....85
CHAPTER 7: ANCESTRAL GENEALOGY AND GUT CRAVINGS ....90
HOW ANCESTRAL GENEALOGY INFLUENCES FOOD PREFERENCES .....90
THE CONCEPT OF GUT CRAVINGS AND THEIR ANCESTRAL DIET CONNECTION ......93
CULTURES THAT ATE BASED ON AVAILABLE RESOURCES....96
GENETIC GUT VARIATIONS AND THEIR IMPACT ON DIGESTION.....100
CHAPTER 8: THE GUT AS THE "SECOND BRAIN"....104
GUT-BRAIN AXIS: ITS IMPACT ON MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH .............105
GUT HEALTH'S INFLUENCE ON ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION ............................109
DIET AND LIFESTYLE TACTICS FOR ENHANCED BRAIN-GUT INTERACTION...........112
CHAPTER 9: EATING FOR YOUR BLOOD TYPE-FACT OR FICTION?.116
THE THEORY OF EATING ACCORDING TO BLOOD TYPE .....116
RESEARCH AND CONCEPTS OF THE BLOOD TYPE DIET THEORY ..118
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PERSONALIZED NUTRITION..120
PRECAUTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES OF THE CONTROVERSIAL DIET....123
PROS AND CONS OF THE BLOOD TYPE DIET....126
CHAPTER 10: BALANCING DIETS AND GUT HEALTH ..130
3 STRATEGIES FOR OPTIMAL GUT HEALTH AND A BALANCED DIET .... 131
INCORPORATING DIVERSE CULTURAL FOODS INTO A HEALTHY EATING PLAN. 134
TIPS FOR OPTIMAL DIGESTION AND GUT MICROBIOME...(Continued in Book)
