Last month I discussed the role of a robust gut microbiome in overall health.  Evidence is accumulating that these friendly microorganisms help regulate blood pressure and affect other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Anything we do to improve the neighborhood for our friendly bug buddies sends us down the road toward cardiovascular and overall health.

In other words, how does your microbe garden grow?  What are you feeding it?

• It doesn’t like sugar.
• It loves fiber and polyphenol rich foods (vegetables, fruit and olive oil).

Feed it some new bug-recruits in the form of your own homemade fermented foods.

***What should you to do?   Avoid sugar.  Eat plenty of plant foods, including olive oil.  Make your own fermented vegetables.

The keto diet question.

A keto diet is popular for weight loss and regulation of blood sugar.  But is it healthy for heart disease?  The answer is a resounding yes, if you follow it as a lifestyle.   It actually reduces risk factors for cardiovascular disease, particularly in an individual with metabolic syndrome due to insulin resistance.  

A well formulated keto diet typically reduces cardiovascular risk by increasing HDL, decreasing triglycerides, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and waist line.  But remember, a keto diet approach to metabolic syndrome needs to be undertaken as a lifestyle and not as a quick fix. 

***What should you to do?   Consider a keto diet if you have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance.

Need help deciding if this is for you?  Come talk to me across from the cafeteria!

Mary Lou Block
Registered Dietician