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A Gastroenterologist Shares An Easy Trick He Uses To Make Sure He's Eating Enough Gut-healthy Foods
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A gastroenterologist shared the trick he uses to make sure he's eating enough fiber to improve his gut health, and his overall health in turn.
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, author of "Fiber Fuelled," developed the F-GOALS acronym, which stands for: fruit and fermented foods; greens and grains; omega-3; aromatics; legumes; and seaweed, sulforaphane, and 'shrooms.
Speaking on "The Diary Of A CEO" podcast earlier this month, Bulsiewicz said gut health is not only important for digestion, but is also thought to affect other parts and functions of the body, including the immune system, mental health and cognition, metabolism, and hormones.
Growing evidence suggests the gut microbiome — or the microorganisms including bacteria that live in the digestive system — can influence our health, because of its symbiotic relationship with our bodies and how it interacts with and aids our bodily functions. For instance, 80% of the body's immune cells are contained in the gut.
Bulsiewicz told Bartlett that one of the biggest misconceptions people have about improving gut health is that they need to restrict their diet, when it's actually about increasing the variety of foods they eat.
Find out more about his F-Goals acronym below.
F — fruits and fermented foodsBulsiewicz said that fruit has been "inappropriately villanized" but is "amazingly good for us" and that people who consume more of it are less like to have diabetes. One 2023 study found that those who ate an additional 300 grams of fruit over a three year period had an 8.2% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
He also recommended people eat fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles to improve their gut health. Bulsiewicz cited a 2021 Stanford School of Medicine study that found participants who added fermented foods to their diets for 10 weeks increased the diversity of the bacteria in their gut microbiome.
G — greens and grainsGreens and grains — specifically unrefined, whole grains — are high in fiber and resistant starches, Bulsiewicz said. Research suggests both fiber and resistant starches are great for the gut microbiome because they promote bacteria diversity.
O — omega-3s from fiber-filled foodsOmega-3 fatty acids, found in foods such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, hempseeds, and walnuts, are also important for gut health, Bulsiewicz said.
Emerging evidence suggests omega-3 could help regulate the types and quantities of bacteria in the gut and help control inflammation.
A — aromaticsAromatics are food such as onions, garlic, and shallots. Not only are these foods delicious, Bulsiewicz said, but they are great for the heart and are thought to protect against cancer.
According to The Cleveland Clinic, studies suggest that a diet rich in onions could reduce the risk of developing colorectal, brain, bladder, breast, lung, ovarian, and stomach cancers, as well as helping to control high blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels.
L — legumes"Legumes are the number one superfood," Bulsiewicz said.
Research shows eating more legumes appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease.
Bulsiewicz also called legumes "longevity foods." Business Insider previously reported that beans are commonly eaten in the world's Blue Zones, where people regularly live to over 100 years old.
S — 'shrooms, seaweed, and sulforaphaneThese foods are great sources of fiber, Bulsiewicz said, while sulforaphane is a chemical found in cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, kale, and cabbage that is thought to help prevent cancer.
Bulsiewicz said eating lots of different sources of fiber is great for gut health because certain foods feed "specific families of microbes and lifts them up."
"The choices that you make impact which microbes get to eat," he said.
Division Of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition
The UAB Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Children's of Alabama provides comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation and management of all pediatric gastrointestinal, liver and nutritional problems. These may include such common conditions as inflammatory bowel disease, liver transplants, metabolic diseases and nutritional disorders. The division provides both inpatient and outpatient consultative services. State of the art gastroenterology laboratory and endoscopy facilities perform a number of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures which include: upper and lower endoscopy with biopsies, polypectomies, variceal sclerotherapy and banding, foreign body removal from upper GI tract, dilations, percutaneous liver biopsies, pH probe, hydrogen breath testing and anorectal motility testing.
Multidisciplinary patient-centered care is the focus of the Division. Close interaction with Pediatric Surgery, Radiology, Pathology, Anesthesiology and Nutrition services provide ample opportunity for optimizing patient care. Special interests of the division members include GER, abdominal pain, motility disorders, liver disease, lipid disorders, functional GI disorders, childhood obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease. An ACGME accredited subspecialty training program offers subspecialty residents a wide range of clinical experience.
Faculty & Staff Division DirectorSandeep Gupta, M.D.
Faculty ListGI Faculty
StaffNichole BurnettAdministrative Supervisornicholehoward@uabmc.Edu(205) 638-9873
Nurse PractitionersPediatric Nurse Practitioner specializing in general Gastroenterology and Eosinophilic disorders. Employed by Children's of Alabama for over 20 years. Certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board and member of the CHS Advanced Practice Council. Adjunct Faculty for the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing Master's program. Research 1. Effectiveness of Video Education for Children with Constipation and Encopresis2. Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Are their differences between gender, race or age?3. Eosinophils and Inflammation
Laurel Williams, CRNPPediatric Nurse Practitioner specializing in general Gastroenterology. Employed by Children's of Alabama for over 25 years. Certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board and member of the CHS Advanced Practice Council.
Michelle Hindman, CRNPPediatric Nurse Practitioner certified by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Over 25 years of nursing experience including over 20 years as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Strong experience working in GI and primary care and over 10 years of general GI experience.
GI Inpatient Services
Linda Wilkinson, CRNPIntestinal Rehabilitation
Taylor Knight, CRNPInflammatory Bowel Disease
Megan Moseley, CRNPGI Inpatient/ General GI
Dr. Gourisankar Degala, MD
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Dr. Gourisankar Degala, MD works in Clearwater, FL as a Gastroenterology Specialist.They are board certified in Gastroenterology and graduated from Kempegowda Institute Of Med Sciences Bangalore India. Dr. Degala completed a residency at Henry Ford Hospital-Detroit, Mi. Dr. Degala has has worked on more claims relating to Gastroptosis, Duodenal Ulcer and Intestinal Ulcer than other providers in the area. At present, Dr. Degala has received an average rating of 4.7 from patients and has been reviewed 107 times. They are affiliated with Morton Plant Hospital and Mease Countryside Hospital. Their office accepts new patients and has telehealth appointments. Dr. Degala practices at Gastro Florida in Clearwater, FL.
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