The Scientific Way To Eat

As we age, our general metabolic health declines. Evidence suggests that this decline may be, in part, due to an age-related disturbance in the bacteria which live within our gut. Research in the lab has shown that calorie restriction (i.e. carefully restricting food intake) not only relates to an increased lifespan and improved metabolic health, but also causes profound changes in gut bacteria. Now, scientists like myself are trying to find out what links our gut bacteria to increased longevity – raising the question: could eating less unlock our gut bugs’ secrets to eternal health?

Ever wondered about the role of food in human evolution? What about if carbohydrates are important for health? With an ocean of conflicting diet and weight-loss advice to wade through, it’s hard to figure out what is true! In our gut, we carry around the most densely populated community of bacteria in the world, which helps us digest food and is linked to more diseases than you can count. Looking into how our diet and species has evolved over millions of years, I hope to challenge the current way we look at food and how bacteria are involved in maintaining our health.