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The Mind-Gut-Immune Connection: Understanding How Food Impacts Our Mind, Our Microbiome, and Our Immunity

The Mind-Gut-Immune Connection: Understanding How Food Impacts Our Mind, Our Microbiome, and Our Immunity

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2023-11-26 16:21:34
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Emeran Mayer
  • ISBN：0063014793
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Summary

From one of today’s leading experts on the emerging science of the microbiome comes a ground-breaking book that offers， for the first time， evidence that the gut-microbiome plays a pivotal role in the health crises of the twenty-first century。

In his acclaimed book， The Mind-Gut Connection， physician， UCLA professor， and researcher Dr。 Emeran Mayer offered groundbreaking evidence of the critical role of the microbiome in neurological and cognitive health， proving once and for all the power and legitimacy of the “mind-body connection。” Now， in The Gut-Immune Connection， Dr。 Mayer proposes an even more radical paradigm that the gut microbiome is at the center of virtually every disease that defines our 21st-century public health crisis。 Cutting-edge research continues to advance our understanding of the function and impact of the billions of organisms that live in the GI tract， and in Dr。 Mayer’s own research， he has amassed evidence that the “conversation” that takes place between these microbes and our various organs and bodily systems is critical to human health。 When that conversation goes awry， we suffer， often becoming seriously ill。 Combining clinical experience with up-to-the-minute science， The Gut-Immune Connection offers a comprehensive look at the link between alterations to the gut microbiome and the development chronic diseases like diabetes， heart disease， and cancer， as well as susceptibility to infectious diseases like Covid-19。 Dr。 Mayer argues that it’s essential we understand the profound and far-reaching effects of gut health and offers clear-cut strategies to reverse the steady upward rise of these illnesses， including a model for nutrition to support the microbiome。  But time is running a plague of antimicrobial resistance is only a few decades away if we don’t make critical changes to our food supply， including returning to sustainable practices that maintain the microbial diversity of the soil。 To turn the tide of chronic and infectious disease tomorrow， we must shift the way we live today。

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Reviews

Miranda Geisinger ，

3。5 rounded up。 This book has so many interesting facts and mentions of research。 I learned a few things and could relate and I appreciate the suggestions it gave as well。 I do feel like this book could have been condensed down to about half its length and still contained the same information and main points。

Julia H ，

Had good information in the book， but was slightly repetive and unhelpfully anecdotal at times， often with no conclusions on the cases。 The book could have been written much smoother and less focusing on the author's career。 Had good information in the book， but was slightly repetive and unhelpfully anecdotal at times， often with no conclusions on the cases。 The book could have been written much smoother and less focusing on the author's career。 。。。more

Jesse Moran ，

Rated this way because it took me so long to finish。 Which was about a year。 I want to read it again， but for the most part， a health book repeating similar/ common （in comparison to other health books） knowledge in relation to the gut。

Efren Silva ，

Fascinating。The book provides a modest technical dive into the enteric nervous system and the microbiome of the gut。 The author did a great job in describing the physiological processes that make the connections between the brain and gut possible。 Additionally， the description on how Network Science is playing a role in understanding the digestive system was eye opening。 Network Science， which encompasses graph theory， is also playing a role in the future of Functional Neurosurgery as well。 This Fascinating。The book provides a modest technical dive into the enteric nervous system and the microbiome of the gut。 The author did a great job in describing the physiological processes that make the connections between the brain and gut possible。 Additionally， the description on how Network Science is playing a role in understanding the digestive system was eye opening。 Network Science， which encompasses graph theory， is also playing a role in the future of Functional Neurosurgery as well。 This is known as “the connectome”。Because I work with movement disorder patients （DBS）， the chapter on Parkinson’s Disease was spot on！ There appears to be a pivital link between the brain and the gut in regards to the initial symptomology of parksinson's disease。 Additionally， I enjoyed understanding just how powerful the vagus nerve is to brain and gut health。 The vagus nerve is a big part of a series of FDA approved Neuromodulation therapies for treating depression and epilepsy。 Finally， the chapter I found most fascinating was the physiological role of Serotonin and how that impacts the brain and gut which， in turn， has an impact on Depression。 。。。more

AdeReads ，

I found this to be long for what I got out of it。 I also found it didn’t instil much hope。 A good reminder about what is good for your body and brain。

Raihan ，

I have GERD and this has been so helpful！

Elaina Tidmore ，

seems like there’s still a lot of research to be done in this area but very interesting read none the less

Karena T Riggins ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Interesting but didn't learn much and found myself not paying much attention。 Overall， Mediterranean diet， no artificial sweeteners， mindfulness and don't eat when you're stressed。 Interesting but didn't learn much and found myself not paying much attention。 Overall， Mediterranean diet， no artificial sweeteners， mindfulness and don't eat when you're stressed。 。。。more

Angie ，

This was more of a scientific treatise about the potential causal link between gut health and brain diseases than a mass market book。 Tldr; animal fat should be limited， artificial sweeteners can compound the negative impact of animal fats and often do the opposite of what you want them to do; probiotics don't fix these things， Mediterranean diet is good。 That's pretty much all of the actionable info in this book。 This was more of a scientific treatise about the potential causal link between gut health and brain diseases than a mass market book。 Tldr; animal fat should be limited， artificial sweeteners can compound the negative impact of animal fats and often do the opposite of what you want them to do; probiotics don't fix these things， Mediterranean diet is good。 That's pretty much all of the actionable info in this book。 。。。more

Dalia ，

كتاب علمي بلغة مبسطة。الكاتب اراد ان يسلط الضوء الى طريقة اخرى للتعاطي مع الامراض مختلفة عن الطب الحديث 。 حيث يرى ان الطب الحديث يتعامل مع الامراض بذاتها و بطريقة عسكرية 。المعلومات جميلة، لكن السرد كان مكرر احيانا。في الفصل الاخير ذكر بعض النصائح لرفع مستوى نمط الحياة。كتاب لرفع الوعي الصحي👍🏼

Lindsay Kostner ，

Good but not great but worth the read。 Definitely learned a few things about the gut I didn’t know yet。 This author has done their research for sure。

Natascha ，

Interessant boek en makkelijk te lezen maar valt toch vaak in herhaling。 Veel van de onderzoeken die worden aangehaald zijn niet met een groot sample getest dus blijft speculatief。 Geen groundbreaking informatie wat betreft voedingspatroon als je al veel over voeding en gezondheid weet。

Stinna ，

Changed the way I look at food and the digestive system。 A real eye opener。 I can finally see the underlying patterns of my eating behaviors and the connection to my identity and emotions。 Now I see that it isn’t as easy as I thought and I can take in every aspact in deciding my diet。

Morgan Erickson ，

Audiobook

April Gros ，

I’d highly recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about their body and how much control the gut has over it。

Connie ，

#GoodreadsGiveaway

Sara ，

Informação muito interessante e bastante acessível ao comum leitor。

Nico Starlight ，

What good is intelligence when you’re just plain boring？ 🥱

Greta Kramer ，

This book was super interesting。 I love learning more about how our gut is so intertwined with the other processes in our body and can’t wait to see where the research goes in this area。 I do think that some of the advise was a bit weight-centric which kinda rubbed me the wrong way， but overall super informative and interesting。

Healthypedia ，

Find out how to optimise your physical and mental by enhancing your gut microbiome diversity with the book 'The Gut-Immune Connection。'In today’s world， numerous gut-related problems， such as irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） and other gastrointestinal disorders， have become increasingly prevalent。 Recognising the need to address these issues， Emeran Mayer， a renowned author and expert in the field， has written a book titled ‘The Gut-Immune Connection。‘ Mayer’s extensive background in medicine and Find out how to optimise your physical and mental by enhancing your gut microbiome diversity with the book 'The Gut-Immune Connection。'In today’s world， numerous gut-related problems， such as irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） and other gastrointestinal disorders， have become increasingly prevalent。 Recognising the need to address these issues， Emeran Mayer， a renowned author and expert in the field， has written a book titled ‘The Gut-Immune Connection。‘ Mayer’s extensive background in medicine and his own personal experiences have uniquely positioned him to explore the intricate relationship between gut health and overall well-being。Author’s backgroundEmeran Mayer， MD， is an accomplished medical professional and researcher who has dedicated his career to studying the intricate connections between the mind， brain， and body， with a special focus on the bidirectional communication between the brain， the gut， and its microbiome。He currently serves as the executive director of the Oppenheimer Center for Stress and Resilience and the Co-director of the Digestive Diseases Research Center at the University of California， Los Angeles。With over 40 years of experience， Dr。 Mayer has authored numerous scientific publications and books。 His contributions and expertise have been featured in various media outlets， including NPR， PBS， the Atlantic， Scientific American， and the New York Times。 Dr。 Mayer currently resides in Los Angeles。Dr。 Mayer’s work has been recognised and honoured with prestigious awards， including the 2016 Paul D。 MacLean Award from the American Psychosomatic Society。What is the book about？In his groundbreaking book， ‘The Gut-Immune Connection，’ esteemed microbiome expert Dr。 Emeran A。 Mayer presents a compelling argument for the critical role of the gut microbiome in the health crises of the 21st century。 Dr。 Mayer explores the profound impact of diet- and lifestyle-induced changes in the gut microbiome on neurological， emotional， and cognitive health。Dr。 Mayer’s extensive research and evidence reveal that the intricate connections taking place between the trillions of microorganisms in our gut and our various organs and bodily systems are fundamental to human well-being。‘The Gut-Immune Connection’ sheds light on the link between alterations in the gut microbiome and the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes， heart disease， brain disorders， cancer， and even susceptibility to infectious diseases like COVID-19。 Moreover， Dr。 Mayer emphasises the interconnectedness of the gut microbiome， food production practices， and the health of our planet。The book covers a wide range of topics， including:Exploring the impact of stress on gut health and its potential transmission from one generation to another。• Unveiling the effects of stress during pregnancy on gut function。• Examining the intriguing connection between gut microbes and brain health。• Delving into the role of the microbiota in relation to depression。• Understanding the influence of stress on gut health。• Uncovering the significance of positive emotions in overall well-being。• Investigating the allure of comfort foods and their impact on the gut。• Strategies to enhance and maximise gut microbial diversity for improved health。Dr。 Mayer provides strategies to reverse the alarming rise of these illnesses， including a nutrition model that prioritises the health of the microbiome。 The book also includes a delightful section of recipes， offering a variety of options。 While Dr。 Mayer generally recommends a plant-based diet， there are also recipes for chicken and salmon dishes。Key takeaways from ‘The Gut-Immune Connection’1。 Imbalance in gut microbiota can lead to poor mental health and depressionThe gut microbiota plays a vital role in mental well-being， specifically its influence on serotonin production。 A surprising 90% of serotonin is produced by enterochromaffin cells in the gut， and the remaining 10% by brain cells。Serotonin， responsible for regulating optimism and happiness， is primarily produced in the gut。 Consequently， an imbalanced gut microbiome can contribute to depression， alongside other factors like genetics and environmental stress。 Research on rats indicates that altering the gut microbiota to an unfavourable composition can result in depressed behaviours， emphasising the importance of maintaining a healthy gut for optimal mental health。The book highlights the crucial role of gut microbes in various aspects of our health， including mental well-being。 It emphasises that imbalances in gut bacteria can contribute to conditions like depression， anxiety， and neurodegenerative diseases。 Understanding and nurturing the gut-brain connection is essential for overall health。2。 There is a potential connection between gut health and Alzheimer’s diseaseThe book states that there is a potential link between gut health and the development of Alzheimer’s disease。 Chronic activation of immune cells in the gut lining can lead to the release of inflammatory molecules。Research suggests that the presence of certain types of bacteria， such as Gram-negative bacteria， particularly in abundance due to a high-fat animal diet， can trigger immune cells and cause the release of cytokines， which are inflammation molecules。 These molecules can travel through the bloodstream and reach the brain， activating glial cells and contributing to the production of inflammation molecules within the brain。 This process can lead to the deterioration of brain cells associated with Alzheimer’s disease。3。 It is vital to pay attention to gut microbiota development from the earliest stages of lifeThroughout the book， Dr。 Mayer emphasises the importance of prioritising the establishment of a healthy microbial community in children from birth to age three。 Human gut microbe diversity reaches a stable state by the time a child turns three years old。 Beyond this age， it becomes challenging for adults to significantly increase microbial diversity through probiotic supplementation。Dr。 Mayer gives several recommendations that can help to develop diverse microbiota in children。 For instance， natural delivery allows for the transfer of beneficial bacteria from the mother’s vagina to the baby， establishing a favourable starting point for the infant’s gut。 Breastfeeding until the age of three， if possible， provides the child with the mother’s milk containing prebiotics known as HMOs， which support the growth of beneficial bacteria and aid in healthy brain development。 Additionally， chronic stress in childhood can disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome， creating an environment for pathogenic bacteria to thrive and potentially leading to gastrointestinal issues in adulthood。Strengths and weaknesses， according to readers’ reviews Strengths:• Provides accessible information about the functioning of the digestive system and its relationship with the brain， making it suitable for general readers interested in physical and mental health。• Offers practical suggestions and lifestyle recommendations to improve gut health。 It provides dietary guidelines， stress management techniques， and tips for fostering a healthy gut microbiome， making it accessible for readers looking to implement changes in their lives。• Addresses a topic that is often overlooked but culturally recognised， bridging the gap between cultural beliefs and scientific understanding of the gut-brain connection。• Resonates with readers who have digestive issues， offering potential explanations for immune system problems and practical solutions for self-help， leading to improved health and functionality。 Weaknesses:• Contains filler writing， repetitive information and a layout that is hard to follow。• Lacks proper referencing and quotations， making it challenging to track the sources of the author’s claims。Best quotes from ‘The Gut-Immune Connection’"The longitudinal studies on breast-fed infants have shown the longer an infant is breast-fed， the larger his brain is， a trait associated with improved cognitive development。""What we experienced first-hand in our few days of living in this environment showed that the close interdependence of historical， spiritual， environmental， and biological factors contributes significantly to the impressive health benefits of the Mediterranean diet。"“Traditionally， a large part of our healthcare system – a more appropriate name for it would be our disease care system – has focused almost exclusively on treating the symptoms of the chronic disease， maximizing its efforts on expensive screening diagnostics and equally expensive long-term pharmacological treatments。”Final takeawayOverall， ‘The Gut-Immune Connection’ provides valuable insights into the relatively new field of research on the impact of gut health on overall well-being。 As Dr。 Mayer highlights， scientists are only scratching the surface of understanding these complex interactions。 This informative book serves as a stepping stone for further exploration。People seeking a deeper understanding of gut health and its impact on various aspects of well-being would definitely enjoy reading it。 It is particularly valuable for those dealing with gut-related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） and gastrointestinal disorders。 。。。more

Kristiana Qerosi ，

A good book to get an insight of the biological meccanism behind how food and lifestyle affect us through the gut microbiome。 It was insightful。

Maha ，

4 stars are for the vast scientific content- especially about the astonishingly cunning and evil Toxoplasma gondii， and how the genes of the gut microbioto make up more than 400 times the cells in our body！But the writing style was boring。 Also one does not need to read 50 pages about how bad the North American diet is for the gut。 Even kids nowadays are aware。 I wish there were more details on the Okinawan diet。What attracted me to read this book was the aspect of how the microbes affect our in 4 stars are for the vast scientific content- especially about the astonishingly cunning and evil Toxoplasma gondii， and how the genes of the gut microbioto make up more than 400 times the cells in our body！But the writing style was boring。 Also one does not need to read 50 pages about how bad the North American diet is for the gut。 Even kids nowadays are aware。 I wish there were more details on the Okinawan diet。What attracted me to read this book was the aspect of how the microbes affect our intuition。 I was looking for more clarification but didn’t find a satisfactory answer。 Everything is based on speculation。Anyway。 This book is for the science geek; not the average curious mind。 。。。more

Christine Young ，

Very informative but sometimes too medical for me （someone without a medical background）。 Overall good， educational read。

Angie Powers ，

Honestly， this book makes a lot of sense。 I don't know in the end if the implications of what I learned in the book are wildly different than what common sense tells me， but I enjoyed the biological explanations。 Honestly， this book makes a lot of sense。 I don't know in the end if the implications of what I learned in the book are wildly different than what common sense tells me， but I enjoyed the biological explanations。 。。。more

ines ，

تركت قرائته منذ فترة، كتاب مهم ومتخصص لم أكمله ولكنني أقرأ فيه من فترة لأخرى。

Karly Statter ，

I highly recommend reading this book。 It is SO educational & I truly feel like I have so much knowledge about our bodies and how we can improve our health。 Learning about the food that we eat in North America and all of the negative consequences that come with it is so important to be aware of。 There were many stories the author shared it patients who have overcome chronic gut health conditions and I just truly think this is a topic that we all can be more educated on！

Chloe ，

This book is full of eye-opening information， although unfortunately that information is pretty badly written and organized。 For several chapters， the author is basically making the same point but in a slightly different way。 There could've been more consolidation and clarity。 The sentences themselves were difficult to digest and I had to reread them to get the point he was trying to make。Other than that， I do think this book is a useful read （actually， skim） for anyone interested in health and This book is full of eye-opening information， although unfortunately that information is pretty badly written and organized。 For several chapters， the author is basically making the same point but in a slightly different way。 There could've been more consolidation and clarity。 The sentences themselves were difficult to digest and I had to reread them to get the point he was trying to make。Other than that， I do think this book is a useful read （actually， skim） for anyone interested in health and nutrition， especially people involved in conventional medicine。 Rather than advocating for band-aids like many medical professionals tend to do， this doctor explores the root causes of gut-related health issues based on robust scientific evidence。 I didn't agree with all of his conclusions/opinions — he was anti-animal fat and pro-vital gluten — but I appreciated most of them。 I especially liked the chapter where he explored the scientific basis for gut feelings and dreams！ Both of them are often dismissed， but it was interesting to see some science that backs up their significance。 。。。more

Kerri ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 While this is interesting， and makes me think about what lives in my gut and how to keep the microbiom healthy， I kept thinking this is way off track when it comes to autism。 He needs to research heavy-metal poisoning for that。

الميســاء ，

If you are a medical person， this books terms might be understandable to you。 However， this is definitely not for a lay person and I gave it more of my time than I should。

Hannah Thom Noble ，

DNF because the author repeatedly refers to autism as a "serious brain disorder" and suggests that soon， science will know how to cure such diseases。。。 No， Dr Mayer， you know nothing about autism， and your eugenics rhetoric is unacceptable。The bits of the book just about the microbiome were quite interesting。 But I had to stop reading at about halfway through。 The book was making me angry， and as I've learnt， getting stressed is bad for my microbiome。 DNF because the author repeatedly refers to autism as a "serious brain disorder" and suggests that soon， science will know how to cure such diseases。。。 No， Dr Mayer， you know nothing about autism， and your eugenics rhetoric is unacceptable。The bits of the book just about the microbiome were quite interesting。 But I had to stop reading at about halfway through。 The book was making me angry， and as I've learnt， getting stressed is bad for my microbiome。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Mind-Gut-Immune Connection: Understanding How Food Impacts Our Mind, Our Microbiome, and Our Immunity

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Mind-Gut-Immune Connection: Understanding How Food Impacts Our Mind, Our Microbiome, and Our Immunity&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Mind-Gut-Immune Connection: Understanding How Food Impacts Our Mind, Our Microbiome, and Our Immunity&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0