Dr Michael Mosley: the secret to weight loss lies in your gut

Eat your way to good health with The Clever Guts Diet

The Clever Guts Diet is a ‘diet’ in the same way you might talk about being on a vegetarian diet or a Mediterranean diet. It’s not about calories or restriction; it’s about the sort of food and lifestyle changes you should make if you have gut problems, or simply want to keep yours in good condition.

Your gut is a wonderful piece of engineering but in many ways the star of the digestive show is not actually part of the human body at all – it is the one to two kilos of microbes that live in your gut and make up the microbiome. Our widespread ignorance about the microbiome arises from the fact that, until quite recently, its inhabitants, microbes, were impossible to study.

In our ignorance, we have been laying waste to our microbiome and its population of microbes, or ‘Old Friends’. They’ve been given that name because they have evolved with us over millions of years, and also because so many of them are essential to our health. Just as we have ravaged the rainforests and consigned numerous animal species to oblivion, so we have decimated the populations that live inside us. Fortunately we can help these Old Friends bounce back.

You are what you feed your biome

These days, when I put something in my mouth, I consider what it will do not just to my body, but also to my biome. Every food decision you make (‘Shall I have that slice of cake or that handful of almonds?’) decides the fate of countless billions living in your colon. It is quite a responsibility.

Although the following recommendations are based on the latest science, you should take them as guidelines rather than gospel. I’m a fan of whole grains, like rye, but they are not going to do you much good if you have a gluten intolerance or coeliac disease. And even if you have no gut problems, the response to exactly the same foods varies from person to person. So do experiment with these foods and our recipes, and see which suits you.

Having said all that, there are some foods that are better for you than others. The Clever Guts Diet draws on foods and spices from around the world, including the Mediterranean, India and Asia. For a diverse gut it is helpful to eat from a range of cuisines.

The Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is my favourite way of eating, mainly because it’s so tasty, but also because numerous studies have shown that this is an incredibly healthy way to eat.

One of the most impressive dietary studies ever done, the Predimed study, showed that, compared to going on a classic low-fat diet, going on a Mediterranean diet will cut your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and even stop your brain from shrinking.

Mediterranean-style diet foods

• Olive oil
• Oily fish, such as salmon, tuna and mackerel
• Fruit and vegetables
• Full fat dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Red wine (in moderation)

If you have severe gut problems you really must see your doctor and exclude more serious conditions before embarking on the Mediterranean diet.  Please see the question ‘Who should NOT do the diet’ in the FAQ and medical disclaimer.

The Clever Guts Diet by Dr Michael Mosley (Simon & Schuster Australia, $29.99) is packed with delicious, healing recipes, menu plans, checklists and tips – all the tools you need to transform your gut and change the way you eat forever. Available now.