Fats and Gut Bacteria

That’s what we’re going to find out on this episode of The Exam Room™ as Hana Kahleova, M.D., Ph.D., sits down with the “The Weight Loss Champion” Chuck Carroll to discuss her groundbreaking research on both the quality and quantity of fat consumption in a vegan diet. What happened to the health and waistlines of participants over the course of a 16-week study was quite remarkable!

Then Steve Neabore, M.D., travels back in time to when Chuck still weighed 420 pounds to perform an examination. At that point, his uncontrolled blood pressure was 190/110, and he was on medication to treat hypertension that he started in high school. Cholesterol and blood sugar were also trending in the wrong direction as was his waist, which had expanded to 66 inches around.

Dr. Neabore explains the metabolic damage caused by a high-fat diet and discusses exactly what is happening in the body as the chest begins to tighten and it becomes difficult to breathe even when taking just a few steps. What do the arteries look like at this point? How hard does the heart have to work?

Then the focus turns to gut bacteria as Leigh Frame, Ph.D., joins the show to talk about research on the microbiome. Scientists are finding that the link between health and the gut is even stronger than we thought thanks to advancements in DNA research. Fun fact: No two people have the exact same gut microbiome profile. So, what’s in your gut is as unique as your fingerprint. But how will that fingerprint change if you drink green tea or red wine or switch to a plant-based diet? Find out!