Anonymous wrote:I believe this. Gut bacteria is not well understood and believed to be a large factor in our health, but we don’t understand how. I recall reading a study about fecal transfer, from a healthy gut to somebody who was sick, I believe it was Crohn’s disease, and it healed them or lessened the symptoms.

So I don’t have a hard time believing that hunger and weight is also controlled in our gut.

I regret that I can’t remember the book’s title, but there was a story of a fecal transfer from a healthy, but obese, daughter to a thin, but intestinally debilitated (Crohn’s?) mother. Mom recovered finally but ended up obese as well. There is definitely something to gut bacteria and it’s going to be a difficult one to tease out, especially since some of the species are so delicate that they don’t live long outside the body.

I believe this. Gut bacteria is not well understood and believed to be a large factor in our health, but we don’t understand how. I recall reading a study about fecal transfer, from a healthy gut to somebody who was sick, I believe it was Crohn’s disease, and it healed them or lessened the symptoms.

So I don’t have a hard time believing that hunger and weight is also controlled in our gut.

I've experienced with a lot of different strains of probiotics due to digestive issues, and I've found some make my appetite go crazy and some seem to diminish me appetite. So far I've noticed the Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus Plantarum 299v (found in Good Belly Products) make me famished and want to binge, while Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus Gasseri seem to really decrease my appetite.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I completely cut out sugar for a month to 6 weeks several times a year, usually until a holiday or family birthday. It makes eating healthier so much easier. Maybe it's gut bacteria related or maybe it's psychological. I don't know.

Can you share what you mean by "completely cut out sugar"? No added or natural sugars?

No cane sugar or coconut sugar or any other added sugar. Two pieces of fruit per day are fine, ideally berries and citrus fruit. No pineapple, grapes or ripe bananas.

Beware of disguised descriptions on labels such as "organic evaporated cane juice."

Anonymous wrote:I completely cut out sugar for a month to 6 weeks several times a year, usually until a holiday or family birthday. It makes eating healthier so much easier. Maybe it's gut bacteria related or maybe it's psychological. I don't know.

Can you share what you mean by "completely cut out sugar"? No added or natural sugars?