10/10/2026
As part of my ongoing patient care that started with Concussion management and also furthered in the general need for MSK chronic pain and low grade inflammatory processes, as an add on to my Concussion systemic/gut/brain healing training I added another layer ie a nutritional course to my knowledge, at start of 2026 via Imperial.
was very much at the forefront of gut health and I would highly recommend it as a good starting point.
This was shared with me via email and I think it’s worth the ready… as so easy to understand and make the start to consistent changes to improve your gut and health in general.
ZOE- Prof Tim Spector on changing your gut microbiome
If you’re looking for lasting, positive change in your gut health, science shows us that it needs to be an ongoing process. A process where consistency is more important than perfection.
The idea of a gut reset is usually that short-term dietary perfection will provide long-term good gut health. But how does the reality of a temporary change match up to this promise?
What scientists mean when they say the gut microbiome has “changed”
When our diet changes, it means we’re providing the microbes in our gut with different kinds of fuel. Just like us, our gut microbes have their own preferences, with each type preferring to feed on specific foods.
If you start adding more sources of fibre to your diet, the microbes that enjoy it most will become more plentiful. And if you start eating more refined carbs, the microbes that favour eating them will thrive.
Over time, if this change to our eating pattern persists, the makeup of our gut microbiome will also change. The balance will shift, with the numbers of microbes getting their preferred food rising, and the numbers of others going down.
These microbiome changes can go both ways. The balance could shift towards a greater concentration of microbes that benefit our health, or it could shift towards microbes associated with ill effects.
We refer to an imbalance in this latter direction as dysbiosis.
Add more plant diversity
Why quick change doesn’t mean lasting change
Our gut microbiome is resilient, and while it doesn’t take much for certain aspects of it to change — you can change the levels of certain microbes in your gut within days — it requires time and consistency for those changes to last.
Imagine your gut to be like your house, and a change in your diet to be like inviting someone to stay. While the guest is there your routine and even the layout of your house might change quickly, but once the guest has gone home, these things will return to normal.
This is similar to what happens to your gut microbiome when you temporarily change your diet. If your diet reverts back to how it was before the changes, it won’t be long before the balance of microbes in your gut does too.
Changing your diet for a week won’t “reset” your gut permanently.
And likewise, a day or two of less-healthy eating won’t undo the work of a healthy diet you’ve maintained for 6 months. It takes time and consistency to effect meaningful change.
Consistency is more important than perfection
For long-lasting change in your gut microbiome, it’s better to aim for consistency rather than perfection.
Creating the perfect meal can give the beneficial microbes in your gut exactly what they want, but doing that again and again can be difficult.
Your diet and gut microbiome will never be defined by a single meal. It’s what you do day after day that counts. That’s why we’ll always recommend making small, sustainable, and meaningful changes to your diet to support your gut.
It could be as simple as adding a portion of fermented food or a scoop of Daily30 to your dinner. A small but significant change to your diet that you can easily repeat again and again.
Upping your plant diversity, increasing your fibre intake, and adding fermented foods to your diet: each of these suggestions can do a world of good to your gut if you can make them habitual.
It doesn’t take long to change our gut microbiome, but it does take time for changes to stick. Small, incremental changes you can sustain are the key. Make a habit of them and long-lasting change is achievable.
Choose science-proven nutrition
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