#278 - How your gut microbiome affects gut and overall health | Dr. Will Bulsiewicz & Mike Haney

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Jul 24, 2025

Join Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, a board-certified gastroenterologist and best-selling author, along with Mike Haney, as they explore the fascinating world of the gut microbiome. They discuss how gut health impacts everything from mental well-being to immune function. Key topics include the gut-brain connection, the importance of fiber-rich diets, and how lifestyle choices shape gut health. They also touch on microbiome testing and the benefits of dietary diversity, emphasizing that a happy gut leads to a healthier body overall.

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ANECDOTE

Dr. Bulsiewicz's Gut Health Journey

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz experienced personal health issues that led him to heal his gut, transforming his well-being.
His journey from doctor to gut health advocate inspired him to share these insights broadly beyond his practice.

INSIGHT

The Vast Gut Microbiome

Our gut houses about 38 trillion microbes that form a complex, diverse ecosystem.
This microbiome far exceeds the number of human cells and is integral to our physiology.

INSIGHT

Microbiome's Individuality Explains Responses

Even identical twins share only about 30% of the same gut microbes, highlighting huge individual variability.
This individuality helps explain why people respond differently to treatments or medications.

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Your gut microbiome affects everything from your mental health and cognitive function to your immune system and metabolic health. Gut health symptoms, such as bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea, could be a sign that you have low species diversity. Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and Mike Haney discuss how the gut and brain communicate, how the gut microbiome affects the gut barrier and therefore your immune system, what to eat to improve the gut microbiome, and what microbiome testing can tell you.

🎙 What Will Bulsiewicz, MD, & Mike Haney discuss:

9:14 — Gut health takes time to improve

14:49 — Your gut microbiome informs your gut and overall health

18:42 — Lifestyle choices help shape an individual’s gut microbiome

24:20 — A compromised gut barrier affects the immune system

30:51 — Nutritional strategies can improve the gut microbiome and reduce disease flares

32:46 — The gut and the brain communicate

52:27 — A diverse gut microbiome is a sign of good health

56:45 — Your gut microbiome informs your bowel movements

1:01:46 — When to see a doctor for gastrointestinal symptoms

1:05:32 — Increasing fiber helps the gut microbiome

1:11:41 — The beneficial byproducts of gut microbes are postbiotics

1:14:59 — Eat a wide variety of plant foods to get optimal fiber

Levels helps you see how food affects your health, empowering you with the tools needed to achieve health goals and improve healthspan. Levels Members gain access to the Levels app and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), providing real-time feedback on how diet and lifestyle choices impact your metabolic health.

Look for new shows every month on A Whole New Level, where we have in-depth conversations with thought leaders about metabolic health.

🔗 Helpful links:
Watch the conversation: https://youtu.be/iAHOycufGn8

Find us on YouTube: https://youtube.com/levelshealth?sub_confirmation=1

Will Bulsieweicz, MD, https://theplantfedgut.com/about/

Fiber Fueled: https://www.amazon.com/Fiber-Fueled-Plant-Based-Optimizing-Microbiome/dp/059308456X

The Plant Fed Gut: https://theplantfedgut.com/

Connect with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theguthealthmd/?hl=en