#285 What a Gut Healthy Day Looks Like with Dr James Kinross PhD, FRCS

5 snips

Feb 19, 2025

Dr. James Kinross, a Senior Lecturer in Colorectal Surgery at Imperial College London and author of 'Dark Matter', delves into the intricacies of gut health. He discusses whether everyone should consider microbiome testing and the necessity of daily probiotics versus whole foods. The conversation covers how gut bacteria influences weight loss and the link between stress and gut health. Dr. Kinross provides practical strategies for a gut-healthy day, emphasizing diet, movement, and digital detox for overall well-being.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ADVICE

Building a Healthy Microbiome

Prioritize a diverse, resilient, and adaptable gut microbiome.
Focus on nourishing evolutionary relationships and consider age and environment.

ADVICE

Nurturing Your Gut

Treat your gut like a garden, nurturing it with care.
Avoid harming your microbes and focus on feeding beneficial ones.

ADVICE

Digital Detox

Start your day by ignoring your phone to avoid disrupting your gut-brain interaction.
Resist the urge to immediately check digital content upon waking.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

We know that gut health plays a crucial role in everything from digestion to immunity, weight management, and even mental well-being. But what does looking after your gut actually look like in practice?

In this episode, I’m again joined by Dr James Kinross a senior lecturer in colorectal surgery and consultant surgeon at Imperial College London, he’s a researcher, and author of Dark Matter, to explore the science behind our gut microbiome—and how we can take actionable steps to support it every single day.

🔍 Key Topics We Cover:

Should everyone be doing a gut microbiome test?
Are daily probiotics necessary, or is food enough?
Can our gut bacteria influence how easily we lose weight?
What’s the link between stress, mood, and our microbes?
Does a healthy gut help us live longer?

But rather than just theory, today’s episode is all about practical strategies. We walk through what an ideal gut-health day looks like—from the moment you wake up to your morning routine, commute, meals, work stressors, and even how you wind down at night. Dr. Kinross breaks down:

✔ The best foods to start your day for optimal gut function

✔ What supplements to take (or avoid) for microbiome health

✔ How movement, stress, and even pollution affect your gut

✔ Why gut bacteria plays a role in breaking down food, recycling nutrients, and producing essential compounds

✔ How gut health shifts across different life stages—from newborns to aging adults

We also dive into some big health questions, including:

🧠 The gut-brain connection – how microbes influence serotonin, dopamine, and mood

💊 Post-antibiotic recovery – what to do if you’ve just finished a round of antibiotics

⚖️ Weight control – how gut microbes affect appetite, fat burning, and metabolism

🦠 Cancer risk – why are cases of bowel cancer rising in younger people?

If you’ve ever wondered how to support your gut and why it matters, this is the episode for you.