168. Food and The Gut–Brain–Metabolism Connection. The Power of Your Plate.
- dartny091
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Written by Clinical Herbalist Donna Troy Cleary, February 2, 2026
Across ancient cultures, there has always been a deep understanding that human health is closely tied to our relationship with the natural world. What we harvest from the earth becomes what nourishes our bodies, and what nourishes our bodies shapes our vitality, resilience, and longevity. In modern terms, this wisdom is now being echoed by science: what we eat—often three or more times a day—has a profound influence on our physical, metabolic, and even mental health.¹
At Spiral Herbal Remedies, our approach is holistic. Today’s research increasingly confirms what traditional healing systems have taught for centuries: food is medicine. In particular, scientists are uncovering deep connections between food, gut health, systemic inflammation, mental well-being, and metabolic health—a web of relationships that explains why chronic disease has become so widespread, and how we can begin to reverse it.²
🌱 The Gut Microbiome: Where Health Begins
At the center of this interconnected system is the gut microbiome—the vast and dynamic ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms living in our digestive tract. These microbes do far more than help us digest food. They regulate inflammation, influence immune function, produce neurotransmitters, and communicate directly with the brain.³
When the microbiome is diverse and balanced, it helps keep inflammation in check. When it’s disrupted—often by poor diet, chronic stress, or ultra-processed foods—low-grade inflammation can take hold throughout the body. This inflammatory state is now recognized as a common underlying factor in conditions ranging from depression to diabetes to heart disease.⁴⁻⁶
I wrote a blog post about how to bring your microbiome into balance. It's a long and detailed read so here are a few key points:
1. Processed foods contain preservatives, which kill the microorganisms that would spoil food; they also kill the microbes in your gut. Common preservatives increased the risk of all cancers as well. Phase them out.
2. The microbiome is a diverse group of microorganisms, and each needs to consume different fibers to thrive. Diversify your plant-food intake to feed them all. (more in the next section).
3. Cut back on the things that kill your microbiome – Alcohol is a disinfectant. You could use it to clean your counters; it also kills the microbes in your gut. Cut back.
4. Prior to refrigeration and preservatives, we all ate fermented foods. Add a variety to your diet daily (see the blog post for a list).
Be sure to use the live probiotics in food, not pills or drinks. A recent National
Geographic article exposed that commercial probiotics often contain dead microorganisms.
🥕 Fiber, Plants, and the Wisdom of Traditional Diets
One of the most powerful ways to support a healthy microbiome is to eat more plant foods. Fiber is key. High-fiber foods feed beneficial gut microbes, allowing them to thrive. They then produce short-chain fatty acids that protect the gut lining and reduce systemic inflammation.⁷ Every culture has its favorites, reach back to remember and find yours. Eat them every day. Research shows that fiber-rich diets improve immune and metabolic health.⁸
The Mediterranean diet has been given a lot of attention lately. It's rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, and fish, which have been associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cognitive decline. Studies suggest this style of eating may reduce the risk of depression by up to 33 percent.⁹¹⁰ Similarly, the MIND diet, an iteration of the Mediterranean diet which emphasizes brain-supportive plant foods, has shown promise in protecting against dementia.¹¹
This article in National Geographic discusses the diet of African Americans living in the Deep South, consisting mostly of vegetables and grains. This largely plant-based diet, originating from West African traditions combined with Native American and European influences, has resulted in a unique cuisine. Aside from salt pork added for flavor, animal products play a minor role. They've now identified this region as a Blue Zone, where people consistently live significantly longer, often into their 90's and 100's.
🍎 Food Works in Harmony, Not Isolation
Nutrition is not about single foods but about how foods work together. I’ve always found it fascinating that traditional Indian cooking is aware of pairings - foods combined with spices/herbs - medicine. Black peppercorn is added to foods flavored with Turmeric - this prevents the liver from breaking down the healing properties of the turmeric. Honed over millennia, their traditions recognize that foods and herbs interact with one another in complex ways.
Other examples or advantageous pairings include:
-Iron with Vitamin C – Beans + Peppers or Spinach + Lemon. Vitamin C helps convert plant-based (non-heme) iron into a form easier for the body to absorb
-Cruciferous Vegetables with Mustard or Radish. Mustard and radishes contain an enzyme that helps unlock an anti-cancer compound found in these vegetables.
-Tea with Lemon. Lemon boosts the absorption of antioxidants (catechins) in green tea.
-Healthy Fats and Green Leafies (Almonds + Yogurt or Salad + Nuts) Healthy fats assist in absorbing the vitamins (A, D, E, K) found in the greens.
-Protein-Rich Plant Foods (Rice + Lentils/Beans) Combining these plant proteins creates a "complete protein" and provides all essential amino acids that might be lacking individually.
-Leafy green vegetables like lettuce, kale, spinach, and arugula, and Dark Yellow vegetables like carrots, yams, and squash, when part of a broader dietary pattern, appeared to promote lower levels of insulin and inflammation.
***And remember that preparation matters. A baked potato is very different from a French fry. Baked potatoes retain their fiber and haven’t been chemically altered by high temperatures, which causes oxidation and inflammation.
Whole, thoughtfully prepared meals create a synergy that isolated nutrients and vitamin supplements cannot replicate.
🧠 From Gut Health to Metabolic Health
Inflammation plays a major role in metabolic health. Metabolic health is assessed by the absence of metabolic syndrome, which includes:
Large waist circumference
High triglycerides
Low HDL (“good”) cholesterol
High blood pressure
High blood sugar
Having three or more of these dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.¹⁴ The American Heart Association estimates that 90 percent of U.S. adults now have some degree of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, reflecting the interconnected nature of these conditions.¹⁵
Excess body fat—especially abdominal (visceral) fat—is a key driver of metabolic dysfunction. About 75 percent of American adults are overweight or obese.¹⁶ When fat cells become overloaded, excess fat spills into organs like the liver and muscles, triggering inflammation and insulin resistance. This creates a self-reinforcing loop that accelerates metabolic disease.¹⁷
Visceral fat is more metabolically active and inflammatory than subcutaneous fat, and genetics strongly influence where fat is stored. “Apple-shaped” bodies carry a higher metabolic risk than “pear-shaped” ones.¹⁸
*** Break the cycle by gradually incorporating whole and fermented foods while reducing your intake of processed foods.
Metabolic dysfunction rarely appears overnight. One marker—such as blood pressure—may rise first, followed by high cholesterol or blood sugar. Left unaddressed, chronic inflammation and metabolic imbalance increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic dysfunction, at least 13 types of cancer, partly driven by elevated insulin levels. Chronically high levels of insulin and inflammation are key features of obesity and metabolic syndrome, which mediate cancer risk. High insulin and inflammation also promote unnecessary cell division, cell growth, DNA damage, and the inhibition of natural cell death or the removal of old cells which are then replaced by new cells. These are all hallmarks of cancer. ¹⁹²⁰
The good news? It can be reversed if you start early.
🌿 Lifestyle
Quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a consistent sleep routine, and staying physically active are also instrumentald. Remember when people used to go out for a stroll after dinner? Walking for 15 minutes after a meal moves glucose from your meal right into your muscles, significantly reducing blood glucose levels and fat storage. Even half an hour of walking a day can change your body.
🌼 Herbs as Allies
Understanding the gut microbiome has reshaped how we think about nutrition, inflammation, and chronic disease. Adding whole, fiber-rich, and fermented foods nourishes beneficial bacteria and controls inflammation.
This philosophy mirrors our work at Spiral Herbal Remedies, where our Clinical Herbalist and Former Registered Nurse crafts Organic Herbal teas, tinctures, salves, and balms designed to support the body’s innate healing intelligence—working with nature, not against it.
Herbs are plants. Just as food influences inflammation, metabolism, and mental clarity, herbs will support you while you eliminate the cause through their antioxidant, immune-supporting, adaptogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Each small, informed choice is a step toward deeper wellness—and a renewed relationship with the living systems that sustain us.
References:
Mozaffarian D. Food is medicine—the promise and challenges. NEJM, 2022
Calder PC et al. Diet, inflammation, and health. Nutrients, 2020
Cryan JF et al. The microbiota–gut–brain axis. Physiol Rev, 2019
Furman D et al. Chronic inflammation in disease. Nat Med, 2019
Zheng D et al. Gut microbiome and depression. Mol Psychiatry, 2021
Cani PD et al. Metabolic endotoxemia. Diabetes, 2007
Makki K et al. Dietary fiber and the gut microbiota. Cell Host Microbe, 2018
Wargo JA et al. Diet, microbiome, and cancer immunotherapy. Science, 2021
Estruch R et al. Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular risk. NEJM, 2018
Lassale C et al. Healthy dietary patterns and depression. Mol Psychiatry, 2019
Morris MC et al. MIND diet and dementia risk. Alzheimer’s Dement, 2015
Unlu NZ et al. Carotenoid absorption and dietary fat. J Nutr, 2005
Monteiro CA et al. Ultra-processed foods and health. BMJ, 2019
American Heart Association. Metabolic Syndrome Overview, AHA
American Heart Association. Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome, 2023
CDC. Adult Obesity Facts, 2024
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