Decoding Gut Health with Dr. Megan Rossi

Could the secret to better health be hiding in your gut? Today, we’re exploring the powerful role the gut microbiome plays in overall well-being with Dr. Megan Rossi.

Dr. Rossi is a researcher and clinician at King's College London and founder of The Gut Health Clinic. She translates cutting-edge research into practical, everyday advice—including what to eat, what to avoid, and why your gut affects much more than digestion.

To meet your weekly plant-eating goals, try incorporating a variety of items from these "Super Six" essential groups:

• Whole Grains: Quinoa, oats, barley, and wholegrain variations of rice or rye
• Nuts and Seeds: Walnuts, chia seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseeds
• Vegetables: Leafy greens, carrots, aubergine, broccoli, and tomatoes
• Fruits: Berries, apples, pears, and peaches
• Legumes: Chickpeas, lentils, butter beans, and edamame
• Herbs and Spices: Basil, garlic, and dried mixed Italian herbs

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

The Gut Health Clinic: https://theguthealthdoctor.com/clinic

Is My Gut Healthy? Quiz - This is from Eat Yourself Healthy, published 2019 (UK). You can take the quiz online here: https://theguthealthdoctor.com/gut-health-quiz

The influence of demographic characteristics on constipation symptoms: a detailed overview: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7268616/

In one study women on a low-fat vegan diet that included soybeans had fewer symptoms than those on other diets - The Women's Study for the Alleviation of Vasomotor Symptoms (WAVS): a randomized, controlled trial of a plant-based diet and whole soybeans for postmenopausal women: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8462449/

You can see some common causes of bloating documented in this paper from 2021 - Management of Chronic Abdominal Distension and Bloating: https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(20)30433-X/fulltext

Plenty of research has supported the idea that plant-based and plant-heavy diets reduce menopausal symptoms, such as: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9812421/ and https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9812421/

A randomized controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial) - Study summary is here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-y

Eczema-protective probiotic alters infant gut microbiome functional capacity but not composition: sub-sample analysis from a RCT: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30574802/

The Prevalence of Autoimmune Disorders in Women: A Narrative Review: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7292717/

Fermented-food diet increases microbiome diversity, decreases inflammatory proteins, study finds: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/07/fermented-food-diet-increases-microbiome-diversity-lowers-inflammation.html

New research presented at ECCO Congress on low emulsifier diet and Crohn's disease: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/new-research-presented-at-ecco-congress-on-low-emulsifier-diet-and-crohns-disease

The therapeutic efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB‐12® in infant colic: A randomised, double blind, placebo‐controlled trial: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6973258/

Chrononutrition and Gut Health: Exploring the Relationship Between Meal Timing and the Gut Microbiome: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-025-00670-z

Note: In this show, we use “women” as shorthand for people with XX chromosomes. We understand sex and gender are more complex, and acknowledge the experiences we describe reach beyond that word.

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