Your Gut Microbiome - The Hidden Key to Heart Health
- Deena Jane Kelaita
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Have You Ever Heard the Saying, “Go With Your Gut”?
Science now confirms it’s more than intuition. Your gut health is deeply connected to your heart health and overall longevity.
Recent studies published in Nature Medicine and Nature Microbiology reveal that the trillions of microbes in your gut— collectively known as the gut microbiome — profoundly influence cardiometabolic health, including blood sugar, cholesterol, inflammation, and even lifespan (Vallés-Colomer et al., 2023; Segata et al., 2025).
Your gut truly holds the key to your heart.
💓 The Gut–Heart Connection: How It Works
Your gut is home to a vibrant ecosystem of microbes that communicate directly with your cardiovascular system through chemical signals and metabolites.
When this ecosystem is balanced, it produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate - powerful anti-inflammatory molecules that:
Support healthy blood pressure
Regulate glucose metabolism
Reduce systemic inflammation
But when the balance shifts due to stress, processed foods, alcohol, or low-fibre diets, harmful bacteria begin to dominate.
Species such as Ruminococcus torques, Bilophila wadsworthia, and Alistipes putredinis, often linked with animal-based diets are associated with higher cholesterol, chronic inflammation, and cardiovascular risk (Segata et al., 2025).
In contrast, beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Eubacterium rectale thrive on fibre-rich, plant-based diets, supporting lower inflammation and better heart function (Vallés-Colomer et al., 2023).
🥦 Eat to Feed Your Gut, Nourish Your Heart Health
Your diet is the most powerful tool you have to shape your microbiome and in turn, your heart health. In essence:👉 You are what your microbes eat.
Let’s explore how to build a gut-friendly diet that supports your heart.
1. Boost Microbial Diversity
A diverse gut equals a resilient heart. Aim for 30+ plant-based foods weekly- vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Simple strategies:
Eat the rainbow: Colourful foods contain diverse fibres and phytonutrients.
Include fermented foods: Add sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and miso for natural probiotics.
Sip polyphenols: Green tea, black coffee, and pomegranate juice feed beneficial bacteria and improve endothelial health.
2. Feed the Butyrate Builders
Butyrate-producing bacteria are your body’s natural anti-inflammatory defenders.
To feed them:
Eat prebiotic-rich vegetables like leeks, onions, garlic, and asparagus.
Add resistant starches - cooled potatoes, green bananas, and oats.
Sprinkle flaxseeds, chia, or psyllium husk into smoothies to promote SCFA production.
3. Cut Back on the Inflammatory Feed
Reduce foods that fuel pro-inflammatory bacteria.
Avoid or limit:
Processed and grain fed red meats that feed Bilophila and Alistipes species.
Refined carbs and seed oils that trigger inflammation.
Instead, nourish your heart with:
Extra virgin olive oil, avocados, and wild fatty fish — rich in omega-3s and antioxidants.
Your microbes (and arteries) will thank you.
Beyond Heart Health: Why Gut Health Matters for Whole-Body Balance
A balanced gut microbiome doesn’t just benefit your heart — it supports your entire body.
System | Microbiome Benefits |
Cardio-metabolic | Balances cholesterol, blood sugar & inflammation |
Brain & Mood | Enhances serotonin & GABA production |
Immune System | Boosts resilience & reduces infection risk |
Hormones | Aids oestrogen detoxification & thyroid health for both men and women |
When your gut thrives, every system in your body functions better - from your heart rhythm to your mood stability.
Discover Your Microbiome: Personalised Nutrition for a Healthy Heart
Your gut microbiome is as unique as your fingerprint, and understanding it can revolutionize your health.
Through microbiome testing, you can:
✅ Identify your dominant gut species
✅ Discover inflammatory patterns
✅ Get personalised dietary recommendations to improve heart and metabolic health
💡 Special Offer:Until 31 October, enjoy 10% off all Co-Biome Gut Microbiome tests which utilise the latest Metagenomic testing of the gut microbiome which is the current "gold standard" for testing the microbiome.
Use the PROMO CODE: GUTHEALTH10 when purchasing your MetaXplore GI Test
Each report includes:
A full microbial species breakdown
Functional gut health markers
contact me for an upgraded test for additional parasites and pathogens (also 10% off).
Your Challenge: Eat for Your Microbes
This week, make it your mission to feed your beneficial bacteria.
Every time you choose a fresh, colourful, whole food, you’re fueling the trillions of microbes working quietly to:
💚 Lower inflammation
💚 Support heart rhythm
💚 Extend vitality
And if you’re ready to take your wellbeing to the next level — test your microbiome and start your journey toward a healthier heart from the inside out.
Because your heart doesn’t just beat for you — it beats for your microbes, too.
Health and love
Deena
References
Vallés-Colomer, M., Menni, C., Berry, S. E., Valdés, A. M., Spector, T. D., Segata, N., et al. (2023). Cardiometabolic health, diet and the gut microbiome: a meta-omics perspective. Nature Medicine, 29(3), 551–561.
Segata, N. et al. (2025). Gut microbiome species indicative of cardiometabolic health are modulated by diet in large and interventional cohorts of over 34,000 individuals. Nature Microbiology.
The BMJ (2023). Diet, microbiome and cardiometabolic disease: evidence from intervention and cohort studies.
Use the PROMO CODE: GUTHEALTH10 when purchasing your MetaXplore GI Microbiome Test (can upgrade to investigate extra parasites and pathogens)
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