Harnessing the body’s natural ability to change: empowering your health journey

Gut microbiome plasticity

 Our gut microbiomes are hugely adaptable, in fact the composition of the microbiome can change a little after every meal. Diet is one of the greatest modifiers of the  gut, and we know that fibre from our plant-based foods is the key to creating a diverse and resilient inner ecosystem in our gut microbiome.  

We know fibre is the fuel for a diverse ecosystem, however for many, jumping from a lower fibre diet to a high fibre diet can cause digestive discomfort. We are now understanding that by harnessing the adaptability of the gut, we can train our microbes to develop the enzymes to break down foods like lactose, or legumes. Think of this process as “gut training”. 

For example, our recent article on lactose intolerance highlighted it is possible to train the gut to tolerate lactose – especially fermented dairy products like Kefir.  

We really commonly hear that legumes (lentils, beans and chickpeas) cause a lot of gas and discomfort, however we know these are key players not only in our gut health, but have wider benefits such as keeping our blood sugars in range at the next meal. 

It is also possible to train the gut to tolerate legumes, even on a low FODMAP diet (a medical diet used to relieve digestive discomfort in those with IBS) for example it is possible to still have ¼ cup of chickpeas or lentils each day. To train your gut to tolerate legumes you can start by triple rinsing a can of legumes (chickpeas/beans) and start by introducing ½ – 1 tbsp per person, each day, into the diet. By repeating this small amount, but often, it trains the gut to tolerate this better. Over the weeks you can increase this by 1tbsp increments.  

By working with small portions of plant-based foods and having these frequently, the gut microbiome adapts to better tolerate diversity. 

Remember – the original study of 10,000 American adults which led to the discovery of gut microbes thriving with plant diversity (30 plants per week) found that adults eating 30 different plants a week have more gut diversity than those who have the same 10 on repeat. This evidence shows that we don’t need to have large portions of fibrous foods to get the benefit, the key is in having smaller portions, more often of a range of plant-based foods to train the gut to tolerate more diversity.

Gut microbiome plasticity – the evidence: 

A recent high-quality, multicentre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial titled “Prebiotics improve frailty status in community-dwelling older individuals” provides compelling evidence of the gut’s capacity for adaptation,even in older age. The study recruited 200 older adults (>/65yo), 100 classified as prefrail and 100 as frail, who were randomly assigned to receive either a prebiotic mixture or a placebo for 12 weeks before crossing over to the opposite treatment. This design is particularly robust because both participants and researchers were blinded to which intervention was being administered, reducing bias, while the crossover format meant that each participant served as their own control. Together, these features allowed researchers to confidently attribute observed improvements in frailty status and metabolic function to the prebiotic intervention itself rather than to individual variation or placebo effects. The prebiotic contained a mixture of inulin and oligofructose and the individuals taking the placebo received maltodextrin, all taken after breakfast. 

Remarkably, supplementation with a prebiotic mixture for 12 weeks led to measurable improvements in the frailty status of the older adults compared with placebo! Participants showed enhanced muscle strength, walking speed, and grip, as well as reductions in fatigue and constipation. Even more importantly, no GI symptom side effects were reported, except for an improvement in constipation!

Mechanistically, these benefits were linked to the prebiotic action on the gut microbiome and favourable shifts in gut microbial composition and metabolism. The intervention increased beneficial Firmicutes species (such as Lactobacillus and Ruminococcus) and supported the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), metabolites produced but our gut microbes that are known to reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, and maintain muscle metabolism. Conversely, frailty was associated with reduced microbial diversity and enrichment of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, both linked with systemic inflammation and metabolic decline. 

Nervous system resiliency

Our nervous system plays a central role in our mood, digestion, and overall wellbeing. Inside our bodies, the gut and brain communicate via the central and enteric nervous systems and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In everyday language, we talk about the nervous system in the different states of fight or flight, freeze, fawn, or rest and digest. In essence, it acts as the communicator between the brain and the body, constantly scanning our environment for cues of safety or threat, which influences the ways we behave. 

When we live with ongoing gut symptoms, the gut-brain communication pathway can become dysregulated, spending more time in threat than safety. A common example I hear in clinic is the experience of needing the toilet urgently while on public transport. Even if this doesn’t lead to an accident, the brain begins to associate buses or trains with “danger,” activating a stress response. Over time, even thinking about public transport can trigger urgency – not because the gut is malfunctioning, but because the brain and body have learned to link that situation with threat. In clinic, we talk about this in the context of the biopsychosocial model of care meaning our biology, psychology and environment are all at play in our symptoms. 

Dr Sula Windgassen discusses this in the context of our ‘psychobiological loops’, the ongoing feedback between body sensations, emotions, and thoughts which can reinforce symptoms long after the initial trigger has passed. While the original cause (such as a stomach bug, or stressful period of time) might have resolved, the body’s learned patterns of protection can continue, keeping the nervous system in a state of hypervigilance.

Recent research into interoception, our brain’s ability to sense and interpret internal bodily signals, adds another layer of understanding to this. A 2025 systematic review found that people living with chronic pain show a mismatch between awareness and accuracy: they are more attuned to internal sensations (known as interoceptive sensibility), yet less accurate in interpreting what those sensations mean (interoceptive accuracy). This pattern suggests that when the nervous system becomes sensitised, the brain can start to misclassify neutral or harmless body sensations as signs of danger.This same mechanism helps explain why gut symptoms, pain, or anxiety can persist even after the original trigger has resolved. The brain-body communication loop becomes overly protective, creating what researchers describe as psychobiological loops.

Encouragingly, this also means that these patterns are reversible. Interventions that improve interoceptive accuracy, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), body awareness training, and slow, paced breathing, have been shown to strengthen the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, key regions involved in interpreting bodily signals. Over time, these practices help the brain relearn how to distinguish true threat from everyday bodily fluctuations, restoring a sense of safety, control, and connection with the body.

It’s important to acknowledge that the conversation around “nervous system regulation” is becomingly increasingly popular, and much like gut health is sometimes oversimplified. Regulation isn’t about forcing yourself to stay calm or living permanently in “rest and digest.”, we need both the sympathetic (fight/flight) and parasympathetic (rest/digest) branches of the autonomic nervous system. Resiliency of the nervous system is about flexibility to be able to shift between states as needed and return to balance afterwards.

The encouraging news is that nervous system plasticity,  the ability of neural circuits to adapt and change, means we can retrain the body’s threat response back towards safety. Techniques such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), breathing exercises, gentle movement, creative activities, and time in nature have all been shown to widen the window of tolerance and strengthen nervous system resiliency. These practices help the brain re-learn safety, update old associations, and reduce the intensity of automatic stress reactions.

The tastebuds – chemosensory plasticity

This type of plasticity refers to how our taste system can adapt to changes in our diet.

A common challenge when increasing plant diversity in the diet is simply not liking the taste of these foods, or perhaps your family don’t like it. Taste is shaped not only by genetics and age, but also by health, habits, and even context. You may have noticed that food can taste different when eaten at home versus at work, or that it’s more enjoyable in the company of loved ones.

Our tongues contain around 2,000-4,000 taste buds, and each taste bud holds 50-150 receptor cells that detect flavour and send information to the brain. These cells are remarkably dynamic, they have a lifespan of just 7-30 days, with taste buds regenerating roughly every 10-14 days. This means our sense of taste is constantly renewing and capable of change.

While some taste preferences (like a natural liking for sweetness or aversion to bitterness) are partly genetic (an evolutionary survival mechanism linking taste to nutrient content or potential toxins) others are learned. The oral microbiome also plays a role, influencing how we perceive taste and how our preferences evolve through both nature (genetics) and nurture (diet and experience).

Adaptation of taste is well understood with salt: eating a high-salt diet desensitises taste receptors, meaning you need more salt to achieve the same flavour. However, studies show that by gradually reducing salt intake, taste buds regain sensitivity, and food tastes adequately salty again with much less salt!

Emerging research in chemosensory plasticity extends this concept beyond salt. Diets high in sugar and fat can dull taste receptor sensitivity and alter the brain’s flavour-processing pathways, shifting what we perceive as palatable. Conversely, transitioning to a whole-food, fibre-rich diet can recalibrate taste perception by adjusting receptor sensitivity and neural signalling. Over time, this makes the natural flavours of vegetables, grains, and legumes more appealing; demonstrating that our taste system, like the brain and gut, is plastic and adaptable.

As exposure increases, taste buds begin to “unlearn” the pull toward overly processed foods and rediscover the satisfaction of whole, plant-rich flavours. You can support this transition by focusing on flavour, think roasted vegetables with herbs and spices instead of plain steamed ones. Our recipes page is full of ways to help you make plants taste as good as they can make you feel.