Erica Sloan

1 week ago | self.com | Erica Sloan

Fiber has a ton of GI clout—gastroenterologists regularly praise the nutrient for its ability to keep you regular, nourish your microbiome (the community of bacteria in your gut), and even spark other benefits body-wide. Its fellow carbohydrate starch, by contrast, doesn’t have quite the same aura. It usually gets digested more swiftly in your bowel than fiber, breaking down into glucose (a.k.a. sugar) for energy…and offering less GI support. But as it turns out, not all starches are created equal.

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Erica Sloan

Zoryana Ivchenko/Getty ImagesFiber has a ton of GI clout—gastroenterologists regularly praise the nutrient for its ability to keep you regular, nourish your microbiome (the community of bacteria in your gut), and even spark other benefits body-wide. Its fellow carbohydrate starch, by contrast, doesn’t have quite the same aura. It usually gets digested more swiftly in your bowel than fiber, breaking down into glucose (a.k.a. sugar) for energy…and offering less GI support.

2 weeks ago | self.com | Erica Sloan

These days, it’s harder than ever to separate fact from fiction when it comes to gut health. Social media is flooded with #guttok posts touting solutions like goopy chia-seed water and aggressive (and decidedly not recommended) DIY “cleanses,” while the wellness market is teeming with designer probiotics and fancy poop tests promising to optimize your digestion. The result? Tending to your gut can feel like a complicated—and costly—endeavor.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Erica Sloan

MEHAU KULYK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty ImagesThese days, it’s harder than ever to separate fact from fiction when it comes to gut health. Social media is flooded with #guttok posts touting solutions like goopy chia-seed water and aggressive (and decidedly not recommended) DIY “cleanses,” while the wellness market is teeming with designer probiotics and fancy poop tests promising to optimize your digestion. The result? Tending to your gut can feel like a complicated—and costly—endeavor.

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Erica Sloan

2 hours agoLaser-Cut Paper Art Highlights the Stunning Intricacy of Living OrganismsPaper artist Rogan Brown blends his love of art and science to create striking paper sculptures inspired by coral reefs, bacteria, and other complex forms of life.