Introduction 1 Part 1: Understanding Why Gut Health Is Important 7 Chapter 1: No Healthy Gut, No Health Glory 9 Chapter 2: Grasping How the Digestive System Works 19 Chapter 3: Getting to Know Your Gut's Ecosystem of Microbes 33 Chapter 4: Discovering What Influences Gut Health 55 Chapter 5: Connecting the Dots from Gut Health to Overall Health 73 Part 2: Restoring Your Gut Health 99 Chapter 6: Demystifying Digestive Symptoms 101 Chapter 7: Understanding Digestive Diagnoses 115 Chapter 8: Empowering Yourself without a Diagnosis 135 Chapter 9: Navigating Life with Digestive Symptoms 145 Part 3: Optimizing Your Gut Health 159 Chapter 10: Eating for Good Gut Health 161 Chapter 11: Adjusting Your Lifestyle For Long-Term Gut Health 201 Chapter 12: Becoming Savvy with Gut Health Science 219 Part 4: Nourishing Yourself and Your Gut 231 Chapter 13: Nourishing Soups & Salads 233 Chapter 14: Gut-Friendly Main Courses 245 Chapter 15: Sustaining Sides & Snacks 257 Chapter 16: Digestive-Friendly Desserts 269 Part 5: Supporting Health through the Gut at Times in Life 281 Chapter 17: Paying Attention to Gut Health in Pregnancy, Birth, and Infancy 283 Chapter 18: Fostering Good Gut Health in Children and Teens 303 Chapter 19: Maintaining Gut Health in Older Age 317 Part 6: The Part of Tens 325 Chapter 20: Ten Foods for Better Gut Health 327 Chapter 21: Ten Myths about Gut Health Debunked 337 Index 347.