Welcome to The Melanin & Microbiome Digest!

Hello there!

Welcome back to another edition of The Melanin & Microbiome Digest™, where we center gut health, wellness, and empowerment — especially for Black women.

Today's edition of the Melanin & Microbiome Digest is a little different.

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month.

And this one...it's personal.

On August 14th, 2018, my 39th birthday, my world came crashing down. It was the day I lost the greatest love of my life to colon cancer; my mother, Jessie.

My mom was the strongest woman I knew. She spent her life caring for people as a Registered Nurse.

And when she finished caring for people professionally, she, like so many Black women, spent much of her personal life caring for everyone else but herself.

And for as long as I can remember, decades before her colon cancer diagnosis, I can remember mama writhing in pain, arms over her stomach any time she was under stress.

What I didn’t know then is something many families don’t realize until it’s too late: the gut often sends signals long before a serious diagnosis appears. Pain. Inflammation. Changes in digestion.

These are sometimes dismissed as stress or minor stomach issues. But the gut is far more powerful than we often realize.

The truth is, the gut is far more than a place where food is digested. Inside the digestive system lives the gut microbiome — trillions of bacteria that influence digestion, support the immune system, regulate inflammation, and even communicate with the brain.

These microbes interact with many of the body’s most important systems, shaping how we process nutrients, respond to stress, and protect ourselves from disease.

Because of this wide-reaching influence, I often describe the gut as the command center of whole-body wellness. And for Black women in particular, understanding this connection can be life-changing

Gut Health Insight: The Gut, the Colon, and What Happens Over Time

If the gut is the command center of whole-body wellness, then the colon is one of the most important places where that reality shows up.

The colon, also known as the large intestines, does more than simply move waste out of your body. It plays a key role in absorbing water, processing what remains after digestion, and most importantly, serves as home to a large portion of the microbes that make up your gut microbiome.

And that matters because the gut microbiome helps shape the environment of the colon.

When the microbiome is diverse, well-nourished, and balanced, it helps support the lining of the colon and promotes regular, healthy digestion.

But when that balance is disrupted, it can lead to inflammation, irritation, and dysfunction.

This imbalance is often called gut dysbiosis.

Gut dysbiosis does not mean that one meal or one stressful week causes disease.

It develops through consistent patterns such as chronic stress, low fiber intake, and highly processed foods. Over time, these patterns can contribute to chronic inflammation and create an internal environment that makes the colon, and the gut as a whole, more vulnerable to disease and dysfunction.

Colon cancer often develops slowly, sometimes over the course of years, which is one reason colon health deserves more attention than it ofen gets.

Why This Matters to Black Women

When we talk about colon cancer, we have to talk about who is most impacted.

In the United States, Black Americans have the highest rates of colorectal cancer diagnosis and death compared to other racial and ethnic groups. For Black women, this is a conversation that is too often delayed or overlooked.

There are many reasons for this.

Some are systemic. Differences in access to care, delays in screening, and gaps in preventative health education.

Some are environmental. Issues like disparity in food access, chrnoic stress, and community health resources.

Some are historical. The legacy of slavery, displacement, and limited access to tradional plant-rich diets has shaped patterns of health and nutrition in ways that still impact Black communities today

Many Black women have been taught to be strong, to push through discomfort, and to prioritize the needs of others before their own.

In that environment, symptoms like fatigue, digestive changes, or ongoing discomfort can be minimized or explained away.

But our bodies are not meant to be ignored. And our pain is not something we are meant to carry silently.

Colon cancer is often highly treatable when detected early. But early detection requires awareness, attention, and action.

For Black women, prioritizing gut health is not just a wellness practice.

It is a form of self-preservation.

It is a form of advocacy.

And it is a step toward changing outcomes for ourselves and for the generations that come after us.

So what can we do to support our gut and protect our colon?

The Breakdown: Supporting your Gut, Protecting your Colon

So what can you do to support your gut and help protect your colon?

First of all, get rid of any notion that you must do this perfectly. Cosnsistent action is the key. Not perfection.

Small, but mighty, daily choices can help create an internal environment that is more supportive, more balanced, and more protective over time.

Here are a few foundational ways to begin:

Fiber, Fiber, Fiber!

Prioritize Fiber Daily! Fiber is one of the most important nutrients for colon health. It helps support regular digestion, feeds beneficial gut bacteria, and plays a role in reducing inflammation. Focus on incorporating foods such as:

• Beans and Lentils
• Oats & Whole Grains
• Leafy Greens
• Fruits like apples & berries
• Seeds such as flax or chia

Nourish your Gut Microbiome

A diverse microbiome is a resilient microbiome. You can support it by regularly including:

• Plant-based foods-Taste the Rainbow!
• Fermented foods such as kimichi, sauerkraut, or yogurt or yogurt altenatives if plant-based/vegan
• Prebiotic-rich foods (feeds your microbes) like onions, garlic, & asparagus

Reduce & Regulate Chronic Stress

Chronic stress does not just affect how you feel. It directly impacts the gut.

The gut and the brain are constantly communicating through what is called as the gut-brain axis. When stress becomes chronic, it can disrupt digestion, alter the balance of gut bacteria, and increase inflammation in the body.

Over time, this can affect the overall environment of the gut, including the colon.

Supporting your gut also means supporting your nervous system.

This may look like:

• Creating intentional moments of rest throughout your day
• Following a night-time routine for sleep
• Engaging in movment like yoga, stretching, or walking
• Incorporating calming practices like deep breathing or quiet reflection

Even small moments of regulation can make a meaningful difference over time.

Reduce Chronic Inflammation

Chronic inflammation can quietly impact the gut over time.

Support your body by:

• Limiting highly processed foods
• Reducing added sugars where possible
• Prioritizing whole, nutrient-dense meals

Pay Attention to your Body's Signals

Changes in digestion, ongoing discomfort, or persistent pain is worth paying attention to.

Do not normalize what feels off. Do not ignore what persists.

Your body communicates. Listening is part of protecting your health.

Stay up to Date on Screenings

Colon cancer is often highly treatable when detected early. Talk to your healthcare provider about:

• When you should begin your screening
• What type of screening is right for you
• Your personnal and family history

Based on my family history, my doctor recommended that I begin colon cancer screening just before the age of 40.

A Gentle Reminder...

A gentle reminder...you do not have to do everything at once. Make one small change. Then build from there.

Because protecting your gut and your colon is not about perfection. It's about consistency and intention.

Flavor & Flora: Sweet Potato Pie Chia Bake

(Inspired by My Mom’s Sweet Potato Pie)

Sweet potato pie was one of my mother’s favorites. Like many traditional recipes, the version I grew up with was rich, sweet, and reserved for holidays and celebrations.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying those foods on special occasions. But in the spirit of gut-centered wellness, I wanted to explore a version that keeps the warmth and flavor of sweet potato pie while incorporating ingredients that better support the gut microbiome.

This version keeps the soul of the dish while making a few intentional swaps, transforming a traditional dessert into something that can support the gut in a more everyday way.

This is not a traditional sweet potato pie. It is a gut-loving reinterpretation inspired by it.

Ingredients

Base

• 2 cups roasted sweet potato (mashed)
• ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3 soft Medjool dates (blended into a paste)
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1–2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt

Optional toppings

• Crushed pecans
• Unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a blender or bowl, combine the sweet potato, almond milk, date paste, almond butter, and spices until smooth.
3. Stir in chia seeds, flaxseed, and oats.
4. Pour mixture into a lightly greased baking dish.
5. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the mixture is set but still soft in the center.
6. Allow to cool before serving.

Notes:

Why This Supports Gut Health

• Sweet potatoes provide fiber and polyphenols that nourish beneficial gut bacteria
• Chia and flax seeds add prebiotic fiber to support digestion and regularity
• Dates offer natural sweetness along with fiber and minerals
• Oats support microbiome diversity and more stable blood sugar

When you make this allow the bake to cool fully before serving as it will continue to firm up from the chia and flax. The final texture will be soft and custard-like, similar to a sliceable bake rather than a traditional firm pie.

Flavor & Flora Reflection

Sweet potato pie will always remind me of my mother. This version is my way of carrying those flavors forward while caring for my body in a different way.

Sometimes honoring tradition means preserving the feeling of a dish while nourishing ourselves more intentionally.

Follow Melanin & Microbiome® on social media to see this recipe come to life. I’ll be sharing a video soon as I make this in my own kitchen.

Original recipe created for Melanin & Microbiome®, inspired by traditional sweet potato pie.

Gut-Loving Tip of the Week

Don't ignore what feels off.

If you have been experiencing ongoing digestive changes, discomfort, or pain, make a note of it this upcoming week. Patterns matter. Your body often communicates before something more serious develops.

Wellness Reflection

Take a moment over the next week to pause and reflect on your relationship with your body.

So many Black women have been taught to keep going, to be dutiful members of what I call The Strong Black Woman League™. To care for others, show up for others, and to prioritize ourselves last.

As I reflect on my mother, I think about the moments when her gut may have been trying to speak and how easy it is to miss those signals when life is moving quickly.

This week, give yourself permission to slow down and listen.

Sometimes, listening is one of the most powerful forms of care we can give ourselves.

Coming Up Next in the Digest...

This conversation about colon health is just one part of a much larger picture.

In the next issue, we’ll return to the idea of the gut as the Command Center of Whole-Body Wellness and take a deeper look at how far its influence really extends.

We’ll explore how the gut communicates with other systems across the body, including the brain, hormones, and immune system, and why those connections matter for your overall health.

Because once you begin to understand how the gut is connected to everything, you start to see your health in a completely different way.

Let's Stay Connected!

I would love to hear from you! This newsletter belongs to you. What topics would you like to see discussed in future issues?

Additionally, you can follow Melanin & Microbiome® across its social media channels. LinkTree button below!

Until Next Time...

This issue is deeply personal to me.

It is rooted in love, in loss, and a desire to share what I wish I knew sooner.

My mother's story is the reason why I do this work. It is my hope that through conversations like this, more of us begin to listen to our bodies, ask questions, and take action earlier.

Because awareness matters.

Prevention matters.

And our health matters.

As always, I am honored to be on this journey with you.

​​Coach Anisa L. Jordan, Esq.​
Founder, Melanin & Microbiome® & The Melanin & Microbiome Digest™

Because a Healthy Gut is a Whole Vibe™

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The Melanin & Microbiome Digest™ is a publication of VibeWell Ventures LLC/Melanin & Microbiome®