From “Lansong Jiangshui” to the Gut-Brain Axis: A Cultural and Scientific Narrative of Gut Microbiota Reconstruction in a Luonan WomanAbstractThis paper presents a case study of a 31-year-old woman from Luonan (referred to as “AJiu”) who experienced severe gut dysbiosis after her marriage, characterized by a 5–6 fold overgrowth ofDesulfovibrio, multiple food intolerances, glucose dysregulation, and exacerbated post-traumatic stress symptoms. Tracing back to her traditional fermented food—“Luonan Jiangshui” (a low-salt, short-term fermented vegetable broth using wheat or rice water as starter)—she discovered that abandoning this ancestral food was the root cause of her microbial collapse. Combining modern nutritional biochemistry, gut-brain axis theory, and the concept of “cultural property,” this paper argues that traditional fermented foods are not mere relics but represent open-source ecosystems tailored by long-term cultural selection. The interruption of such systems can lead to chronic health disturbances that modern isolated interventions may fail to resolve. AJiu’s subsequent re-engagement with an optimized version of Jiangshui illustrates how integrating ancestral wisdom with contemporary scientific understanding offers a viable path for personalized microbiome reconstruction.Keywords: gut-brain axis;Desulfovibrio; traditional fermentation; Jiangshui; cultural property; open-source ecosystem1. Introduction: From “Mysterious Illness” to “Lansong Jiangshui”Three years ago, AJiu began experiencing a constellation of puzzling symptoms: persistent abdominal bloating, acne and closed comedones, abnormal blood glucose fluctuations, and extensive food intolerances (carbohydrates, legumes, dairy, and even red meat). Accompanying these physical symptoms was a marked exacerbation of post-traumatic stress responses, including frequent nightmares. Routine medical examinations revealed no organic pathology. Through a long process of self-inquiry, AJiu shifted her focus from a single-disease model to the interdisciplinary fields of thegut-brain axis,nutritional genomics, andbehavioral physiology. Eventually, a gut microbiota test revealed that the abundance ofDesulfovibrio(a sulfate-reducing bacterium) was 5–6 times above the normal reference range—the key to the puzzle.However, the therapeutic journey was not straightforward. AJiu tried a series of modern nutritional interventions: chelated minerals (molybdenum, copper), activated vitam
From “Lansong Jiangshui” to the Gut-Brain Axis: A Cultural and Scientific Narrative of Gut Microbiot
发布时间：2026/5/25 11:04:48
From “Lansong Jiangshui” to the Gut-Brain Axis: A Cultural and Scientific Narrative of Gut Microbiota Reconstruction in a Luonan WomanAbstractThis paper presents a case study of a 31-year-old woman from Luonan (referred to as “AJiu”) who experienced severe gut dysbiosis after her marriage, characterized by a 5–6 fold overgrowth ofDesulfovibrio, multiple food intolerances, glucose dysregulation, and exacerbated post-traumatic stress symptoms. Tracing back to her traditional fermented food—“Luonan Jiangshui” (a low-salt, short-term fermented vegetable broth using wheat or rice water as starter)—she discovered that abandoning this ancestral food was the root cause of her microbial collapse. Combining modern nutritional biochemistry, gut-brain axis theory, and the concept of “cultural property,” this paper argues that traditional fermented foods are not mere relics but represent open-source ecosystems tailored by long-term cultural selection. The interruption of such systems can lead to chronic health disturbances that modern isolated interventions may fail to resolve. AJiu’s subsequent re-engagement with an optimized version of Jiangshui illustrates how integrating ancestral wisdom with contemporary scientific understanding offers a viable path for personalized microbiome reconstruction.Keywords: gut-brain axis;Desulfovibrio; traditional fermentation; Jiangshui; cultural property; open-source ecosystem1. Introduction: From “Mysterious Illness” to “Lansong Jiangshui”Three years ago, AJiu began experiencing a constellation of puzzling symptoms: persistent abdominal bloating, acne and closed comedones, abnormal blood glucose fluctuations, and extensive food intolerances (carbohydrates, legumes, dairy, and even red meat). Accompanying these physical symptoms was a marked exacerbation of post-traumatic stress responses, including frequent nightmares. Routine medical examinations revealed no organic pathology. Through a long process of self-inquiry, AJiu shifted her focus from a single-disease model to the interdisciplinary fields of thegut-brain axis,nutritional genomics, andbehavioral physiology. Eventually, a gut microbiota test revealed that the abundance ofDesulfovibrio(a sulfate-reducing bacterium) was 5–6 times above the normal reference range—the key to the puzzle.However, the therapeutic journey was not straightforward. AJiu tried a series of modern nutritional interventions: chelated minerals (molybdenum, copper), activated vitam
