Tuesday, March 26, 2024

How To Change Your Microbiome

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Cultured Vegetables And Its Many Wonders

Eat These Foods to Change Your Microbiome

Make a jar of cultured vegetables that can last many, many months perfectly preserved in your fridge. It will have many health benefits and if you don’t have a jar, you can’t reap those benefits so I encourage you to make or buy one and see for yourself all they can do.

Removes Pesticides:The process of fermentation removes pesticides from the vegetables with thespecial bacteria L. plantarum.Not only does it help remove pesticides and chemicals from the veggies, but it removes them from inside of you, too. Its exciting that microbes can help us by removing pesticides from our vegetables. Its often a hardship for people to always buy organic, but the healthy bacteria L. plantarum can remedy this. L. plantarum bacterial strains studied from fermented vegetables in kimchi were found to be capable of degrading four different organophosphorus insecticides by using them as a source of carbon and phosphorous.

Adds Vitamins And Minerals: When you culture or ferment your cabbage into sauerkraut, the vitamin C and antioxidant levels go through the roof. Researchers at Cornell University tested levels of antioxidants and vitamin C in sauerkraut. They found the average level of vitamin C in raw cabbage was 57 mg per cup but when fermented, the level was close 700 mg! Vitamin C is also an antioxidant and it protects the body against stress and helps boost the immune system.

The Secret World Of Your Microbiome

Youre probably familiar with ecosystems like oceans and rainforests, but have you ever pictured your gastrointestinal tract as a complex ecosystem of its own? Your gut is home to trillions of microbesso many that over half of the cells in your gut arent human! This complex ecosystem is known as the microbiome and includes bacteria, yeasts and viruses.

The microbes in our gut help digest the food we eat and ensure that nutrients are absorbed and processed. Beyond digestion, our microbiome is involved in many other crucial processes related to metabolism, body weight and immune regulation, as well as brain function and mood.

Over the last two decades, research in this field has exploded. Read on to find out more about the secret world of your microbiome, how scientists think gut health and mental health are linked, and what to eat when youre suffering from gut distress.

The Role Of Probiotics

If microbiota are so vital to our health, how can we ensure that we have enough or the right types? You may be familiar with probiotics or perhaps already using them. These are either foods that naturally contain microbiota, or supplement pills that contain live active bacteriaadvertised to promote digestive health. Probiotic supplement sales exceeded $35 billion in 2015, with a projected increase to $65 billion by 2024. Whether you believe the health claims or think they are yet another snake oil scam, they make up a multi-billion dollar industry that is evolving in tandem with quickly emerging research.

Because probiotics fall under the category of supplements and not food, they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. This means that unless the supplement company voluntarily discloses information on quality, such as carrying the USP seal that provides standards for quality and purity, a probiotic pill may not contain the amounts listed on the label or even guarantee that the bacteria are alive and active at the time of use.

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Take A Prebiotic Or Probiotic

Adding a prebiotic or probiotic supplement to your diet may be a great way to improve your gut health. Prebiotics provide food meant to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, while probiotics are live good bacteria. People with bacterial overgrowth, such as SIBO, should not take probiotics. Not all probiotic supplements are high quality or will actually provide benefit. Its best to consult your healthcare provider when choosing a probiotic or prebiotic supplement to ensure the best health benefit.

Show now for a probiotic or prebiotic supplement.

Remove Stress For Microbiome Success

What is the gut microbiome?

The root of many diseases in todays high-paced society lies within the fact that chronic stress is more prevalent now than ever before. Finances, work, family disputes, and school are all some of the most common contributors to chronic stress due to the inability for most people to find ways to cope with stressful situations. Many people are unaware of the danger they are putting their bodies in by allowing themselves to become chronically stressed. Stress directly affects the health of the microbiome which consequently affects many vital metabolic processes used for protecting, rebuilding, and energizing your body. Because stress leads to an increase in gut permeability, the healthy bacteria in your gut could flow out into the bloodstream to be attacked by the immune system. Stress also causes the intestines to produce less of the mucosal lining for these commensal bacteria to reside in preventing them from having a place to attach, grow, and reproduce . This can be extremely disruptive to the balance of the microbiome leading to many of the systemic diseases listed previously. There are some powerful techniques that can be utilized to help you manage your stress some of which have been practiced for centuries. Some of the most powerful relaxation and mental reconstruction techniques include:

  • Meditation
  • Positive Affirmations
  • Breathe
  • Make Time For Hobbies You Enjoy

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Healthy And Unhealthy Foods

More broadly, we discovered correlations between wider food groups and clusters of “good” and “bad” microbes.

We already know that eating a diet rich in a range of plants is known to be good for your microbiome diversity. So itâs no surprise that we found a strong association between eating a diet rich in minimally processed plant-based foods and having more of these “good” gut bugs.

Conversely, people whose diets contained more unhealthy animal products tended to have more “bad” microbes.

However, itâs too simplistic to say that all plant-based foods are âhealthyâ and all animal ones are âunhealthyâ.

Highly processed plant-based foods were associated with “bad” microbes. More healthy animal-based products were linked to “good” bugs.

Why does this matter? This emphasizes the importance of overall food quality and processingânot all foods are created equal after all.

Cut Out Sugar And Processed Foods

Findings from a new study at Oregon State University found that a diet high in sugar caused changes in the gut bacteria of mice, impairing the mices ability to adjust to changing situations, called “cognitive flexibility.” The change in gut bacteria also negatively affected the mice’s long-term and short-term memory.

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Exercise & Proper Nutrition

Even though our bodies havent evolved to defend against human-made EMF naturally, were resilient to its effects to some degree. Our in-built healing system is extremely good at repairing the damages that prolonged EMF exposure causes. It only becomes a problem when we expose ourselves to massive EMF for so long that it overwhelms our healing system.

Studies have found that when you exercise regularly and consume proper nutrition, your resistance to EMF-induced health problems increases significantly.

Building biologist and EMF expert Cathy Cooke wrote this amazing article explaining what nutrients you should add to your diet to increase your resilience to EMF. So, give it a read.

Research Suggests That We All Have A Unique Combination Of Gut Microbes

Can I change my microbiome?

This means that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to improving gut health. Even so, there are several simple, actionable things that you can try today that your gut bugs will thank you for!

We sat down with Professor Tim Spector, one of the world’s leading gut microbiome researchers and a co-founder of ZOE, to discover his top 5 top gut health tips that anyone can use to start the journey towards a healthier gut today.

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Research On The Link Between Emf Exposure & E Coli Growth

In 2017, a group of Iranian researchers confirmed EMFs growth effect on E. coli by exposing it to EMF from cell phones and WiFi routers. This study also contained Listeria monocytogenes, which is a potential pathogen. Their experiment found that these two bacteria showed a significantly faster growth rate after their EMF exposure than control.

And whats worse is that E. coli became more resistant to antibiotics after 6 hours of EMF exposure. If you want to learn more about the link between EMF exposure and bacterias antibiotic resistance, I have a that discusses it in-depth.

So, you see how important it is to have a proper balance in your microbiome?

The EMF in our surroundings heavily disturbs this balance, leading to adverse health problems. Lets look at some more examples.

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If You Can Breastfeed For At Least 6 Months

A babys microbiome begins to properly develop at birth. However, studies suggest that babies may be exposed to some bacteria even before birth .

During the first 2 years of life, an infants microbiome is continuously developing and is rich in beneficial Bifidobacteria, which can digest the sugars found in breast milk .

Many studies have shown that infants who are fed formula have an altered microbiome with fewer Bifidobacteria than infants who are breastfed (

38 ).

A number of studies have shown that vegetarian diets may benefit the gut microbiome, which may be due to their high fiber content.

For example, one small 2013 study found that a vegetarian diet led to reduced levels of disease-causing bacteria in people with obesity, as well as reductions in body weight, inflammation, and cholesterol levels .

A 2019 review noted that plant foods are rich in specific nutrients that can increase levels of beneficial bacteria and decrease harmful strains of bacteria to support gut health .

However, it is unclear if the benefits of a vegetarian diet on the gut microbiome are due to a lack of meat intake or if other factors may also play a role.

Summary

Vegetarian and vegan diets may improve the microbiome. However, it is unclear if the positive effects associated with these diets can be attributed to a lack of meat intake or if other factors may be involved.

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How To Restore Healthy Gut Flora

Probiotics can support a healthy microbiome. These foods and supplements contain live bacteria that can benefit our health.

The bacteria in your gut make up a very important ecosystem, and if this becomes upset, it can lead to abnormalities in its composition and diversity. There are many things in life which can have negative consequences on your gut bacteria and intestinal health.

Studies have shown that probiotics can help to restore gut bacteria to healthy levels which protects us from inflammation. Live fermented foods are great sources of natural probiotics that you can eat and drink. Researchers think these traditional foods may play an important role in human health.

Cabbage and salt

Heres What We Know About Diet And The Microbiome

Video: What
  • Each of us has a unique mix of microbes living in our gut, which play a key role in our health
  • Weâve identified 15 âgoodâ and 15 âbadâ gut microbes linked to health and specific nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns
  • Food quality is as important as the food source
  • Your gut microbiome can change rapidly when you alter what you eat – but there is no âone-size-fits-allâ microbiome diet
  • Knowing how best to boost your microbiome starts with understanding whatâs living in your gut
  • The ZOE Program enables you to discover your unique microbiome and get personalized recommendations for foods to help your âgoodâ bugs thrive

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Ways To Optimize Your Gut Bacteria For Optimal Weight Loss

When it comes to losing weight, most diets focus on calorie reduction and exercise. While eating less and exercising more will usually result in weight-loss, Dr. Kellman says that if you get your microbiome healthy, you will lose weight. Its all about correcting the overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria, which is making you crave the wrong foods and triggering inflammation. This makes sense because when you change your gut bacteria, you change how your body produces and metabolizes energy.

This also explains why so many people lose weight only to gain it right back because the bad bacteria are still present in your gut. The bad bacteria remember when you were fat, and they want to continue to live, so they trigger cravings for the foods that feed them.

In addition to the steps I outline above, here are 15 more ways to set up your gut for weight loss:

  • Sweat every day. Your gut bacteria operate best when you exercise regularly. Thats because regular exercise promotes biodiversity of your gut flora. Research shows that exercise actually increases the good bacteria in your gut!
  • Get dirty. While being clean is fine, overly sterile environments dont promote biodiversity of your gut bacteria. Go ahead and get dirty. And, skip the hand sanitizer.
  • Find time to de-stress. Research shows that prolonged periods of stress canimpair your gut bacteria and make you susceptible to infection.
  • The Contest Within The Microbiome

    Commensal bacteria are able to be maintained in the body without being attacked by the immune system due to the protective layer of mucus that lines various organs in which they reside. When pathogens enter into the same environment as your good bacteria, they have to compete for who will get to remain in the safety of the mucus lining and who will get thrown out to be destroyed by the immune system. If there is already a great amount of commensal bacteria covering the lining of your intestines, it will be hard for the pathogenic bacteria to find a place to attach in order to keep from being swept away into the deadly abyss of the immune system. Commensal bacteria can also take matters into their own hands by releasing bacteriocins to destroy pathogenic bacteria that are in the same species preventing the pathogens from having the chance to colonize. Conversely, if there is not a well-established population of commensal bacteria within your body, the pathogenic bacteria are able to find places to attach, grow, and multiply, leading to infection. Inflammation is a common immune response used by your body to fight the infection that is caused by the overgrowth of these pathogens. If there is a chronic overgrowth of pathogens, the immune system is going to be continuously working to destroy the pathogens.

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    Lower Your Stress Levels

    Chronic high levels of stress are hard on your whole body, including your gut. Some ways to lower stress may include meditation, walking, getting a massage, spending time with friends or family, diffusing essential oils, decreasing caffeine intake, laughing, yoga, or having a pet. Here are 10 ways to reduce feeling stressed.

    What About Prebiotics

    Dietary changes to your microbiome can affect your health

    On the other hand, some experts say that a prebiotic diet, rich in fiber and a variety of foods like fruits and vegetables, can act like a fertilizer of good bacteria, permanently increasing the diversity to keep them in balance.

    Jerusalem artichokes, bananas, oatmeal, honey, maple syrup and legumes are good prebiotics, say experts. Lowering sugar, saturated fat, and alcohol is also helpful, and exercise is important: Research in Australia has shown athletes have a more diverse microbiome.

    âA diet high in prebiotics, including things like onions, whole wheat bran, whole wheat flour, asparagus, and leeks” helps to keep our gut bugs healthy and happy by providing food for them, says the University of Calgaryâs Swain.

    âAlso, it is not as simple as just eating healthy,â Gilbert says. âYou must also consider activity: walking, being outside, interacting with animals and plants, and reducing overall stress in your life with mindfulness training.â

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    When To Sleep: 11 Pm

    Sleep deprivation has been found to alter the bacteria in your gut. Go to bed early at least 30 minutes before you normally do on a weekday for quality sleep.

    But that doesnt mean that adults dont benefit from the fuzzy snuggles, too.

    Get dirty

    Garden. Play outside. Lounge on the grass. Exposure to the natural microbes around us can help replenish our microbiota and encourage diversity.

    Its probably not wise to go around licking subway poles or eating undercooked chicken, but most of us could benefit from a little less cleanliness.

    What To Do Today

    Throw out your antibacterial toothpaste, dental floss, and mouthwash

    Antibacterial chemicals can cause antibacterial-resistant microbes and harm beneficial bacteria in your mouth. A small study found that changes in the bacteria in your mouth can impact how well you absorb nutrients like nitrite which has been shown to lower blood pressure.

    Destress

    reduces beneficial bacteria and increases harmful bacteria in the gut.

    Chronic stress is particularly dangerous because it may increase intestinal permeability and allows the gut microbiota to go where they shouldnt, causing inflammation.

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    What Causes Poor Gut Health

    Your gut microbiome is highly sensitive. It is a living community of bacteria that is constantly changing. Important factors like diet, lifestyle, and stress levels play a major role in the state of your gut and your gut health. There are also many factors that can worsen your gut health, and its important to be aware of them.

    Some of the biggest causes of poor gut health include:

    You may have noticed that a lot of the causes of poor gut health are things that the majority of people do or experience every day. Cigarettes and alcohol are common substances used recreationally, antibiotics are commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals, processed foods are eaten in abundance, stress and poor sleep quality are regular occurrences for many, and a lack of physical exercise is certainly common.

    Along with this trend in lifestyle and dietary habits, there is a dramatic increase in various digestive disorders in the United States and other western countries. Diseases like Irritable Bowel Syndrome , Leaky Gut, Crohns, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth , Candidiasis, and others are on the rise.

    It is so important that we take good care of our gut healthespecially if you follow or have followed any of the things in the list above.

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