Microorganisms Rule Our Body
There are trillions of microorganisms in the gut . As humans, we have more bacterial cells than human cells and these bacteria drastically affect our lives on a daily basis.
These crucial gut organisms help us digest food, produce chemicals and substances within the body, control infections by pathogens, regulate the immune system, and even control emotions.
Viome, a company Im about to tell you more about, explains on their website:
Studies consistently link these microorganisms which make up your gut microbiome to many chronic conditions, including diabetes, obesity, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, coronary artery disease, psoriasis, lupus, and even autism.
Basically, if we want to be healthy and happy our gut bacteria needs to be healthy and happy too!
Super Fruits To Improve Gut Health
These super fruits are prebiotic foods for good bacteria in the gut. Add them to your healthy gut diet to restore your intestinal lining, strengthen your gut wall, and combat inflammation.
| Blueberries | |
| Pineapple | Kiwis |
Find out the perfect foods for your gut bacteria with the Atlas Microbiome Test and get personalised weekly recommendations to improve digestive health.
Improve Your Gut Microbiome Today For The 4rs
There are a number of factors that contribute to the health of your gut microbiome, including your environment, the amount of exercise and sleep you get, and of course, stress. But the number one factor that determines what microbes live in your gut is your diet.
In Functional Medicine, there is a very successful protocol called the 4Rs, which stands for Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, and Repair. There are many resources for learning more about the 4 Rs. I like Raphael Kellman, M.D.s book, The Microbiome Diet: The Scientifically Proven Way to Restore Your Gut Health and Achieve Permanent Weight Loss.
The beautiful thing about the 4Rs protocol is that it doesnt have to be followed in order. Once you remove the processed foods and toxins from your diet, you can start doing all of the remaining 3 steps together. Unless you suffer from a serious digestive disorder or other condition, you can follow the 4Rs on your own. Or, find a practitioner who can tailor the protocol to your specific needs.
Here are my suggestions for following the 4Rs and improving your gut microbiome starting today:
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What Sorts Of Foods Compromise Your Microbiome
Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise, co-founders and co-CEOs of organic meal delivery service Sakara Life, built their brand with the intention to deliver whole-food, plant-based options that promote a healthy mind-body connection through the gut. Although Tingle tells us Sakara Life doesn’t believe in vilifying foods per se, anything that doesn’t support the growth of good bacteriaprocessed foods that dehydrate the colon, therefore inviting harmful pathogens and sugar-loving bacteria to thriveshouldn’t make up the majority of your diet. Think alcohol, foods sweetened with artificial sugars, red meat, and saturated fats.
“The incredible thing about our bodies, is that the more you eat for your gut through high quality, diverse array of organic plants, the more your body can handle and acclimate to those days when French fries and dirty martinis are on the menu,” Tingle says. Remember, everything in moderation is key.
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Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Drinking too much may negatively affect your microbiome, too. Repeated alcohol use is linked to gastritis, an irritation of the gut in which it becomes inflamed. Such inflammation can lead to heartburn, chronic discomfort, ulcers and bacterial infections.
Drinking too much is also associated with intestinal inflammation, which is a sign of an unhealthy gut. Research suggests that this kind of inflammation alters the microbiotaincluding how well it worksand can throw it off balance.
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Test And Treat Gut Infections
Testing and treating gut infections is critical for your recovery if you have symptoms of gut dysbiosis. I recommend a GI Map Stool Test to understand your digestive health along with other tests we discussed earlier.
Your results will help to determine the appropriate lifestyle changes and supplementation you need for improved digestive health and gut microbiome balance. For Candida overgrowth, I recommend the Candida Support Pack, for parasite overgrowth, the Parasite Support Pack, and for SIBO, the SIBO Support Pack.
Dysbiosis And Leaky Gut Syndrome
Leaky gut syndrome refers to increased intestinal permeability. Your gut is semi-permeable. Its designed to allow micronutrients to pass through to allow your body to absorb nutrients from food. It is also designed to keep infections, toxins, large food particles, and other harmful invaders out of your bloodstream.;
However, when your intestinal wall gets damaged from inflammatory and processed foods and drinks, infections,; environmental toxins, antibiotic overuse, chlorinated water, and stress, leaky gut syndrome happens. These poor dietary, lifestyle and environmental factors allow the pathogenic species, including harmful bacteria, Candida and other fungi, parasites, and viruses to take over the control and compromise your health. These pathogens eat through your intestinal wall and create large gaps in your gut lining. This is called leaky gut syndrome.;
If you have leaky gut, the tiny junctions on your intestinal wall become larger and large gaps occur. This means that not only micronutrients but also toxins, undigested food particles, and microbes can pass through and escape into your bloodstream. These pathogens, toxins, and other harmful particles then travel through your bloodstream to lodge into your joints, neural tissues, and major organs, including your brain and liver.
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How To Improve Gut Health Naturally
At any given moment, there are trillions of bacteria living in your gut. Known as a microbiome, this culture of microscopic organisms is essential to gut health, playing a role in everything from the digestion of food to the regulation of metabolism. Whats more, research suggests the condition of your microbiome can also impact your mood and your ability to fend of illness.
Although the market is saturated with expensive probiotics that can give your microbiome a boost, it turns out you can actually change your internal ecosystem simply by adapting your lifestyle.
The gut microbiota is very dynamic, so if you start taking up healthy food habits, it will respond and will modify very quicklyeven within 48 hours, says Corinne Maurice, an assistant professor at McGill University, who is also the Canada Research Chair in Gut Microbial Physiology and a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar for Humans and the Microbiome. But to improve gut health in the long-term, you need to stick to those healthy habits, because the benefits can disappear just as quickly. Heres expert advice on how to improve gut health naturally.
Remove Triggers Of Dysbiosis
Whenever possible, it is ideal to remove factors that are destroying healthy bacteria and thus contributing to dysbiosis. While at times antibiotics are necessary they should not be utilized for viral illnesses, for prevention, or carelessly. Identifying the root cause of symptoms may help us to avoid unnecessary medications and their harmful side effects. Choosing organic produce, as well as organic antibiotic-free animal products decreases exposure to harmful herbicides, pesticides, and antibiotics that are regularly given to livestock.
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Asparagus: A Crisp Spring Veggie That Aids Digestion
Rich in prebiotics, these green stalks are as good for you as they are delicious.
Like dandelion greens, asparagus is also rich in inulin. It can help promote regularity and decrease bloating.
Eat your asparagus steamed, sauteed, roasted, or chopped raw in salads. Or enjoy lightly steamed and chopped asparagus over quinoa or rice, or added to a range of dishes.
Gut Health Recipes To Replenish Your Microbiome
The gut health recipes below all contain ingredients that can help restore the gut whole plant-based foods that are packed with phytonutrients, fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics.
The Fluffy Buckwheat Chia Pancakes are a fun and tasty way to incorporate buckwheat , into your morning routine. Youll enjoy a fiber-filled, satisfying salad with the Grilled Peach and Barley Salad. And get a double dose of prebiotic goodness with the Balsamic Dijon Artichokes and Asparagus.
Add some live bacteria to your plate by enjoying the Kimchi Fried Rice and Veggies. Youll also find fiber, prebiotics, resistant starch, and phytonutrients in the Blackened Tempeh and Sweet Potato Bowl with Avocado and Kale. Turn creamy cashews into tangy yogurt with at-home fermentation, and you wont even have to think about food labels.
Finally, gift your gut some anthocyanins, polyphenol pigments that act as prebiotics, in the Blueberry Ginger Smoothie. The ginger in the smoothie also supports gut health by reducing inflammation, relieving nausea, and fighting pathogens. Cheers to a healthy gut and a happy you!
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Try An Elimination Diet
As youve learned, food sensitivities are one of the major causes of gut dysbiosis. Trying an elimination diet is a simple yet effective strategy for identifying underlying food sensitivities. I recommend that you start your elimination diet by removing the following food groups from your diet: gluten, dairy, refined sugar, corn, soy, eggs, all grains, vegetable oils, shellfish, tree nuts, legumes, and nightshade vegetables.
You may remove any other foods that you suspect to be a trigger. Remember, even a tiny bit of food that you are sensitive to can be triggering, so it is important that you completely remove these foods. This means no cheating.;
After a two-week elimination phase, introduce foods to your diet one by one. Make rue to eat a new food for two to three days and watch your symptoms. Using a food diary can be helpful at this stage. If you have symptoms from a new food, remove this food. Add a new food, notice your symptoms, and continue.
Some of these foods are highly problematic even if you dont have a specific food sensitivity for them. Generally, I recommend that you remove highly inflammatory foods, such as gluten, refined sugar, vegetable oils, and conventional dairy from your diet for good. To learn more about how to do an elimination diet, I recommend this article.
Find A Nutritionist Near You
ZocDoc helps you find and book top-rated doctors, on demand. Visit them in their offices, or video chat with them from home. Check out the nutritionists in your area.
A healthy gut means you have a stronger immune system, a better mood, effective digestion thats free of discomfort and a healthy brain and heart, says Sabine Hazan, M.D., a gastroenterologist, founder of Ventura Clinical Trials in Ventura, California, and author of Lets Talk S.
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Viome Recommends Food For Better Inoculation
This is one of the most fascinating aspects of Viome testing. With todays probiotics we only have access to maybe 30 or so different strains of bacteria but your gut contains hundreds of different strains of bacteria, not to mention all the viruses, fungi, and more, meaning available probiotics are barely making a dent in the biodiversity that should be there.
High levels of biodiversity make a stronger gut microbiome, which in turn supports a stronger immune system but we are limited by whats available on the market.
Viome testing, analysis, and recommendations specifically tell you what to eat in order to manipulate the microbe activity in your gut. This tips the scales in your favor. Not only do you get targeted nutrition advice that tells you exactly what to eat to optimize your gut you also learn what is going to feed beneficial microbes, while reducing harmful ones.
Your microbes are like picky children they only like certain foods. When you get your Viome results back, the recommendations tell you which foods you should eat to support the best microbes for your health and wellness.
What Precautions Or Side Effects Should You Be Aware Of
A blow out happens when you stretch your ear too fast and scar tissue builds up in the hole. This can result in permanent scarring.
Stretching too quickly can tear your ear tissue in half or cause earlobe skin to detach and hang from your head.
Stretching too quickly or not taking care of your ear may also result in an infection. Here are some infection symptoms to watch out for:
- painful redness or swelling
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How Does It Affect Your Body
Humans have evolved to live with microbes for millions of years.
During this time, microbes have learned to play very important roles in the human body. In fact, without the gut microbiome, it would be very difficult to survive.
The gut microbiome begins to affect your body the moment you are born.
You are first exposed to microbes when you pass through your mothers birth canal. However, new evidence suggests that babies may come in contact with some microbes while inside the womb (
- 20 ).
Therefore, there are a number of different ways in which the gut microbiome can affect key bodily functions and influence your health.
Summary:
The gut microbiome affects the body from birth and throughout life by controlling the digestion of food, immune system, central nervous system and other bodily processes.
Dysbiosis: What Is It And How To Heal Your Microbiome
Are you experiencing stomach pains, gas, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, brain fog, concentration difficulties, anxiety, pain, or other unexplained symptoms? The answer may be in your gut. Gut dysbiosis refers to microbiome imbalance that may develop as a result of various dietary, lifestyle, environmental, and health factors. Gut dysbiosis can lead to a variety of chronic symptoms and chronic health problems. Fortunately, once you identify the gut flora imbalance, you can address the root cause of your problems, improve your microbiome, and eliminate gut dysbiosis.
In this article, you will learn what dysbiosis is. You will understand the main symptoms and major causes of gut dysbiosis. I will explain the connection between leaky gut syndrome and gut dysbiosis. I will share the top home and lab testing strategies for gut dysbiosis and gut health, and offer my top natural support strategies for gut dysbiosis.
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How To Achieve Optimal Microbiome Diversity
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Okay, so now for the part youve been waiting for.;How to achieve optimal diversity is a process. Ive laid the pieces out, but where and how you start today is completely dependent upon your own current circumstances.
What I have laid out below is a compilation of personal experiences mixed with research.;
Life happens, but your microbiome has the ability to quickly recover from anything and everything thrown at it. This resilience means changes within months, weeks, or even days. In fact, the average lifespan of a bacterium in your microbiome is 20 minutes. How your microbiome was altered to begin with will determine the length of time it takes to rehabilitate a damaged microbiome.
Challenges With Fermented Foods
Many people that I work with, however, have some pretty serious issues going on in their body that causes histamine intolerance and reactions to fermented foods. If you find you do not react well then it is probably best to avoid them momentarily.
In these;cases I typically recommend a broad-spectrum probiotic like SBO Probiotics Ultimate.;have found that this probiotic works extremely well for people who are having a lot of intestinal issues. If you are considering introducing probiotics into your system, I would recommend starting with this one to lay a solid foundation of bacteria for your gut microbiome.
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Ways To Strengthen Your Microbiome
Tags: Microbiome, Nutrition, Pre & Probiotics
The microbiome consists of TRILLIONS of living microbes inside your gut. These little;mood;elevators;work around the clock producing happy-chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. Making sure that you have a diverse and thriving microbiome can help not only with your mental health, but can prevent things like the urge to over-eat, and can help regulate your digestive system.
Below, we have compiled a list of ways you can ensure that you have a happy and healthy microbiome!
Check For Food Intolerances
If you have symptoms such as cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rashes, nausea, fatigue, and acid reflux, you may be suffering from a food intolerance. You can try eliminating common trigger foods to see if your symptoms improve. If you are able to identify a food or foods that are contributing to your symptoms, you may see a positive change in your digestive health by changing your eating habits.
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How To Restore Your Gut Microbiome
Deborah Freudenmann BHSc
The human microbiome is a collection of trillions of microorganisms which populate your intestines. Your microbiome is essentially its very own complex ecosystem. Although the microbiome consists of a diverse range of microorganisms , it is primarily populated with bacteria which are located in your gut.
Your microbiome is a complex ecological community, which communicates, cross feeds, combines, evolves with you and your environment. The symbiotic relationship between your body and your gut is important to understand. You depend on your gut microbiome and your gut microbiome depends on you. One cannot thrive without the other. The micro-organisms living in our gut perform a wide range of useful and health promoting activities, however they can also be responsible for the development of different diseases.
In the modern world, your human microbiome is often exposed to harmful factors. Poor dietary and lifestyle habits as well as increased stress levels decrease the diversity and effectiveness of your microbiomes functions. All of these factors lead to an increased chance of developing various chronic conditions.
For maintaining your long-term health, prioritisation of your microbiomes health is necessary.