I’ve talked a lot about diet, exercise, and lifestyle in relation to health on this blog, but rarely have I talked about why those things are so important. It’s time to finally put all of the puzzle pieces together; we’re going to be talking about the gut microbiome.
What is the Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome refers to the billions of live bacteria, viruses, and fungi in our literal gut (stomach, colon, small and large intestines). It’s the place were food is digested, metabolized, and absorbed to be delivered into our cells to provide our bodies with energy.
Current research estimates the human gut microbiome contains around 35,000 different strains of bacteria. That’s just strains, not colonies or populations – those numbers get into the billions! The inside of our bodies is like a living ecosystem, it’s got the good, the bad, and the ugly and is always fighting to remain in harmony and balance. [1]
Knowing about the gut microbiome is important because the state of the bacteria and viruses living therein regulate nearly every process needed for us to function properly. It affects our mood, our immune response, our hormones, our predisposition to weight loss, and even can even turn on and off different genes relating to disease. [2]
What affects the gut microbiome?
As a society, we tend to only care about what’s on the outside. It’s the things we can see that encourage us to make a change or stay on course – you can see when you’re gaining weight, you can see your financial situation, you can see yourself making poor choices, etc. It’s very easy to forget about the mechanisms behind the scenes and not address the root cause.
Although we may not be able to see it, the total surface area of our gut is approximately half the size of a bad-mitten court… with that comparison you can understand how it can have such a profound effect on our lives and our health.
The state of the gut microbiome is often the root cause, or a huge contributing factor to nearly all health problems. A unhealthy gut generally means an unhealthy human. [3,4]
So what affects the gut? In simple terms, everything.
- How you were born – C-section babies are not exposed to beneficial strains of bacteria that come from the birth canal
- Diet during infancy
- Diet during adulthood
- Antibiotic use – going through the full course of antibiotics wipes out good gut bacteria for more than a month [5]
- Age
- Genetics
- Stress
- Environmental toxins
- Relationships
Everywhere you go, everything you touch, and everything you eat affects your gut microbiome in one way or another.
How to support the gut microbiome
Fortunately, there are many ways to support the growth of good bacteria in your gut! The most impactful is to change your diet.
Most food from the conventional system is laden with chemicals, antibiotics, growth hormones, or genetically modified organisms (GMO’s). These substances threaten the integrity of the gut lining and with consistency, will cause it to become comprised – ever heard of leaky gut syndrome? Most Americans’ mild symptoms are probably related to a leaky gut and they don’t even know it.
Of course, I’m not a medical practitioner and this advice is for information purposes only, so you should always talk to your doctor and have proper testing and blood work done. However, shifts in your dietary habits can work wonders for your health and the health of your gut microbiome.
For me, it was the paleo diet – I experienced weight-loss (even when I was eating more), my social anxiety and depression went away, and my chronic allergies cleared up; all of this within a year of changing the food I was eating. I hate to put labels to things, especially diets, so stick with some foundational principles:
- Eliminate processed foods
- Avoid toxins in food and your environment
- Stick to whole foods
- Stay away from sugar
Related: Are Organic Foods worth it?
Simple modifications and improvements to your diet can work wonders on the health of your gut microbiome; but there’s still more you can do!
Probiotics
Probiotics are bacteria consumed through your diet to help supplement and support good gut health. What’s great about probiotics is that they can come right from the food you eat! Kefir, tempeh, kimchi, and yogurt are some great sources of probiotics that will make your gut smile.
Among many other benefits, probiotics have been shown to help reduce depression, reduce stress, reduce anxiety, and contribute to healthy ageing. [6,7]
Prebiotics
Another great way to support gut health is through prebiotics. Unlike probiotics, prebiotics are a particular fiber source that ferment in the gut, creating beneficial bio-active compounds. These can be found in foods like Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, chicory root, onions, quinoa, and amaranth.
Prebiotics have been linked to reduced obesity, increase immune function, reduced oxidative stress (inflammation), support satiety, and contribute to a healthy BMI. [8,9]
Now that you know about some good way to support your gut, you can slowly make some changes if you feel that’s the right decision for you. However, take it slow. When you mess the bacteria in your gut, you might experience some gas and bloating as the system tries to get itself back into balance.
Conclusion: take care of your gut
Although the area of gut health was not widely studied just a few years ago, there are hundreds of studies now supporting the impact of the gut microbiome on physical, mental, and emotional health. Take care of this delicate yet resilient system in your body and give it proper nourishment. Small changes over time can leave a huge impact.
Do you have any more questions about gut health?
Let me know in the comments down below.
Until next time, Stay Well, Stay Healthy, and Thrive!
References
[1] Jandhyala, Sai Manasa et al. “Role of the normal gut microbiota.” World journal of gastroenterology vol. 21,29 (2015): 8787-803. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i29.8787
[2] Rea, Domenica et al. “Microbiota effects on cancer: from risks to therapies.” Oncotarget vol. 9,25 17915-17927. 3 Apr. 2018, doi:10.18632/oncotarget.24681
[3] Cho, Ilseung, and Martin J Blaser. “The human microbiome: at the interface of health and disease.” Nature reviews. Genetics vol. 13,4 260-70. 13 Mar. 2012, doi:10.1038/nrg3182
[4] Vajro, Pietro et al. “Microbiota and gut-liver axis: their influences on obesity and obesity-related liver disease.” Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition vol. 56,5 (2013): 461-8. doi:10.1097/MPG.0b013e318284abb5
[5] Antiobitc Overuse May Be Bad For Body’s Good Bacteria, WebMD
[6] Pinto-Sanchez, Maria Ines et al. “Probiotic Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 Reduces Depression Scores and Alters Brain Activity: A Pilot Study in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome.” Gastroenterology vol. 153,2 (2017): 448-459.e8. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2017.05.003
[7] Pirbaglou, Meysam et al. “Probiotic supplementation can positively affect anxiety and depressive symptoms: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.” Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) vol. 36,9 (2016): 889-898. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2016.06.009
[8] Sugizaki, Clara S A, and Maria Margareth V Naves. “Potential Prebiotic Properties of Nuts and Edible Seeds and Their Relationship to Obesity.” Nutrients vol. 10,11 1645. 3 Nov. 2018, doi:10.3390/nu10111645
[9] Javadi, Leila et al. “Pro- and prebiotic effects on oxidative stress and inflammatory markers in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.” Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition vol. 27,5 (2018): 1031-1039. doi:10.6133/apjcn.042018.05
