The Microbiome
Your body is home to trillions of microorganisms- bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microbes that inhabit almost every part of you. These critters make up what is known as the human microbiome. Most of these microorganisms live in the digestive tract and play a huge role in a lot of different functions- they digest your food, they keep your immune system strong, they remove toxins from your body, produce B vitamins and protect your intestines to name a few.
In the last decade or so, scientific research into the gut microbiome has seriously exploded. The old understanding had us relate to the gut microbiome as merely another body system linked to gastrointestinal conditions. We now know however, that the microbiome is intrinsically connected with every other system in our body including our nervous system, immune function and even our hormones!
Conditions such as hormone imbalance, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, obesity, Alzheimer’s, anxiety and depression, endometriosis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, cancer, IBS, Crohn's disease, asthma and even heart disease are all now known to be largely influenced by the health of your gut microbiome.
Microbial Diversity is Essential for Health
Everyone’s microbiome does contain small amounts of harmful bacteria, however the greater diversity of the good bacteria in your gut and the less you have of the harmful ones, the healthier you are going to be. Diversity is key for the health of your microbiome. Science suggests that the microbiome can be modulated by several factors such as infection, disease, diet and antibiotic use, stress, and physical activity. Let's explore a few of these along with a few tips for supporting a balanced digestive system.
Stress
When we are stressed or anxious, research shows that this increases harmful bacteria in our gut leading to feelings of anxiety or depression. In fact, people with depression or anxiety have actually been shown to have lower diversities of bacteria in their gut. Moreover, disturbances to this system have also been linked to other nervous system conditions such as obesity, addiction and eating disorders.
Here are six tips to alleviating the stress in your life:
Take a deep breath. Simply by taking a deep breath you can lower the levels of inflammation and stress hormones in your body!
Ground yourself in nature to help decrease too much positive charge that can build up in our bodies over time leading to both physical and mental health problems
Exercise regularly. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day as it reduces stress, boosts endorphins, increases blood flow and improves sleep to mention just a few benefits.
Connect with others around you and don’t be hesitant to ask for help if you need it.
Diet
What you eat is one of the most important factors influencing your health, including your mental health and clarity. The foods you eat are broken down and transformed by your gut microbiome to nourish and fuel the rest of your body. Diet is fundamental in determining the diversity of our gut microbiome and the metabolites, including those neurotransmitters that our gut species produce. Here are a few ways you can alter your diet to build a healthier gut:
Avoid gut-destroying foods
It’s important to not only focus on foods that build our gut flora but also avoid those which destroy it. Avoiding foods which are packed with added sugar as this feeds the bad bacteria. Highly processed foods, artificial sweeteners, red meat and alcohol all have a negative effect on our gut microbiota and leads to inflammation. A diet high in saturated fats, such as those found in fatty meat, butter and cheese can also affect both the diversity and abundance of your good bacteria.
Eat plenty of fiber
Of all the major nutrient groups that we eat, fiber is the one component that directly feeds our gut flora. That is why it is so important we get enough of it. Our gut bacteria digests the fiber and produces short chain fatty acids which are tied to a myriad of health benefits. By eating fiber, we are pretty much ensuring those trillions of gut bacteria are well fed so they can keep us in good health. If they aren’t getting fed properly, their ability to create specific vitamins like B12 and B9, decreases, and impacts neurotransmitter synthesis and affecting your cognitive ability and mental health. You can increase your fiber intake through foods such as onion, garlic, bananas, pears, berries, chickpeas, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Focus on probiotic foods
Last but not least, in order to build a strong army of good microbes, eat plenty of foods rich in probiotics such as sauerkraut, kimchi, live yoghurt and kombucha. Probiotic supplements can also be very beneficial.
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