We are hosts to literally trillions of bacteria. Our microbiome is the combination of all the different bacteria, fungi, viruses and microorganisms that live in or on our body. We have about 6 pounds of these microorganisms in and on our body at all times! Some estimates say we have 10x as many bacterial cells in our body as human cells, and up to 100x the amount of bacterial DNA then human DNA!
This truly means we are only 10% human. We live in a symbiotic relationship with them. Certain byproducts that we release as part of our normal metabolism, they use as food and vice-versa. We both could not live without each other. We either have a diverse and balanced microbiome that produces positive things for us like short-chained fatty acids, hormones, neurotransmitters etc., otherwise we have an unbalanced microbiome which is known as dysbiosis. A dysbiotic microbiome produces compounds that can damage us and create inflammation and bad health.
The microbiome is connected to every single system in the body including the brain, digestion, blood sugar, hormones, neurotransmitters, liver function, mitochondrial function, inflammation, the immune system and more. Therefore, if you don’t have a healthy microbiome then you aren’t healthy. Period!
So how do we get these guy’s healthy? Well, a healthy microbiome is one that is diverse, so we want to be eating a diversity of foods to feed them. Not just any foods but specifically plant foods because they feed off of fiber which is found only in plants. Fiber-rich foods will give the good bacteria food to feed on (called prebiotics) to grow and populate the gut flora. The more diverse your gut is, the healthier it is because this prevents any overgrowths of bugs that could cause problems (such as yeast or candida).
The more fiber you give your microbiota to ferment for food, the more of a compound called butyrate is produced which also helps to feed the beneficial bacteria, so there is a positive cycle that happens here that will keep the beneficial bacteria alive and thriving.
Focus on all the different colors of the rainbow. These bright colors in foods are actually compounds called polyphenols which help to grow a healthy population of microbiota. Polyphenols also prevent the overgrowth of bad guys. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables in their natural state will build the healthiest microbiome possible because of their high fiber and polyphenol content.
Time restricted eating aka intermittent fasting has been shown to increase the population of good bacteria and decrease the bad. This is because the beneficial ones are able to go for longer periods of time without food then the bad ones, so the balance shifts in a positive direction. Also, just like us these bugs like to have a break from food so they can do some house cleaning and get their community in order.
Moderate physical exercise has been shown to not only increase the good bacteria and decrease bad bacteria in our gut, but it also increases the efficiency of the good bacteria and the amount of metabolites they produce for us. Building your strength/endurance also builds the strength/endurance of your microbiota! It increases the amount of short chain fatty acids (like butyrate), and amino acids that they produce! This means another positive cycle of more butyrate being produced, which continues to feed the good bacteria which then produce more butyrate! 30-60 minutes of moderate exercise 3-5 times a week is ideal. You don’t want to exercise too hard though because intense stress can actually have a negative impact on your gut flora (and your body in general). Even “good” stress from exercise can if it’s too much. This brings me to the next topic.
Stress and sleep both have a huge impact on the gut flora and can throw off the balance and decrease diversity. When you are stressed and tired, your microbiome is stressed and tired! Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night and if possible sleep in balance with the Earth’s natural rhythms of day/night because your microbes have the same circadian rhythm that you do. Meditate and get out in nature and sunlight as much as possible, as this will reduce stress levels, increase vitamin D levels which helps maintain a healthy gut flora, and also expose you to the many friendly microorganisms of the Earth. Don’t be afraid to get dirty!
The things to avoid and why is an extensive list, but I’ll do my best to make a brief summary of some of them right here. When possible avoid: antibiotics when not absolutely needed (anti-biotic means anti-life), drinking/eating out of plastic, tap water, medications, over the counter drugs, non-organic foods, processed foods, free sugar, preservatives (these are literally antibiotics), canned food, high amounts of salt, household cleaners, overdoing garlic & onions, animal products, possibly frozen foods (freezing stops bacteria from forming, but it’s unclear if this has an effect or not), alcohol, drugs, and so much more.
This is a huge topic because there are so many things that affect your microbiome, including the thoughts you think. Literally just about everything you choose to do has an impact on your microbiome in some way or another. But if you follow these core principles of eating the right foods, getting enough quality sleep, intermittent fasting, spending time in nature, reducing stress and thinking positive, you will begin to diversify your microbiome and your health will become vibrant! The gut is at the root of our health. It is our most important “organ” and much is still being discovered about it. Heal your gut and heal your life! It’s not just food that affects the composition of your gut microbiome. You can positively influence the balance of bacteria in your gut by: getting good quality sleep for 7-8+ hours a night, sleeping in synch with the Earth’s natural day and night cycles, moderately exercising 3-5 days a week, spending adequate time outdoors, getting sunshine, intermittent fasting, keeping stress levels low, thinking positive thoughts and more! The microbiome has an influence on our energy levels, mood, digestion, weight, hormone balance, immune system, skin health, heart health, blood sugar levels, liver function, allergies and so much more. Therefore, when you implement all these lifestyle factors along with a healthy diet, you get a healthy, happy, and robust microbiome which means a happy, healthy and robust you