The complexed microbiome, simplified.

The Microbiome is far from simple, however I hope with this post, your understanding of the microbiome can become clearer and more digestible…

What is the Microbiome? 

The Microbiome are the trillions of microbes, in and on the human body that influence our overall vitality. This complexed collection impacts; digestion, nutrient absorption, hormone balance, energy levels, skin clarity, moods, weight, cravings, immunity and overall wellbeing. 

Where is the Microbiome?

The Microbiome is where the trillions of these microbes exist mainly inside your intestines and on your skin. Including six pounds in the gut! Most of the microbes in your intestines are found in a pocket of your large intestine called the cecum, and they are referred to as the gut microbiome. The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is also here and harbours a complex and dynamic population of microorganisms, the gut microbiota We have multiple microbiomes, with the main influence being the gut microbiome. The microbiome can also be referred to as the the microbiota and the gut flora.

What’s in the Microbiome?

The microbiome consists of microbes that are both helpful and potentially harmful. Bacteria makes up to 90 percent of the gut microbiota, however also includes fungi, protozoa and viruses.

How to look after the Microbiome? 

Looking after the Microbiome is just like growing and maintaining a garden. For this some helpful lifestyle implications can be applied. These actionable habits will create improvements in the positive diversity in the gut microbiota.

1. Take probiotics and eat fermented foods. To add more live bacteria into the body and when combined with prebiotic fibre to feed the bacteria to allow the microbes to flourish and not die.  
2. Eat less sugar and sweeteners. Sugar creates inflammation in the gut. A diet that’s high in processed food and added sugar can eliminate the beneficial bacteria in the human gut. The resulting imbalance can cause increased cravings for sugar, which further damage the gut.
3. Reduce stress. The mind gut connection is real and impactful. When we our stressed hormones and chemicals released by your body enter your digestive tract, where they interfere with digestion. They have a negative effect on your gut flora and decrease antibody production.
4. Avoid taking antibiotics unnecessarily. Taking antibiotics can dramatically change the amount and type of bacteria in the gut. By reducing the number of good bacteria drastically, whilst doing its job, of removing the bad bacteria. So get clear on the intention of the antibiotic and see the long term effect opposed to short as It will take the body time to balance the microbiome back to healthy, diverse bacteria levels.

Microbiome Facts

1. There are over 100 million brain cells residing in your microbiome.
2. The gut has it’s own nervous system and contains the vagus nerve, which carries information from the gut to the brain and then the brain can interpret these signals as emotions and feelings.
3. Probiotics refer to strains of beneficial bacteria.
4. Prebiotics refer to the food that feed the beneficial bacteria. 
5. You have 10 times as many bacterial cells in your body as human ones.
6. You have the weight of six pounds of microbes in the gut.
7. The gut microbiota also has its own circadian rhythm, it is periodically exposed to different bacterial numbers, species, functions and products at different times of the day.
8. Fibre deprived diets lead to increased levels of negative microbes that breakdown mucin. Mucin is what protects the gut from pathogenic load during infection. So a lack of fibre can increases pathogen susceptibility.

I hope this inspired you to take better care of your microbiome and empower you to design a life that promotes healthy habits that influence a flourished and thriving gut microbiome. 

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