What the Health: What is the Gut Microbiome?
Did you know that our human bodies host trillions of microscopic bugs? Sounds gross, huh! These bugs make up the microbiomes that are found all throughout our systems, the most notable and populous of which is found in our gut.
I first became aware of the gut microbiome after taking a pretty serious round of antibiotics and being advised to follow it with large doses of probiotics to repopulate the “good bacteria”. I remember thinking, “Excuse me, the WHAT??” Up until then, I thought that my digestive system did all the hard work on its own (typical human ego). It turns out, the little creatures that live in our digestive tract are crucial and play a central role in our general health. They aid in our digestion by assisting in the breakdown of foods, educating our immune system, and communicating with many other physiological systems (including our brains!) to facilitate physiological processes throughout our bodies. The makeup of the gut microbiome is largely determined early in life, but can be affected by lifestyle choices throughout our lives.
How can we influence a healthy gut microbiome?
It should come as no surprise that healthy amounts of exercise, quality sleep, and effective stress management are shown to positively affect the quality of the gut microbiome and contribute to overall health.
Regularly ingesting prebiotics and probiotics also contributes to the strength of the gut microbiome. Probiotics, including fermented foods, introduce bacteria into the gut and prebiotics feed the probiotics to strengthen the microbiome. Prebiotics can be found in foods such as bananas, onion, garlic, oatmeal and asparagus. I also recently learned that prebiotics are especially high in baobab powder, which is a supplement that some Santa Barbara friends are sourcing directly from Baobab trees in Africa. (More on this later, it’s quite a cool story and is largely the reason I became interested in the gut microbiome).
Another important factor of a healthy gut microbiome is the amount of diversity it boasts. A healthy gut may host as many as 5,000 different species! There is evidence that one of the best ways to increase microbe diversity is to eat a highly varied plant-based, whole food diet. Looks like it’s time to try some new vegetables.
What’s not so groovy for the guts?
Taking unnecessary antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiome and lead to imbalances. They are a wonderful tool when used appropriately, but be wary of taking them when they are not absolutely necessary. Another common disrupter is processed foods, especially those high in sugars and artificial sweeteners.
Frequently using chemical disinfectants in the home can also have a negative impact on the gut microbiome. Given the current pandemic, I’m sure we are all disinfecting more than usual. Studies have shown that spending time in nature and having contact with soil, animals and other environmental microbes can positively impact the gut microbiome. So disinfect where needed, but also consider using natural cleaning products and get outside as much as possible!
Moral of the story
This is a budding area of research that still has a long way to go, but so far everything seems to be in line with strategies we are already aware of and (hopefully) practicing: get good sleep, exercise daily, keep stress at a manageable level, spend time outside, and eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables! For me, it is reassuring to know that making the effort to do all these things really does make a difference and that it’s worth it. Let’s keep those little bugs happy!
Disclaimer: none of the information in this article should be taken as medical advice. It is merely the result of one human’s research, curiosity, and personal experience. If interested in learning more, I highly recommend the Kaibae (our baobab friends) website, where you will find many articles that touch on various aspects of the microbiome and the impacts it can have on our health. Please consult your doctor with questions regarding your health and medical choices.
Sources:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13311-017-0600-5
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4290017/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325293
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4191858/
https://gokaibae.com/blogs/blog/secret-soulmates-probiotics-love-prebiotics-spotlight-on-baobab