The Gut Microbiota - Our Internal Garden
I like to picture the gut microbiota as a garden with a beautiful array of diverse microorganisms living together in harmony. Just like a garden needs a healthy environment to flourish, so do the microbes that colonize in our digestive tract.
We each have a unique network of microbiota that is made up of good and bad microbes. In a healthy body these microbes coexist peacefully.
Why is the gut microbiota so important?
A healthy balanced gut flora plays an important role in many aspects of our overall health:
It is involved with the synthesis of vitamins, specifically B vitamins and vitamin K
It stimulates our immune system
It helps to maintain the structural integrity of the digestive tract
It eliminates toxins and pathogens that may have been ingested through contaminated food and water
It converts starch & fiber into short chain fatty acids (SCFA) that help promote different aspects of your microbiome as well as digestive, whole body, and mental health
It promotes cardioprotective and anti-cancer properties
Unfortunately, due to factors such as infectious diseases, tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, particular diets, and long-term use of antibiotics and other bacteria-killing drugs, the microbiota equilibrium can sometimes be disrupted causing dysbiosis. If it helps to use a visual tool, think of the garden analogy. A garden with dysbiosis would be overrun by weeds or an invasive pest. As a result, the body's susceptibility to disease may increase.
Some common symptoms of dysbiosis are bad breath, upset stomach, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, skin rashes, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety & depression.
So, what can you do to ensure your internal garden is getting everything it needs to flourish?
Here are 5 things that you can start doing today:
Increase the number of good gut bacteria by eating probiotic rich foods such as yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, tempeh, sauerkraut, natto, miso, olives, pickles & raw cheese
Nourish your good gut bacteria with prebiotic fiber which are generally found in fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains and are abundant in garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, dandelion greens, green “under ripe” bananas, seaweed, chicory root, dark chocolate (70% or higher), jicama and flaxseed
Make regular exercise a priority as studies show regular physical activity not only increases the number of good bacteria but also the diversity of the microbiota
Avoid eating the pro-inflammatory, bad microbe loving standard Western diet which consists of ultra-processed foods that are filled with added sugar, unhealthy fats, chemical preservatives, and artificial sweeteners
Find ways to help reduce any chronic stress you may be experiencing as studies show prolonged stress can create an imbalance of gut microbes
If you are experiencing symptoms of dysbiosis, rather than trying to solve it with a band-aid solution, it is better to address the root cause of the imbalance as there are many environmental and dietary factors that could be the culprit. Since not everyone has a “green thumb” when tending to their internal garden, I can provide you with support.
“All disease begins in the gut.” ~ Hippocrates
