What is your gut microbiome and why should you care?

Once I answered these two questions I had the key to achieving my lifestyle change.

Let us start with what is your microbiome? It is a collection microorganisms that live in your gut. Literally trillions of them. In fact what we see as the human body is made up of only 1% human cells and the other 99% are cells that make up the human body biome, gut microbiome included.

These microorganism include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeast. And the estimates of how many we have in our body are astounding, 10 to 100 trillion of them weighing up to 5 pounds. And not only are they many but they are varied. Estimates say there are up to a thousand bacterial species in the human gut.

But to some the second question might be even more important to answer. Why should you care? While the reasons might be endless let’s begin by acknowledging your gut microbiome acts as an additional organ in your body and has a substantial impact on your health.

The microbiome assists in the breakdown of food, processing of vitamins, and in the immune response. It also is in constant communication with your brain! The gut-brain axis is a special communication system, like text messaging, between the brain and the microbiome. Which means these 5 pounds of bacteria are in constant communication with your brain. They communicate through the largest nerve coming from the brain to the gut, the vagus nerve. However that can sound misleading because it is now evident that the vagus nerve exists to get information from the gut to the brain. There are more neurons, nerve cells that send and receive signals from the brain, in your gut than in your entire spinal cord and for every fiber leading from your brain to your organs, there are nine times as many fibers leading from your gut to the brain.

The gut microbiome is influencing your weight, helping control blood sugar, mental health, and evidence is even showing a relationship between using certain treatments to treat cancer in relation to your own microbiome as well as a connection between the microbiome and autism.

A proper diet full of fiber, anti-inflammatory foods, and nutrient rich foods will improve the health of your gut. An improved gut will provide appropriate digestion, metabolism, immune health, brain health, and so much more.

Finding the perfect balance of what it is we should eat can be confusing and stressful. Working alongside me is a great way to eliminate these stressors by using a combination of health and food coaching to heal and strengthen your gut microbiome.

References:

1. https://bluebiology.com/blogs/health-and-wellness/what-is-the-gut-microbiome

2. Gundry, Steven. The Plant Paradox: the Hidden Dangers in “Healthy” Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain, by Steven R. Gundry and Olivia Bell Buehl, Harper Wave, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2018