By Tim Howden
The human microbiome (HMB) is simply fantastic! It is made up from a combination of micro-organisms including, bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa that exist in and on the surfaces of your body.
The majority of these organisms reside within your gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and weigh up to 2kg in a healthy adult. Building a better microbiome will have a lasting and positive effect on your whole health.
Let me share with you some tips on why this is important and how you can achieve excellent results.
Imagine your microbiome as a complex eco-system, like a beautiful rainforest, made up thousands of different species, both symbiotic, pathogenic and opportunistic.
It is a dynamic environment, constantly influx, and involved in a complex array of biological functions including neurotransmission, immune modulation, nutrient production, hormone signalling and energy production to name just a few.
There is significant evidence to suggest that our microbes influence emotional responses such as Anxiety, Depression and Stress Response.
Our HMB affects neurotransmitter production of Dopamine, Serotonin, Adrenalin, Nor-Adrenalin, and GABA.
There is also evidence to suggest that microbes can affect the important tight junctions in our Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) which protect our brain from unwanted infection.
The gut really is the seat of all health.
These microbes occupy many locations on and in your body and many of the subgroups of microbes are unique to you and your social group.
Importantly, these populations can be greatly influenced by environmental factors like diet and lifestyle.
Certainly probiotics can aid the HMB but, there may be other things you can try before embarking on a supplement regime.
Finding the right diet to suit your needs, tweaking habits that improve digestive function such as meal times and thorough chewing and reducing consumption of harmful things like
alcohol, sugar and highly refined and processed food will help proliferate healthy microbial populations.
Our microbial diversity is what makes us unique and allows our bodies to flourish, grow, repair and combat illness.
It’s not so much the numbers of particular species that are important compared to the overall diversity.
A well balanced plant-rich whole food diet will keep your microbes happy and when your microbes are happy it usually follows suit that you are too.
If you are unsure about what diet best suits your needs it may be worthwhile seeking out an experienced and qualified health practitioner to guide you.
Looking after and building a better microbiome is highly beneficial for overall health.
Hippocrates was correct when he stated more than 2500 years ago All Disease Begins in the Gut!
