What’s the microbiome and how can you optimise yours?

If you’re like me, you’re from a generation who’s parents’ feared bacteria. As a child it was all anti-bacterial this and that. Germs were the enemy. But actually we have loads of bacteria living in and on our bodies and they are supposed to be there and we need to take care of them because it turns out they are running the show!

Scientists estimate there are roughly 40 trillion bacterial cells in your body, mainly in your gut and on your skin compared with 30 trillion human cells. So, we are basically more bacteria than human. Well, kind of.

Everybody’s microbiome is unique and dependant on a whole load of dietary and environmental factors starting from birth. We are now learning more and more about these colonies and are starting to see from clinical trials the incredible impact that our gut microbiome has over all aspects of our physical and mental health.

The good news is that there’s a lot we can do to influence our microbes for the better and in turn improve our health.

Who’s really in charge?

The gut microbiome’s effects are far reaching, effecting your mood, weight, blood sugar control, immunity (and in turn auto-immunity), energy levels, allergies, cardiovascular health and so much more! Here’s an overview of just some of the mechanisms at play.

The gut. Our microbiome digest the fibre in our small intestines to produce beneficial short chain fatty acids, which help us to maintain a healthy gut lining, produce mucous and regulate inflammation. Fibre is so important for gut health, blood sugar regulation, weight control and helps to prevent diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. Certain strains help to keep our tight junctions in the gut wall closed, preventing leaky gut and a whole host of problem which arise when particles which should stay in the gut escape into our blood stream. It’s so important to maintain the integrity of the gut, especially in IBD and auto-immunity in general. Studies have shown that patients with IBD generally have a less diverse microbiome than the general population and this is one of the reasons I think it’s really important for IBD patients to carry on eating a healthy diverse diet, rather than following the old low residue diet the NHS traditionally advised. But that’s another blog.

The immune system. The microbiome also communicates with our immune system and regulates how we respond to pathogens. A poor microbiome can lead to inflammation, in part because some, less favourable species, produce chemicals like lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which cause inflammation when they pass into the bloodstream.

Blood sugar regulation and weight loss. Studies have shown that blood sugar levels vary after eating the same food from person to person depending on the quality of the microbiome AND that this can effect weight gain or loss. Twin studies show that diverse microbiome results in differing weight even when twins, who share the same genetics, ate the same food. And rats who received the microbiome of obese subjects gained weight while those who received the microbiome of thinner subjects did not. This should make us think again about quick diet hacks which are not based on healthy foods and is one of the reasons it’s not all about calories in and calories out. AND the microbiome produces chemicals which make you feel full and satiate appetite. So if you feel like you’ve lost control of your eating then this could well be one of the reasons.

Brain health and mood regulation. Specific species of bacteria help in the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, our antidepressant neurotransmitter, which is mainly made in the gut. So the quality of the bacteria in your gut has a direct impact on your brain chemistry and in turn your mood. Dysbiosis (an imbalance in the microbiome) can therefore have a profound effect on a person’s mental health. This is part of the reason for the strong inter-relation between the gut and the brain and the vicious cycle of IBS or IBD and mood disorders. This recognition has led to the birth of specific probiotics, psychobiotics, aimed at brain health which provide particular strains of bacteria known to be helpful to mood.

Cardiovascular health.

Firstly some of the less desirable species are responsible for turning L-carnitine and choline (both found in red meats) into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is a chemical that contributes to blocked arteries, heart attacks and strokes. At the same time good bacteria such as Lactobacilli, are beneficial in reducing cholesterol and promoting the good ‘HDL’ cholesterol.

So, it makes sense to look after your microbiome to get the most out of if, and it turn optimise your health. Conversely in light of modern lifestyle choices and a westernised diet, it gives us a bit more insight into why, at a population level, we are seeing an increase in auto-immunity, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

So, here’s how to look after your microbiome so that it can look after you.

What not to do. Things that mess it up!

• Alcohol and smoking

• Stress

• Some medications including NSAIDs (i.e. paracetamol, ibuprofen etc.) and antibiotics

• Processed foods and refined sugars

• Food intolerances, gluten is a common one

• Artificial sweeteners

• Fried food and saturated fat

• Environmental toxins

There are probably no big surprises here. Which is kind of both convenient and makes perfect sense. The microbiome is generally disrupted by things which are toxic or not recognised as natural to the body such as highly processed foods, medications and food intolerances.

What to do. Things which help to build your colonies of good bacteria.

• Stress management 

• Sleep

• Lots of fruits and vegetables

• Lots of whole grains, pulses, nuts and seeds

• Get in the god fats, Omega 3s

• Pre-biotics (the food that your bacteria feeds off), artichokes, bananas, asparagus, oats and apples are all good sources.

• Probiotics are foods which contain bacteria which you eat and then help to colonise your gut. E.g. Kefir, natural yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, miso soup, aged cheese

• Polyphenol rich foods. These include dark chocolate, green tea and dark berries. The polyphenols in these foods are broken
  down by beneficial gut bacteria, promoting their health and growth.

• Get outside and get dirty! We’ve become very sanitised, lost connection to nature and the earth. It’s actually good for the body to get outdoors get a bit dirty and come into contact with plenty of bacteria.

So not really rocket science, eat lots of fruit, vegetables and whole grains, avoid toxins and highly processed foods (toxins), avoid stress and get outside and into nature. So simple, it’s as if it’s by design! But if you’re struggling with dysbiosis, IBS, IBD and or auto-immunity then you might need a bit more support to heal the gut and restore a healthy microbiome in the short term. If you’d like to have a chat about what’s going on with you then reach out to me, let’s discuss how I can help.