OUR MICROBIOME IS COMPRISED OF THE BACTERIA, FUNGI AND VIRUSES IN OUR LOWER GUT, MOUTH, NASAL PASSAGES AND SKIN. IT HELPS BALANCE AND PROTECT OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, 80% OF WHICH RESIDES IN THE GUT. THE MICRIBIOME USES OUR DIETARY SUBSTRATES TO PRODUCE ESSENTIAL MICRONUTRIENTS WHICH THE HUMAN BODY CANNOT SYNTHESIZE. INJURY TO THE MICROBIOME LEADS TO BREAKDOWN OF THE GUT BARRIER, ALLOWING INFLAMMATION PROVOKING MOLECULES TO ENTER OUR BODY AND INFLAMMATION IS THE COMMON DENOMINATOR OF MOST CHRONIC DISEASES.
THIS IS A SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF A HEALTHY AND A LEAKY GUT. OUR MICROBIOME IS DESIGNED TO LIVE IN SYMBIOSIS WITH THE HUMAN ORGANISM. OUR GUT BACTERIA CONSUME DIETARY FIBER FROM WHICH THEIR METABOLISM PRODUCES VITAL NUTRIENTS THAT THE HUMAN BODY CANNOT MAKE. GIVEN THE RIGHTS SUBTRATES. THEY ALSO EXCRETE COMPOUNDS LIKE CERTAIN FREE FATTY ACIDS THAT ACTUALLY NOURISH OUR GUT LINING.
OUR MICROBIOME WAS NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE BOMBARDMENT WITH TOXIC COMPOUNDS THAT OUR MODERN LIFE INTRODUCES EVERY DAY, MANY TIMES A DAY, OFTEN FOR UP TO 18 HRS OF THE DAY! WHEN WE DO BOMBARD OUR SYSTEM, WE CAN SEE HOW WE WILL DEVELOP A LEAKY GUT WITH GAPS THAT ALLOW FOR ANYTHING TO PASS THROUGH. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF US HAVE SOME DEGREE OF LEAKY GUT ALREADY.
HOW CAN WE STRENGTHEN OUR MICROBIOME?
-#1 IS FIBER. REMEMBER FIBER IS THE FUEL FOR OUR GOOD BACTERIA. WE CAN SEE THAT THE HUMAN BODY PRIORITIZED FIBER GREATLY WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE 3RD LARGEST COMPONENT OF BREAST MILK IS HMO (HUMAN MILK OLIGOSACCHARIDE) WHICH IS THE INFANT’S FIRST FIBER DESIGNED TO NOURISH IT’S DEVELOPING MICROBIOME.
-FERMENTED FOODS CONTRIBUTE TO A HEALTHY GUT FLORA.
-GO ORGANIC. ORGANIC FOODS CONTAIN FEWER ANTIBIOTICS, PESTICIDES, HORMONES, AND GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS. AVOID PROCESSED FOODS WHICH ARE DEVOID OF NUTRITIVE VALUE AND FIBER.
-AVOID/LIMIT HOUSEHOLD & LAWN CHEMICALS, TOXINS, MEDICATIONS AND ANTIBIOTICS THAT KILL OFF OUR MICROBIOME.
NOURISH AND PROTECT YOU MICROBIOME AND IT WILL DO THE SAME FOR YOU!
