Do You Know What is the Gut Microbiome?
Gut Microbiome : It means all of microbes that living in your intestines. For example, Bacteria, Viruses, fungi and others microbes. These microbes, about trillions, exist inside of our intestines and in our skin, mouth and hair… There are more bacterial cells in our body than human cells. There are up to 1000 species of bacteria in the human gut microbiome, and each of them plays a different role.
Most bacterias are important for health, and others may cause diseases. Higher diversity of bacterial species are good for our health. The food we eat affects the diversity of our gut bacteria. It is important to acknowledge that bacterium diversity, and its overall balance are connected to our states of health and diseases. If we imagine that in terms of cells, our gut has a surface around 20.000 square meters, we can also guess that promoting health here is essential for longevity and for keeping diseases at bay. More than 70% of the human immune system is found in the lining of the gut.
Classes of bacteria:
Among the different classes of bacteria, bifidobacteria and lactobacillus are the 2 most important and beneficial bacterias of the gut microbiome. These are the responsible bacterias for digesting finer and other complex carbs, producing vitamins of the B and K group and short chain fatty acid, which have an important role for general health.
When we are babies, we have mostly Bifidobacteria populating the microbiome, as children, our bodies have an abundance of bifidobacterial, but as we age, factors such as poor diet, stress and antibiotic use, decrease the levels of these good organisms. According to research, the proportion of healthy bifidobacteria in the human gut is about 60% in infancy, 30% – 40% in adulthood, 10% in late middle age, and less than 5% by advanced age. Keeping levels as high as during infancy, allows the microbiome to perform its health benefits, such as fighting allergies, decreasing high cholesterol levels, aiding respiratory diseases, relieving stress and anxiety.
Less Bifidobacteria means more room for unhealthy, dangerous bacteria to take over. On research we can see 90% of adults having too much of Clostridia Cluster on their stools and almost 20% only of Bifidobacteria, confirming the research that the level tends to decrease over time.
How to keep our little Bifido friends alive on our gut microbiome ?
The gut microbiota is in constant evolution, varies greatly among individuals, and modulates metabolism, allowing a window to predict individual responses to particular foods as part of personalised medicine interventions.
The microbiome can become imbalanced through poor diet (high protein + high fat), drugs (antibiotics), unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, sedentary, alcohol abuse), and toxins (heavy metals). This leaves a state in which a relatively small number of microorganisms attain an unhealthy dominance, often squeezing out the beneficial ones. This imbalance has direct connections with practically every chronic metabolic disease in humans.
An imbalance of good and bad microbes is called Dysbiosis which plays a role in diseases such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) and Colitis.
Like everything else in our body, Bifidobacteria needs the right type of nourishment to grow and multiply. Keeping in mind that we all have our own individual microbiome and therefore should consult a physician for an individual diet. There are some general guidelines that can be followed by all of us.
Increase your fiber intake :
Fiber is a prebiotic , which are compounds in food that feed beneficial micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi and others. They can alter the composition of organisms in the gut’s microbiome.
You can increase their abundance in the gut, by taking Probiotics!
Probiotics ….are live microorganisms consumed to improving or restoring the gut flora. Their function is to digest fiber and complex carbs that our body can’t digest on its own. When they digest fiber, these bacteria produce important chemicals called Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs). They are important for gut health and hunger control. They help produce others chemicals including B vitamins and healthy fatty acids.
Western versus High – Fiber Diets:
A western -type diet, in particular high in animal proteins and fat, specially the ones including large amounts of saturated fatty acids (vegetable and trans-fat oils) and lower in fibre, has been shown to induce gut dysbiosis, intestinal permeability, and inflammation.
A diet high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, supports the growth of microbial populations. These microbes are efficient carbohydrates fermenters. The bacteria produce fermentation products that support the health of the intestinal lining. As a result have positive immune and metabolic functions effects.
What to eat then?
Beneficial bacterias love complex carbohydrates (flaxseed meal), resistant starch (tapioca, sweet potatoes). Also fiber coming from fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains. These foods are the main ingredient of a healthy diet.
Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids -PUFAs- Flaxseed oil and fish oil
Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids such Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) appear to improve the microbial balance and increase anti-inflammatory immune activity in the gut and throughout the body.
Fermented foods – Sauerkraut, Natto, Miso, Apple cider vinegar.
Fermentation, mainly by lactic acid bacteria, has been used to preserve and enhance nutritional aspects of foods for thousands of years. Fermented foods are a source of vitamins, minerals and ensymes. Also a range of biologically active, heath-promoting peptides produced by microbes during fermentation.
The trick is keeping a varied and whole diet with no processed foods. Our microbiome needs bacteria from all phyla. And giving preference to one diet to another, will lead to a microbiome imbalance. An adult body needs no more than 60 net protein grams per day from different animal origins. For example eggs, meat, chicken and fish. The rest can be covered by vegetables, resistant starch, whole grains, nuts and healthy fats like avocado.
In Conclusion…..
Gut microorganisms have been shown to play a role in a wide range of human diseases. This means obesity, psoriasis, autism and mood disorders. By modulating diet and helping the good bacteria to thrive, we also decrease the risk of developing metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes. Together, these findings demonstrate the important role of gut microbiota in maintaining host metabolic integrity.
Hippocrates a greek physician who lived in the year of 400 BC, knows as “the Father of Medicine”, was concerned with obesity. His works called for “Moderation and Exercise”. His approach is based on “the healing power of nature”.
He said: ” All diseases start in the Gut”
by Helena
Naturalize Yourself !
ref:
FlintHJ. Duncan SH, Scott KP, Louis P. Interactions and competition within the microbial community of the human colon: links between diet and health.
Walter AW,Inca J, Duncan SH, Webster LM, Holtrop G, Ze X, et al. Dominant and diet-responsive groups of bacteria within the human colonic microbiota.
Topping DL, Clifton PM, Short-Chain fatty acids and human colonic function: roles of resistant starch and non starch polysaccharides.
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