Wow, I don’t even understand this figure – that’s a lot of zeros!
I’ve been hearing a lot on healthy gut microbiomes over the last couple of years, so thought I would have a read around (with my unscientific mind) and try to understand a bit more about it.
I’ve read into it, and I still don’t understand it 😀
However, there are some things I’ve been able to pick up and think about, so thought I would share with anyone interested. There are some links at the bottom of this post for further reading.
This branch of research is new, so there appears to be no absolute conclusive information, but it is gaining traction, so more and more research will continue to be done.
What is the microbiome?
This is the collective name given for the 100 trillion bacteria, viruses and fungi making themselves at home in our guts. It’s total mass can also weigh upto 4lb!
Are we born with microbiomes in our guts?
Babies appear to get their microbiomes in a number of ways, one study has found a baby’s microbiome can be similar to bacteria in mum’s mouth, suggestion is that when mums swallow, those microbiomes then find their way to babe via the placenta or amniotic fluid. Born naturally babies pick up gut microbiome on their way out to the bit wide world. Then if breasfed, Mums pass on a carbohydrate which feeds the microbiome babies have. It seems babies’ microbiomes can change dramatically until they are about 3 years old, when the microbiome becomes more stable.
Do we all have the same microbiome?
No, it appears not, even twins can have a different microbiome. And it get’s weirder – even if we did all have identical microbiomes, they would not necessarily have the same effect on any of us – I find that really weird – I mean, we take a paracetamol and my headache will go away, just as yours will!
Are our microbiomes good or bad?
We have good and bad strolling around inside our guts! Although it might be all about balance.
So, what does this microbiome do for us?
A healthy system helps to digest food, helps our immune system, makes vitamins, can improve arthritis and skin conditions. And guess what, it can have an effect on our appetite as well!
How to improve our microbiomes?
It’s all about giving the microbiomes some food – think of them as your pets! And even though we might all react differently to the same microbiomes, the scientific bods out there have come up with some good principles, especially if we want to improve our digestion and/or lose weight:
- Eat a varied range of plant-based foods – this creates a diverse community in which different microbes feed on different foods
- Eat more fibre – fruit, veggies, pulses, nuts and wholegrains – don’t be alarmed if you get wind and bloating it’s natural – lessen the effects by increasing fibre gradually.
- Avoid highly processed food – seems to suppress the good microbes, and increases the baddies
- probiotics such as live yoghurt might encourage more microbes to grow
- Extra-virgin olive oil has the highest number of microbe friendly chemicals called polyphenols – so use this over other fats when you can
- Try to stay away from antibiotics if you can – make sure they are absolutely necessary before you start a course, take the shortest course your doctor will prescribe (although always, ALWAYS finish the course prescribed), follow all above steps with a vengence when taking antibiotics – antibiotics kill loads of bacteria – as is there job, but in so doing, they kill of loads of goodies as well, and guess what – as already mentioned, your microbiome helps the immune system, so that makes your more prone to illness
Probiotics vs Prebiotics
This has always confused me, though I think I’ve finally got it! Here is an explanation:
Prebiotics – food fertilisers – these fertilise our existing gut bacteria and help to encourage diversity of microbes – comes from complex carbs like veggies and wholegrains
Probiotics – Foods or suppliments that contain live bacteria which may be beneficial to us, ie live yoghurts, some cheeses and fermented foods (think blue cheese and sauerkraut – actually I think they might work well together :D)
Conclusion
We will need to wait for those scientific bods to carry on with their testing and reporting, it is a relatively new branch of research, but it is exciting. Who knows, in ten or twenty years down the line they might have a pill which contains just the right bacteria to suppress our appetites 😀
In the meantime, it does seem that we can help our microbiomes, and in turn they will help us to become healthier individuals.
Loads of interesting links I’ve been reading:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25603-babys-first-gut-bacteria-may-come-from-mums-mouth/
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190212-could-gut-bacteria-microbes-make-you-fat
https://www.livescience.com/65737-how-diet-affects-gut-microbioime.html
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/what_should_you_eat_for_a_healthy_gut
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6306821/
Stories about your gut bacteria
Trying to lose! 