Our gut is a foundation to a healthier and happier version of you. Whether you’re wanting better digestion, clearer skin, more energy, or a more balanced mood, none of this will happen without a happy gut. 

You need those trillions of microorganisms for nutrient synthesis (like B vitamins & vitamin K), neurotransmitter production (like dopamine & serotonin), detoxification (of drugs, estrogen, & toxins), immune function, & more!

These trillions of microorganisms include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes. These microorganisms form distinct biomes in various parts of our body, each playing a critical role in maintaining our health and helping us feel good.

You can think of the gut biome as a foundational biome for its role in maintaining the health of other biomes, as it continues to influence other biomes through the migration of microbes and metabolites via the bloodstream, skin contact, and respiratory pathways.

What are these ‘other’ biomes we are talking about?

1️⃣ Skin Biome: The skin is home to various microorganisms that protect against pathogens, regulate skin health, and aid in wound healing.

2️⃣ Oral Biome: The mouth contains a diverse community of microbes that help in digestion, prevent tooth decay, and maintain oral health.

3️⃣ Vaginal Biome: This biome is crucial for maintaining a healthy vaginal environment, preventing infections, and supporting reproductive health.

4️⃣ Respiratory Biome: Found in the nasal passages and lungs, this biome helps protect against respiratory infections and maintains respiratory health.

Causes of Gut Biome Dysregulation

When the gut microbiome gets shifted out of balance, it’s called dysbiosis. It can happen because: 

• Antibiotics: While antibiotics are crucial for fighting bacterial infections, they also kill beneficial gut bacteria, leading to dysbiosis. Overuse of antibiotics can result in long-term gut health issues.

• Viruses: Certain viral infections can alter the gut microbiota, weakening the immune system and affecting overall gut health.

• Low Fiber Diet: Fiber is essential for gut health as it feeds beneficial bacteria. A diet low in fiber can starve these bacteria, reducing their numbers and diversity.

• Processed Foods: These foods often contain artificial additives and lack the nutrients needed to support a healthy microbiome. They can promote the growth of harmful bacteria and contribute to dysbiosis.

Research shows that disruptions in the gut microbiome are associated with conditions that affect digestion, metabolism, weight, blood sugar, and even neurological health. Hormonal balance (especially estrogen levels) can be directly linked to gut health. Poor gut health can lead to the recirculation of estrogens, estrogen dominance, and all of the problems that follow.

The best way to know is to test. 

Top 5 Foods and Beverages to Feed a Healthy Biome

Your gut microbiome is working on your behalf to keep you healthy all day every day. Here are some things you can do for it!

🥗 Fermented Foods: Foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi are rich in probiotics, which introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut.

🥗 Fiber-Rich Foods: Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains provide prebiotics that feed beneficial gut bacteria.

🥗 Garlic and Onions: These contain prebiotic fibers and antimicrobial properties that support gut health by promoting good bacteria and inhibiting harmful ones.

🥗  Polyphenol-Rich Foods: Foods such as berries, nuts, seeds, and green tea are high in polyphenols, which promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.

🥗 Bone Broth: Rich in collagen and amino acids, bone broth supports gut lining health and overall digestive function.

🏃‍♂️ Get Regular Exercise: Exercise (as long as it is not training to exhaustion) benefits the diversity of the gut microbiome

💤 Honor Your Circadian Rhythm: Unnatural disruptions in the sleep-wake cycle or short duration of sleep may alter the gut microbiome and intestinal health.

The benefit of doing these things?

Better digestion, stronger immune system, healthier metabolism, sharper brain function, and overall wellness.

Understanding the interplay between our entire body and our microbiome helps us make informed choices to improve our health form the inside out. 

If you want to test your biome with a comprehensive functional test to know what is specifically going on in your gut, how to heal the root issue, and get set up for long term success, fill out our short online application and we will call you back.