Microbiome: What you need to know

Microbiome is a new buzzword that is being said all over, but what does it really mean? And why should you care? 

The microbiome technically means a habitat for bacteria, but is more commonly referring to the bacteria that live inside of your digestive system. There is so much to learn about the microbiome, and it is a relatively new science. This means that everything we know is rapidly changing as more research is done. One new thing that is really cool is that you have many different microbiomes within your body! The one in your gut is currently the most popular, but there is a completely different set of bacteria that live on your skin, and different ones that live in your heart! 

The most mind-boggling thing that I have learned about the microbiome is that the number of bacteria that live in your body actually outnumber the amount of human cells you have by 10 to 1! You are technically really only 1/10th human! For clarification, this refers to the number of cells, not mass. The bacteria only weigh anywhere between 2 and 6 pounds. 

We are going to focus on the gut microbiome for now, there is so much to learn here! To be clear, when I write "gut," I mean your digestive tract, your stomach, small intestine, large intestine, etc. By eating probiotics, you will ensure that you have a healthy batch of bacteria in your gut. Probiotics are like starter bacteria. Once they colonize your gut, they will set up shop and can stay there for a while, as long as you also eat prebiotics, the food for the bacteria. 

Some popular PROBIOTICS:

Yogurt

Sauerkraut

Kimchi

Pickles

Kombucha

Some popular PREBIOTICS:

Bananas

Garlic

Onions

Leeks

Asparagus

Eating a variety of these foods and other foods will help expand and keep your microbiome healthy. Another simple way to keep yourself healthy is to go for a walk somewhere you have never been before. This exposes you to different kinds of bacteria, without you even knowing it! Normally, I would also recommend that a little dirt is not a bad thing so don't go too nuts on washing your vegetables or using copious amounts of hand sanitizer, but we are in the middle of a pandemic, so use your head. 

Why You Should Care:

- Mental Health

    It is thought that gut bacteria have a hand in creating serotonin, the stuff that helps keep your brain happy and staves off depression and anxiety. It can also help your stress levels. Fecal transfers from outgoing mice to shy mice made them more outgoing and willing to take risks.

- Keeps Your Digestion Normal

    Having an unhealthy microbiome can lead to digestion discomfort (or tummy troubles), such as gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea. Ensuring that you have the correct amount of the good bacteria is key here. This is why yogurt is so good for your digestion. Yogurt contains bifidobacteria and lactobacilli which can help allieviate symptoms of leaky guy syndrome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.   

- Weight Loss

    Fecal transfers done from a skinny mouse to a fat mouse actually caused the fat mouse to lose weight without any additional interventions on the diet. We know too much of a good thing can be bad. Too much bacteria in your gut is called dysbiosis and can lead to weight gain. So, having the right amount of bacteria is thought to keep you at a healthy weight.  

If you are concerned about your microbiome and are curious if yours is healthy, you can actually send a stool sample out to get tested! Search for "microbiome at home testing" and many different options will pop up. Typically, you order a test, send in a sample, and then you will get a report back about what's in your body and recommendations. It is similar to the ancestry/genetic test kits that are also popular. 

I could go on and on about the microbiome. It's really cool and the science is so new, it's changing daily. There is a lot more to learn, I hope I sparked your curiosity!  

Learn More Here:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gut-microbiome-and-health#TOC_TITLE_HDR_10

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-human-microbiome-project-defines-normal-bacterial-makeup-body

https://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/some-of-my-best-friends-are-germs/

https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/2016/07/what-is-the-gut-microbiome/#:~:text=Summary,immune%20function%20and%20brain%20health

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/19-best-prebiotic-foods#section7