How to Repair the Microbiome

The microbiome is like a microscopic city living right inside of your body! In this city, microbes such as different types of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and their genes are all sharing your body space. Your microbial city needs to be structured so that it benefits your health. If you don't take care of your residents and the city, the city can be overrun and overtaken. This can lead to various health issues, such as digestive issues, gas, bloating, IBS, mental health issues, anxiety, fatigue, skin conditions, and more. So how do we take care of and repair our microbiome?

First of all, it is important to note that your microbiome is unique to you. What foods work for you may not work for another individual, and vice versa. This being said, it can be beneficial to understand what may be harming your microbiome. Refined sugars (candy, protein bars with a lot of sugar, soda, sauces, pastries, etc.), overconsumption of alcohol, anxiety and stress, antibiotic use, a lack of proper nutrients in the diet, unhealthy eating patterns, smoking and/or vaping, lack of sleep, and a lack of exercise can all contribute to an unhappy microbiome. This can be a tough reality to face as our cravings can feel controlling! There's a reason for that.

One reason that you may have cravings is because when your microbiome is hijacked, the unhealthy bacteria overtake. When these overtake, it sends signals to your mind along the gut-brain axis and, in a way, it tries to tell you what to go get more of. In other words, if I crave unwholesome foods more often than not, it's more than likely that the bad bacteria in my gut have overtaken and are giving directions on what they want to eat. This can be an issue for many reasons, and one reason is that 90% of your serotonin (which regulates mood, sleep, digestion, and more) is produced in the gut. Now, if the gut is compromised, it may be sending signals to the brain that are out of sync with your body's natural balance, potentially causing more harm. In contrast, when your microbiome is healthy and operating at its optimum, it sends signals to your brain that are in sync with supporting your overall wellbeing! One way can send the body into a downward spiral, the other helps to improve the body's overall mood, hormones, energy, and mental health.

For this reason, your microbiome has an investment in maintaining a healthy brain, as they collaborate to maintain a high level of functioning. This is a part of the gut-brain axis, where bidirectional communication between them needs to remain clear to function at its optimum. Because your microbiome influences so much of your behavior, thoughts, and can influence your emotions, you want to be able to nurture and take care of yourself. To improve and repair a microbiome, our holistic nutritionists & herbalists here at Nexxus Prime advocate for the following:

• Eat a Diet Rich in Fiber: Fiber promotes regularity, acts as a prebiotic, feeds the "good" bacteria in the gut, and helps with weight management.

• Probiotics and Prebiotics: These play a crucial role for overall wellness, supporting the growth of "good" bacteria. Prebiotics feed the probiotics to work in collaboration to restore a healthy balance of gut flora. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are all foods rich in prebiotics that help your system to come back to life. Probiotic foods include cottage cheese, aged cheese, yogurt, gouda, Swiss cheese, miso, kefir, kimchi, garlic, asparagus, and sauerkraut.

• Reflect & Release: Taking time to meditate, reflect, and let go of attachment to the outcome may help with releasing anxiety. Stress can negatively impact your microbiome and trigger inflammation in the body. By allowing yourself some time to practice observing your emotions without believing that you are your emotions, you allow yourself a space to decide how to move forward. Yoga, mindful meditation, or talking with a trusted friend are just some of the ways one can find to destress.

• Exercise: Research has shown that exercise appears to have a positive impact on your microbiome. Moderate physical activity enhances its diversity and function, and increases the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the gut. It also helps to improve mood, nutrient absorption, and helps to reduce inflammation. Hiking, running, weightlifting, cycling, swimming, yoga, etc. are all associated with positive influence on your microbiome.

• Limit Alcohol & Refined Sugars: Alcohol and/or refined sugars can wreak havoc on your microbiome. It disrupts the bacterial balance and increases the "bad guys" in the gut. It's like Gotham being hijacked by the Joker and Bane, and the more alcohol and sugar consumed, the more villains hijack portions of the city and take control of key locations in the body. Left unchecked, this can lead to pathogens, kill beneficial bacteria, and lead to various health consequences. It also may lead to weight gain, metabolic disorders, aging more rapidly, and affect immune function.

• Practice Self-Reflection: Since the gut microbiome can influence aspects of mental health, it may be wise to have daily self check-ins. Self-reflection allows one to deeply reflect on one's own thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviors so as to examine extensive motivations. This process can help one to understand the underlying programming that is running in the background so as to consciously decide one's own values and how to interact with the world. It can also lead to facilitating changed patterns of behavior, which can lead to consciously choosing a healthier lifestyle and potentially finding deeper meaning to life.

While all of the above are suggestions and we encourage you to discuss any health decisions with your primary care provider, adjusting course so that the microbiome can flourish has the potential to generate positive impacts on your life. By nourishing it with "good" bacteria, eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and certain fermented foods, the microbiome can begin to rebalance and repair. Regular moderate exercise and self-reflection can also significantly support your overall wellness.

As always, wishing you great mental clarity and happiness!

Image provided by Unsplash By Elena Mozhvilo