Gut Microbiome -What is it?
If you’re feeling late to the party when it comes to gut health and the Gut Microbiome, read on to discover this ‘black box’ of health, and why dietary fiber is fundamental for the overall health of our bodies and minds?
Your gut microbiome is as unique as a fingerprint, composed of hundreds of different bacterial species. The number of bacteria fluctuates throughout the day and is always shifting as old cells die off and new ones take their place. The good news? This ever-changing ecosystem is highly responsive, meaning your gut health can improve with the right live cultures, fiber and other dietary choices.
So, this might not be the sexiest subject matter, but it’s crucial to know why this seemingly ‘off limits’ subject needs your attention.
The evacuation of waste is vital in order to maintain a healthy colon and therefore a healthy body. If this gut environment becomes compromised, it will inevitably lead to a catalogue of health issues, which are entirely preventable. If any of the following conditions apply to you, you should be paying attention!
- Very fast or very slow transit time (should be around 24 hours) or other IBS symptoms
- Multiple bowel movements every day (upwards of 4 or 5)
- Regular diarrhoea or constipation, inflammatory bowel disease (coeliac etc)
- Mood issues, fatigue, poor memory, behavioural problems, inability to focus or concentrate, brain fog
- Joint pain, arthritis, chronic pain, fibromyalgia
- Skin or respiratory conditions
- Autoimmune conditions
- High blood pressure, diabetes
- Acid reflux, the list goes on….
What is The Gut microbiome?
In order to be healthy humans, we need a healthy gut microbiome to accomplish that goal. This incredible environment mirrors an ecosystem similar to a lush rainforest or jungle, teaming with life and diversity.
This microbiome is made up of around 50 trillion microbes, bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses which reside within the large intestine. Every living thing, which includes plants, foods, animals, insects (and us), are covered in microbes and have a microbiome. It’s possibly the most important aspect of health which the medical world widely ignores.
In the past ten years or so, it has been studied extensively. We now know this environment influences and supports EVERY part of the human body, from hormone regulation and weight, to the immune system and everything in between. If not nurtured and cared for, our bodies can quickly become a hotbed of diverse symptoms and disease due to the make up of our gut microbiome.
To encourage this lush jungle of diversity, it’s vital to encourage and feed the good microbes and bacteria, in order to keep the others under control. If we persistently feed the negative microbes such as fungi, bacteria and parasites we increase their communities which can become destructive to body and mind.
Where does the Immune System live?
Immune cells form in bone marrow, then migrate to the gut and take up residence in the walls of the intestine, because this is the most vulnerable part of the body. This is where we come into contact with the outside world, the place where it’s decided whether certain molecules can be absorbed into the bloodstream to gain access to all the major organs. As such, we need a barrier of protection to section off the inside of the intestines and the blood stream, keeping them separate.
This protective barrier (the epithelial layer) is fragile. It’s made up of only a single layer of cells which are held together by a kind of cement called ‘Tight Junctions’. On one side is around 70% of your immune system and on the other side are 50 trillion microbes, and when this barrier breaks down, these microbes, bacteria and even undigested molecules of food, can now pass freely into the bloodstream, forcing the immune system to react, causing allergies and any number of other physical and mental health conditions.
What started in the 20th Century and continues today is chronic inflammation, and chronic inflammation is the result of that broken barrier. When it breaks down, all manner of things get access to our body and brain which shouldn’t get access. The result is the immune system remains continually active and is responding to these ‘toxins’ entering the blood stream.
How does fiber impact the microbiome?
Our digestive system relies entirely on gut microbes to process fiber, as we don’t have the enzymes to break it down ourselves. However, if the microbiome is compromised due to a lack of fiber consumption, these essential microbes for fiber digestion become deficient.
Just like us, all microbes need food to survive, and each community has different preferences. By that I mean, not all microbes like spinach for example, and not all microbes like sugar. Therefore, a diverse diet is crucial to nurture this lush ‘jungle’ of microbial communities.
If diet is lacking the necessary fiber to let these microbes thrive, our ability to break it down becomes compromised.
Incidentally, you will likely find if you’re trying to introduce more fiber to your diet, it can be quite uncomfortable. This is because our gut microbes learn and adapt based on the foods we eat. A bit like lifting weights, you can’t go straight in with the heavy stuff, you need to build it up. So a gradual approach allows them to acclimatise to these dietary changes. So, slow and steady over coming weeks and months is a good idea!
Short Chain Fatty Acids
These include butyrate, acetate and propionate, and these short chain fatty acids help repair the ‘tight junctions’ in the gut barrier. They also have access to the blood stream, and can reach every part of the body including the brain. By eating plenty fiber, we know these short chain fatty acids are produced by microbes and have massive healing effects throughout the body.
So, fiber plays a crucial role in repairing that epithelial barrier, and can help drive down inflammation. It’s win win!
So, which foods contain fiber?
Simply put, if it came from the ground or fell from a tree then it counts! The best sources of dietary fibre include;
- All fruits and vegetables
- Legumes, pulses, lentils and beans
- Nuts and seeds
- Chia seeds
- Whole grains such as whole wheat, oats and barley
Refined processed foods like canned fruits and vegetables, pulp-free juices, white breads, pasta, and non-whole-grain cereals are low in fiber. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content. Enriched foods have some of the B vitamins and iron added back after processing, but not the fiber.
Therefore, eating a ‘beige diet’ devoid of whole foods and good quality fruits and vegetables is not going to serve you well.
It’s also crucial to stay hydrated. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky.
Conclusion
It’s a big topic!
But understanding the dynamic nature of this unique organ is vital to our physical and mental health. By constantly nurturing microbial populations, we can learn to cultivate a thriving ecosystem within ourselves. We have the power to create a lush jungle environment, teeming with beneficial microbes flooding our systems.
Instead, many unwittingly destroy that eco system to resemble an overgrown park at the end of the street (with weeds and a few broken swings)!
Chronic inflammation will continue to damage ‘tight junctions’ so it’s crucial to address the sources of that inflammation. If not, the entire body and organs can be exposed to rogue disrupters like bacteria, viruses, and food molecules. By encouraging these kinds of microbes, we quickly become allergic and symptomatic as these disrupters travel around the bloodstream causing chaos resulting in an unhappy body and mind.
In essence, by embracing the role of the microbiome, increasing fiber and identifying allergies and intolerances, we hold the key to good functioning systems throughout the body, rewarding us with strong physical and mental well being. What’s not to love!