Hey there, gut explorers! Welcome back to MicroBioMe insights. Today, on Day 4, we’re diving deep into the fascinating relationship between our gut microbiomes and our overall health.
We already know that the trillions of microbes living in our gut play a huge role in digestion. But did you know they also impact everything from our immune system to our mood? In this post, we’ll explore how a healthy gut microbiome can help prevent diseases, boost our mental health, and even influence our weight.
Today will help us with a possible Lab investigaion that i might create later on in this research journey.
So, get ready for some exciting discoveries as we uncover just how important these tiny microbes are for our health. Let’s get started!
First lets start with what i found to be the most important term: Dysmbiosis: is refered to as an unhealthy microbiome.
We can classify it using three things:
1-Decrease in beneficial bacteria
2- A higher amount in pathogenic bacteria
3-Decrease in Biodiversity — Hugher biodiveristy is considered to be healthy
Gut Microbiome+Weight
Weight may be impacted by your gut microbiome: Gut dysbiosis, which is the imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria, may be linked to weight gain.
I have done alot of research on studies that can prove this to us and i found numerous studies on identical twins, one of whom had obesity and the other did not, had a significant different gut microbiomes. This proved that variations in the microbiome were not caused by genetics.
It’s interesting to note that in one study that i found, mice that received the microbiome of the obese twin gained more weight than mice that received the microbiome of the other twin, even though both groups had the same diet.
These findings suggest that dysbiosis of the microbiota may play apart to weight gain.
Nonetheless, the microbiome’s helpful microorganisms can better ones gut health.
Probiotics and yogurt contain Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, which can aid in sealing the spaces between intestinal cells to stop leaky gut syndrome.
Also capable of preventing and stopping harmful bacteria from sticking to the gut wall are these bacteria.
In actuality, consuming probiotics that contain Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria can lessen the symptoms of IBS which is a common condiiton in the digestive system.
This images shows the difference in gut microbiomes between two different body types, this is a visual exmaple of how different microbiomes can result in effects to human weight.
Mental Health Boost
When i saw that there was a link to mental health from the gut microbiome, it immedieately cauught my attention. How could our mental health be affected by these small bacteria. So ofcourse i researched it so let me explain the connection.
Mental Health Advantage: The gut-brain axis is refering to the detailed relationship between the gut and the brain. Our gut microbes create neurotransmitters like serotonin, which have an impact on our mental and emotional states. Anxiety and depression can be lessened with a healthy gut.
Studies have shown that people with depression often have a different gut microbiome composition compared to those without depression, this can also connect back to the study about the twins and shows us that our gut microbiomes can effect more than we think. This means that the type of bacteria in our gut can actually influence how we feel. After finding all this out i realize how important it is to maintain a healthy gut micorbiome.
How can we prevent these negative things from happening?
Healthy gut microbiome= happy life, once healthy diet is established the human gut microbiome starts to get healther and this decreases the risks of possible diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. There are some beenficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli which can improve gut health.
According to doctors specifically Dr. Usama Warshow who i was so lucky to connect with states that the list below is what is considered to be an essenital diet to keeping your gut microbiomes healthy!
- fermented foods containing probiotics: “live active cultures”,
- fibre,
- prebiotics,
- resistant starch,
- fruits and vegetables,
Why are they good for us? Well i was thinking the same thing. They are good for us because certain foods are great for gut health because they support beneficial and helpful bacteria. Fermented foods like yogurt add probiotics(good bacteria), while fiber from whole grain like beans and veggies feeds these bacterias. There are many more reasons although the overacrching reason is that these foods help maintain a balanced gut microbiome, boost digestion, immunce function and overall health.
I added more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to my diet. After a week, I noticed an increase in beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. These good guys love fiber and thrive when we eat it.
I cut down on sugary snacks and drinks. This helped reduce the growth of harmful bacteria that can cause gut dysbiosis. Less sugar meant a healthier balance of gut microbes.