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How Do the Microbes in Your Digestive Tract Affect Your Health?

How Do the Microbes in Your Digestive Tract Affect Your Health?

Our bodies are filled with microbes, including bacteria, fungi and viruses. The complete collection of microbes in our body is called our “microbiome”. It is unique to us and is believed to affect our health in many different ways.

In our intestines, the most abundant microbe is bacteria. There is currently great scientific interest in whether these bacteria might somehow play a role in either causing disease or preventing it. Michael Snyder, PhD, Director of Stanford University’s Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine says, “There’s a good chance your microbiome is associated with every disease you can think of. And the area where bacteria have a huge impact is your gut.”

The Role of Gut Bacteria

Gut bacteria are absolutely essential to our lives and our health. Gut bacteria help us digest our food, make vitamins and signal immune responses. Scientists have discovered that everyone’s collection of gut bacteria is unique, and those with diseases often have a different amount or combination of gut bacteria than people without those diseases. The goal of current research is to discover what mix of bacteria healthy people have versus the mix that people with disease have, and to find ways to improve the mix for better health. In this way, doctors might also be able to detect certain diseases earlier, leading to more effective treatment.

Which Diseases May Be Linked to Gut Bacteria?

Scientists are still exploring this question, but studies have shown an association between gut bacteria and obesity, Chron’s disease, colon cancer, ulcerative colitis, and diabetes. One recent study showed that people with more of a certain inflammatory bacteria in their gut and fewer of another kind of beneficial bacteria are more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis.

Interestingly, gut bacteria may even be connected with cognitive and psychological disorders such as depression, ADD, anxiety, autism, OCD and Alzheimer’s disease. This connection may be due to the gut microbes’ ability to create molecules that impact brain function.

How Can We Improve Our Mix of Gut Bacteria to Achieve Better Health?

Rigorous research into the human microbiome is still in its infancy. However, it is safe to say that not all types and combinations of intestinal bacteria are created equal when it comes to their effect on our broader health. There is also some evidence that we may be able to influence the mix of microbes in our gut through our food choices.  Just to be clear—this is NOT to say that changing any one particular aspect of your diet—substituting one sort of food for another, for instance—will result in a cure for any particular disease. However, do we know enough about a healthy overall diet and its impact on our body’s function and well-being to be able to recommend lowering sugar intake (sugar, bread, pasta, potatoes) and increasing fruits, vegetables, lean meats and healthy fats (olive oil, avocados, etc.). These changes contribute to a healthier nutritional profile, which clearly leads to better overall health and weight maintenance.

Some nutritional experts also recommend eating fermented foods containing live active cultures (such as yogurt, kimchee, kefir, miso, kombucha and sauerkraut) or taking probiotic supplements to support the colonies of “good” bacteria that live inside your gut. If you do choose to take probiotic supplements, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

  • The probiotic supplement you choose must contain the right strains of bacteria to promote good health.
  • The probiotic supplement must be of a good quality so that the bacteria strains they contain are active when you take them.
  • Your digestive system is a very hostile environment. For probiotic supplements to do any good, enough of the good bacteria in them must be able to reach your intestines alive.

Nutrition can be a very complex subject, and our understanding of it is constantly evolving based on scientific research and clinical experience. If you’re interested in learning more about nutrition and health, please call us at Oblander Chiropractic at 406-652-3553 or visit our office!

 

 

Can Food Choices Really Affect the Composition of the Microbes in Your Gut?

Can Food Choices Really Affect the Composition of the Microbes in Your Gut?

????????????????They say you are what you eat, but can your diet really have an impact on the microbes that live in your digestive tract? While thinking about the millions of microscopic life forms (collectively called the human microbiota) living in your gut might make you feel a bit squeamish, this topic has fueled a considerable body of research. The results strongly suggest that a person’s food choices do have a significant impact on their microbiota. And that this microbiota in turn has a real impact on their overall health and wellness.

Diet and Microbiota Content

One of the more recent studies that show the relationship between diet and microbiota was conducted in 2014 by researchers at Duke and Yale. In this study, researchers compared the microbiota of a group of volunteers. For five days, the volunteers limited their diet to rice and vegetables. After eating their regular diet for a week, the volunteers then spent another five days eating only animal and fatty products. The results showed that only three days after each dietary change there was a significant variation in the type of microbiota present.

A Gut-Friendly Diet

Even though the microbes in your gut are tiny, they can have a big influence on your health, particularly when it comes to digestion. Diets that are high in sugar, animal fats, and processed foods provide nourishment for the unhealthy microbes that cause digestive issues. Unfortunately, these foods are also a large part of the standard American diet. It comes as no surprise, then, that doctors see millions of patients every year for issues such as heartburn, bloating, constipation, irritable bowels, and diarrhea. Changing your diet to include foods that encourage a healthy balance of microbes can help keep you at your best.

Keep the following in mind when building a gut-friendly diet:

  1. Limit foods that are processed and high in sugar. Cutting off this food source helps to keep unhelpful bacteria in check.
  2. Increase your intake of beans, seeds, nuts, vegetables, and fruits. These foods help to increase the amount of “good” bacteria.
  3. Consider probiotic foods. Foods that are considered probiotic (such as kefir or Greek yogurt) contain live bacteria. These microorganisms help to supplement the good bacteria already in your digestive system and can help to tip the balance in your favor. Probiotics can be particularly helpful after a round of antibiotics, which can negatively impact your microbiota balance.

Your chiropractor can be a helpful resource when working to build a diet that is friendly to your digestive system. Because chiropractic care puts a special focus on lifestyle choices, your chiropractor can provide you with targeted feedback on how your food choices are impacting your overall health. Your chiropractor will work with you to build a food plan that improves your well-being in all areas, including your microbe balance.

Making food choices that positively impact the life inside of you can significantly improve your well-being. Keep your microbiota in mind when choosing your next meal: your digestive system will thank you!