The last ten years have seen an explosion of research regarding the microbiome. Researchers speculate that every human cell interacts with the the millions of bacteria and other microbes that live in our bodies with us. Called gut flora or the gut microbiome, this complex array of microbes has far reaching effects on our health. Maintaining a healthy microbiome is important for immunity, mental health, weight management, and metabolism.

Gut Health and Weight Loss

Researchers are studying how having a population of beneficial gut bacteria can help people lose weight. There seem to be clear links between the both the quality and quantity of microbes in the gut and the body’s response to food. It may be that some people have more efficient systems than others, and can utilize more of the energy in their food. Although efficiency is usually seen as a positive thing, in this case it works against you. If you have an extremely efficient metabolism and can use every bit of what you eat, you are going to gain weight, because we have too much food, packed with too much fat, carbohydrates, and protein, too easily available to us. Furthermore, the actual interactions between our microbes, our environment, and our metabolism are too complex at this point to draw any conclusions about specific things to change. There are researchers exploring the potentials of very individualized diet programs based on the specific interactions between gut microbes and the individual genetic composition of each person, but these approaches are still in their infancy. At this point we don’t know exactly what is good and what is bad because studies sometimes show the same bacteria behaving in different ways in different individuals exposed to different diets. 

Gut Bacteria

So what can a person do with this information? There are a few simple and commonsense recommendations for improving the health of your gut microbiome without going after any extreme treatments. First of all, get proper sleep. There is evidence that the maintenance of a healthy microbiome is tied to our circadian rhythms, and sleep and rest are crucial. Interrupted sleep does lead to metabolic disorders. Intermittent fasting, which is not eating for a certain set number of hours (12 or 16 are common numbers), allows the gut to rest as well. Skipping the snacks at night allows your whole body to rest and heal. 

Next, eat a wide variety of high fiber foods. There is conflicting evidence about what exactly will feed the bacteria in our guts in the best way (for example, if you have irritable bowel syndrome or sensitivities to certain foods more fiber is not necessarily what you need), but a recommendation to eat a wider variety of fruits and vegetables is generally beneficial to increasing the number and variety of microbes in your gut. Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables as your regular routine is more beneficial than the occasional fruit and veggie binge. The microbiome is constantly changing, and adapts to your “new normal.” So make your normal rich in many kinds of fruits and vegetables. 

You may not know that exercise will also have an effect on your gut microbiome, but it does! One interesting study (of rodents) suggests that exercise alters your microbiome in a completely different way than diet does, which means that exercise can be an important part of maintaining health. Both diet and exercise are important parts of a healthy lifestyle, and exercise does not have to mean brutal workouts either. Finding a way to stretch, or walk, or do some weight training will benefit your health. Make it your goal to move your body every day. 

Last, find ways to add probiotics to your food. Probiotics are the bacteria that have been deemed helpful. Many of them are strains of lactobacillus, which are commonly found in fermented dairy products like yogurt and kefir. Choosing a high quality probiotic supplement is one way to introduce these bacteria to your gut, and eating a wide variety of fermented foods in another. Try different yogurts, kefirs, sauerkrauts, kimchis, and pickles, and keep switching them up so that you encourage diversity.

If you have any questions about the role gut bacteria play in your health, ask your chiropractor. They are there to support you on your health journey in every way!