Published on Aqua-Biome
Did you know that you have a second brain?
You do — but it’s probably not at all what you think. Your second brain lives in your gut and is comprised of billions upon billions of bacteria, lovingly referred to by medical researchers as your ‘microbiome.’ It has a big influence on your body’s most important processes, including your metabolism and immune system, as well as mental health and neurological disorders like depression and Parkinson’s Disease. The importance of your gut health cannot be understated, but the numbers make it clear: the amount of bacteria living in the colonies within your intestines far exceeds than any other type of cell in your body combined.
It shouldn’t surprise you that brain health and gut health are closely related. You can strengthen your brain by drilling it through exercises and reading books, but it’s a little more difficult to exercise your gut (and abdominal crunches just don’t suit this purpose). This is where diet comes in, for both your brain and gut: the foods we eat (and just as importantly, the foods we don’t eat) play a huge role in the composition and variety of your microbiome, affecting your predisposition to different diseases and conditions, like obesity. Your diet also helps — or hurts — the communication between your brain and microbiome, which creates a holistic, healthy human experience.
The importance of diet is clear, and those who consider themselves well-informed may implement a regimen of supplements to keep their gut health in check. A big player in this area is the prolific ‘probiotic.’ Probiotics are supplements of ‘good bacteria,’ most often taken in pill form with the intention of re-colonizing and balancing a person’s gut microbiome. The effectiveness of probiotics, however, is limited. Many of the ingested bacteria simply pass through the digestive system without ever attaching or colonizing to the intestinal lining. Probiotics help, but they aren’t magic.
The most effective way of boosting, balancing and nourishing your gut microbiome, so that you achieve glowing health from the inside out, is living a healthy lifestyle and eating a varied, colorful, mostly plant-based diet. Still looking for a magic solution? Here are several ways to effectively nourish your microbiome without radically altering your lifestyle.
Try Some New Fermented Foods
Fermented foods have long been associated with a healthful life: what was originally developed as an ancient way to preserve food has become one of the most effective ways to nourish your gut bacteria. Fermented or pickled foods are rich in the types of healthy bacteria that our microbiome needs — and the great thing is that fermented foods act as both a probiotic and a prebiotic, meaning they provide the bacteria with the nutrients they need to thrive (rather than just supplying the bacteria themselves). Delicious foods like sugar-free yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, cheese, and miso can add a new, fun element to the cuisine you eat while leaving you feeling stronger afterward. Even alcohol and beer is fermented and can be considered healthy when ingested in small amounts, but where alcohol is concerned, the bad can quickly outweigh the good.
Get Your Omega-3’s
Studies show that omega-3 fatty acids are essential to the health of your microbiota by reducing stress on the gut, but the human body can’t produce these on its own. Some people can get enough omega-3’s from their food (fish and seeds are great suppliers of this nutrient), but many people find it beneficial to take a supplement alongside their healthy diet. As with a probiotic, omega-3 supplements have their limitations — mostly, the lack of DPA from the more common blend of EHA and DHA. DPA is important because it acts as the “missing link” for omega-3’s and can be converted into whichever form your microbiome needs (which, of course, changes day to day). If looking for more omega-3’s to round out a healthy gut, seek out a supplement with a balance of all three fatty acids.
Avoid Sweeteners, Sugars And Simple Carbs
Sugars and carbs are digested and absorbed too quickly by your body to be of any nourishment to your microbiome — not that they would do much good anyway. Sugar tends to feed the unfavorable bacteria in your body, leading to bloating, obesity and gluten intolerance. When the good bacteria are left hungry, they look elsewhere for nourishment: your intestinal lining. This condition is called Leaky Gut, and it can lead to food particles being released into your body. This causes a whole host of other problems — but besides avoiding a leaky gut, cutting out sugars and processed carbs is a well-known part of reducing calorie consumption. If you can replace these foods with a variety of different plants, leafy greens, and fruits, your entire body (including your microbiome) will be better for it.
Get A Little Dirty
Besides receiving a varied diet and consistently bathing your microbiome in new colonies of bacteria, the best thing you can do for your inner health is to avoid an overly sanitary environment. Sound a little counterproductive? If you think about it, using antibacterial sprays, wipes and over-washing your hands and body does not give your microbiome a chance to grow in a balanced way — and when it comes to things on a micro-scale, balance between good-and-bad is key. The use of antibiotic medicine is known to actively obliterate both good and bad bacteria, so it’s advised only to take that z-pack only when it’s truly necessary. On the other side of things, getting dirty has many proven benefits. Farmers are known to have more healthful microbiome due to their proximity to dirt and animals, but don’t rent a tractor just yet. By simply playing with a dog or repotting a plant, you’ll reap the same benefit — and if you have a new baby, you can give them a head start by breastfeeding for at least the first year (or as long as you can). Babies are born with near sterile microbiomes, and breastfeeding gives them a chance to grow their immune systems nice and strong.
