Bacteria is not a word we commonly associate with anything good. That is about to change. The relatively new microbiome science is working to uncover the effects of an unseen and very difficult to study ecosystem made up of trillions of microorganisms that live inside the human gut.
Freaky as this may sound it is really not bad. Research shows that all these bacteria, collectively, act like an extra vital organ. Studying them helps us understand some things better like mental and physical health, disease, the immune system, athletic performance, the metabolic rate in the human body and obesity and why it happens at all.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind: First, microbiome science is really young. It dates back to 2005, to the moment next generation genetic sequencing was invented and metagenomics, which allows us to study genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples, was born. Second, while microbiome science is advancing rapidly and new studies are coming out all the time, it is really difficult to study communities of bacteria inside the living human gut. It is even harder to test theories about them as ethical questions of patient discomfort and even harm have to be taken into account.
So, first the absolute basics. The colonies of bacteria that live in our gut are in a symbiotic relationship with us. That means that when they are in a homeostatic balance with the body they work hard to keep us alive. Here are some of the basic things we do know about them:
- There are 500 to 1,000 different strains of bacteria that live inside us. The exact combination of all these strains is different for each person but the way they combine constitutes a bacterial “fingerprint” that can identify an individual as uniquely as the swirls at the tip of our fingers.
- The gut bacteria is actually called microbiota and the term covers all the micro-organisms and viruses associated with the human gastrointestinal tract. The microbiome refers to the genetic make-up (the genes from all the all the bacteria, eukaryotes, archaea and viruses that live inside us) of the microbiota. It’s a bit like talking about the DNA of the bugs in our gut.
- There are about 39 trillion bacterial cells in the human body which means that there are as many bacterial cells in our gut as there are cells in the human body (approx. 37.2 trillion cells). The bacterial cells are smaller and lighter and in total, in an average 70kg person, weigh about 200g.
- The microbiome each individual has is partly inherited from their mother during birth but its composition (i.e. the number of each different strain of bacteria and its size) that forms the unique microbial fingerprint of each individual is shaped by a host of environmental and lifestyle factors which means we can take steps to improve it.
- The bacteria in our gut secrete a large number of different hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that travel throughout the body turning on and off different processes. Cortisol, to mention just one as an example, controls stress but it also controls blood sugar levels, regulates metabolism, helps reduce inflammation, and assists with memory formulation. Cortisol is a chemical messenger used by gut bacteria. The suggestion here, backed by current evidence, is that the bacteria in our gut plays a key role in anything that is affected by hormones which pretty much includes everything.
How The Microbiome Works
The sugar contained in our diet, the fiber found in the fruit and vegetables we eat, the protein meat is made of and the carbohydrates in bread and pasta are all broken down and used by the microbes in our gut. In fact everything we think of as food is processed by the bacteria in our gut. Some of it is broken down into nutrients which we can then be used by other organs in the body and some is consumed by the bacteria themselves so they can grow in number.
What studies have shown is that the microbiome depends on the food we eat and, in a complex feedback loop, secretes chemical messages that signal our brain to create cravings and make us pine for specific foods at specific times. This is why we can get the ‘munchies’ in the middle of the night and reach for a sugar-rich snack.
During pregnancy the female microbiome undergoes specific changes in preparation for birth when some of its strain is passed onto the newborn child. Pregnant women, famously, experience cravings for particular foods and, until now, there was no real idea why. Changes in the bacterial colonies in the gut that happen during pregnancy, apparently, change the balance of the bacterial populations. Larger bacterial populations become dominant and can then demand whatever type of foodstuff that particular bacterial strain processes which leads to food cravings.
Here are some of the things we do know about the way the microbiome works:
- Different types of gut bacteria process different types of food. Paradoxically the food we eat also affects the types of gut bacteria that thrive in our gut. Because the gut bacteria then produces the fundamental chemicals that drive our metabolism and muscles the food we eat is linked directly to our mental, psychological and physical health.
- The wrong type of food can turn good bacteria into bad. For instance refined sugar gives rise to the bacteria called Candida that weakens the lining of the gut. This allows bacteria to leak into the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body where they have no business being there. Inflammation of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), allergies and specific mental problems (like depression) have been linked with the condition.
- Gut bacteria are ultimately responsible for the chemicals that create glycolysis (the breaking down of carbohydrates) and the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) that powers each of our cells, generates muscle power and fuels our metabolism which in turn controls how our body handles food, stores fat and generally remains aline. In order for the gut to be able to produce the many different chemicals necessary to do all this there has to be a good level of diversity in the bacterial colonies in our gut. This requires variety in the food we eat (more about this a little further down this article).
- A healthy microbiome is associated with better emotional control, more energy, optimized cognitive functions, slower aging, better cardiovascular health, better quality of sleep and, overall, a better quality of life. Just like the live yeast that’s used to make bread the microbiome has a regular, cyclical rhythm in its activity and we feel that when at different times during the day we experience an ebb in our energy flow, feel fatigued and experience brain fog.
- Like every other vital organ in our body the microbiome can be damaged by antibiotics, pesticides, environmental pollutants, radiation (like that received in medical treatments) and a nutritionally poor diet.
The Microbiome and our Health
New studies are uncovering the central role that the microbiome plays in our health and the ways in which imbalances it experiences can make us sick. One area in particular, which affects hundreds of thousands of individuals, is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which is a disorder that covers many types of illness and has many different symptoms. Analysis of fecal matter in individuals that suffer from IBS showed consistent abnormalities in the microbiota it contained.
The activity of our gut bacteria is linked to our psychological and emotional state. Stress is an emotional response which expresses itself in physical symptoms all of which are rooted in hormones. Stress can harm the body by derailing the immune system. One study seeking to prove the link between gut bacteria and emotional states, like stress, which then affect behavior transplanted fecal microbiota from patients suffering with IBS to mice. The mice then went on to exhibit the same symptoms of anxiety, stress and faster transit of food through the body that the IBS patients suffered from.
The study makes mention of several red flags raised by imbalances in the bacterial populations in the gut and suggests that many common modern diseases may be traced directly to these imbalances once more studies are performed.
Here are some of the ways the microbiome directly affects our health:
- The microbiome not only controls our appetite but, as studies have shown, it can direct us on the type of food we need to eat to satisfy its needs. This raises the possibility that in situations where a person is overweight, remodeling the microbiome can lead to weight loss  .
- Learning, memory and decision making can be impaired by changes in the composition and diversity of the microbiome. Changes that are beneficial can lead to improved cognitive health while changes that adversely affect the physiology of the brain can impair many of its critical functions, particularly as we age  .
- Cell repair, the rate at which healing occurs and inflammation in tissues and organs of the human body are all governed by the surge and ebb of specific bacterial populations in our gut. The way that the microbiome affects healing is being studied with a view to find ways to help accelerate it when trauma occurs.
- Research suggests that the microbiome also plays a central role in the ageing process (itself part of the pathways that control the metabolism) with specific microbiome modulation leading to longevity in both human and animal trials.
- Recent research shows that endurance exercise and high intensity workouts elicit a number of adaptive responses from the body that include the correction of electrolyte imbalance, a decrease in glycogen storage and the increase of oxidative stress, intestinal permeability, muscle damage, and the systemic inflammatory response. This, in turn, modifies our gut bacteria and produces a number of positive microbiome changes . In addition, the microbiome itself, through specific types of gut bacteria appears to influence the VO2 max of individuals, directly affecting their cardiorespiratory fitness .
Factors that Affect the Health of the Microbiome
Much as the gut bacteria affect the human body at a physical, mental and psychological level they are affected, in turn, by a number of human-initiated factors.
In 2015 15,096 fecal, oral, and skin samples of bacteria provided by 11,336 people across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and 42 other countries were analyzed using genomic sequence that allowed the researchers to look for specific genetic markers. The action was the result of the American Gut Project set up by Rob Knight, Ph.D., from the University of California, in 2012 and its express purpose was to use new technologies to examine the impact of gut bacteria on physical and mental health.
The findings, published in the journal mSystems and reported in Medical News Today, strengthen what other studies have also indicated. Namely that a healthy microbiome requires bacterial diversity and for that to happen we have to eat up to 30 different types of plants each week. Because modern food production methods make use of pesticides and antiobiotics which affect the balance of the microbiome, diets that consist of organic food deliver measurable results in gut bacteria health and diversity.
Symptoms of an unhealthy microbiome
A large number of people suffer from an imbalance in their microbiome but the symptoms are not debilitating enough to warrant serious concern so most of us ignore them and learn to live with the discomfort. If it remains untreated long enough (and it may take years) it will lead to more serious health problems and diseases, obesity, premature aging and deep depression. If your microbiome can no longer do what it is supposed to do (produce the necessary hormones and protect your immune system) you may require medication to do it for you in the future.
If your microbiome has been damaged by poor diet and/or by a course of antibiotics you may experience the following symptoms.
- Difficulty losing weight.
- Chronic fatigue, inability to concentrate, brain fog.
- Irritability and/or depression.
- Digestive problems - chronic bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation.
- Bad skin, eczemas.
- Susceptibility to infection.
How to Fix an unhealthy microbiome
A gut microbiome is a living organism, it is a pool of bacteria both good and bad. In a body with a balanced microbiome the good bacteria outnumbers the bad and there is diversity in the type of bacteria overall. One way to fix a damaged microbiome is to use strong antiobiotics for a period of time to completely sterilize the gut and then to introduce new bacterial cultures there via a fecal transplant (that is exactly what it sounds like) which builds a more balanced bacterial culture, from scratch. Thankfully, there are various other methods to achieve this in a home environment without having to resort to such measures.
Try Intermittent Fasting. It affects the microbiome  and lowers blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation in the body. It helps accelerate cell repair, helps with weight loss  and even appears to contribute to longevity.
Eat organic, whenever possible. Buying organic food is pricey so the next best thing is to peel your fruit and vegetables whenever possible to remove some of the pesticide residue. Also choose more fruit and vegetables from what is known as the clean 15, foods that naturally contain lower levels of pesticides due to the lower pesticide use in their intensive farming process:
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Peas
Whenever budget allows buy the following fruit and vegetables from the organic section of your supermarket as their non-organic counterparts have shown to contain higher amounts of pesticides:
- Sweet Bell Peppers
Add probiotic and prebiotic foods into your diet. It can help modify gut bacteria populations and increase the diversity of types of bacteria in the gut . This helps the microbiome remain healthy.
Avoid relying on probiotics in pill form as they’ve been shown to have mixed results and instead opt-in for more natural sources . The best sources of natural probiotics are fermented foods with live bacteria already present. Most store-bought products have already been pasteurized to increase shelf-life. Unfortunately pasteurization removes all bacteria, beneficial or otherwise, so they do not contain probiotics (probio means “live”).
The best way to add live, good cultures to your microbiome (which will then help the existing ones multiply and thrive) is to make your own in a home environment. The two easiest ones to make is kefir and sauerkraut (recipe). You will need kefir seeds or live starter cultures (they can be purchased online - you can also ask a local dairy shop to give you some) to make kefir at home through fermentation of milk. Sauerkraut is made by fermenting cabbage with a use of salt and several days of fermentation at room temperature. Other well-known probiotics include: kimchi, yogurt, cheese, kombucha and miso. All probiotics have to be made at home in order to preserve the cultures that they inhabit. Commercial food health guidelines require the pasteurization of these products otherwise they cannot be sold.
All foods high in fiber are prebiotic (prebios means “before life”). They serve as the best type of food for your microbiome and it helps the “good guys” multiply and thrive. Here are some of the best prebiotics you can consume on a daily basis for a healthy gut:
- Leek, garlic and onion
- Apples and under-ripe bananas
- Tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots
- Oats, barley and buckwheat
- Beans and lentils
- Flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds
- Pop corn
Note: raw fibrous fruit and vegetables are always better as they will contain more fiber compared to the cooked state - nonetheless, even cooked, these foods will aid your gut health.
Drink filtered water. Avoid drinking water straight from the tap as it contains traces of chlorine which can damage the balance of your gut flora. Filtered water also seems to be better for a healthy microbiome helping reduce bowel inflammation and maintain healthy, regular bowel movements.
Reduce alcohol intake. It is a factor that helps the microbiome recover from alcohol-induced imbalances in its population of bacteria, which then allows it to maintain a more efficient immune system.
Reduce non-organic animal product intake. Recent studies showed that livestock that consumes antibiotics on a regular basis (even when the animals are not sick) grow bigger and get fatter. It’s more profitable to grow larger animals in a shorter time. Unfortunately, there are traces of the same antibiotics the animals receive in the meat we buy. When we consume the meat we also receive, in lower doses, the same bacteria-killing antibiotics that were given to the animals. The suggestion here is that these lower doses of antibiotics, cumulatively, will also affect us in a similar way, making us bigger and fatter. Certified organic meat, dairy and eggs are not budget-friendly so simply replacing like-for-like in the same quantity may be unrealistic. So, it can be a good idea to simply limit the amounts of meat, dairy and eggs we consume and see if it makes a difference in how we feel.
Eat 30+ different types of food every week. Eating a wide variety of different foods will help to cultivate a diverse gut flora. It is recommended to eat a minimum of 30 different varieties every week to maintain a healthy and balanced microbiome. Focus primarily on high fiber foods - vegetables, fruit and grains and make sure to include all food groups. The only type of food that should be limited is sugar. Also limit or completely exclude any food that has been overly processed as it lacks the nutritional value of its organic equivalent and will only starve your microbiome: supermarket bread and snacks, breakfast cereals, canned foods, ready meals, ham and sausages, sugary drinks and ketchup are some examples to avoid. Make your meals at home with food that is as close to its natural state as possible.
Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation and poor quality sleep have been cited as causes of disturbance of the balance of the microbiote in a number of studies  and have shown that this impacts the way the body handles insulin, puts on weight and fights off disease. Poor quality sleep has also been implicated in the rise in populations of bad bacteria in the gut and the incidence of chronic fatigue. Getting sufficient hours of good quality sleep is of direct benefit to the mind and body as they both use the time to repair their basic structures, replenish their store of energy and refresh the connections that make them function correctly.
Exercise. High intensity exercise produces adaptation responses throughout the body and affects us at a cellular level. It also helps the microbiome achieve greater diversity of bacterial populations by inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria in the gut and promoting the growth of bacteria that is more beneficial to us. Even moderate levels of exercise have been found to affect the microbiome which then releases hormones that affect the way the heart functions.
The Big Picture Regarding the Microbiome
It is clear that the microbiome is the missing link between health and nutrition and the reason why so many of our mental and psychological functions can become impaired with time. The evidence links an organic food diet and intense exercise with a diverse and healthy microbiome. It is however, far from simple. The causal links are not always linear or immediately obvious, they are however impossible to ignore.
Sources1.Faecal biomarker patterns in patients with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
2. Transplantation of fecal microbiota from patients with irritable bowel syndrome alters gut function and behavior in recipient mice
3. Irritable bowel syndrome: a gut microbiota-related disorder?
4. Commensal bacteria and essential amino acids control food choice behavior and reproduction
5. Microbiome remodelling leads to inhibition of intestinal farnesoid X receptor signalling and decreased obesity
6. Microbiota-gut-brain axis and cognitive function
7. Age Drives Distortion of Brain Metabolic, Vascular and Cognitive Functions, and the Gut Microbiome
8. Pathogenic shifts in endogenous microbiota impede tissue regeneration via distinct activation of TAK1/MKK/p38
9. You Are What You Host: Microbiome Modulation of the Aging Process
10. Exercise Modifies the Gut Microbiota with Positive Health Effects
11. The Association between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Gut Microbiota Composition in Premenopausal Women
12. Exercise Alters Gut Microbiota Composition and Function in Lean and Obese Humans.
13. Exercise training-induced modification of the gut microbiota persists after microbiota colonization and attenuates the response to chemically-induced colitis in gnotobiotic mice
14. Effect of intermittent fasting on physiology and gut microbiota in presenium rats
15. Diet and Feeding Pattern Affect the Diurnal Dynamics of the Gut Microbiome
16. The Impact of Diet and Lifestyle on Gut Microbiota and Human Health
17. Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health
18. Microbiome profiling of drinking water in relation to incidence of inflammatory bowel disease.
19. The Gastrointestinal Microbiome: Alcohol Effects on the Composition of Intestinal Microbiota.
20. Gut microbiota and glucometabolic alterations in response to recurrent partial sleep deprivation in normal-weight young individuals
21. Sleep quality and the treatment of intestinal microbiota imbalance in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
22. High-intensity exercise training increases the diversity and metabolic capacity of the mouse distal gut microbiota during diet-induced obesity
23. Moderate-Intensity Exercise Affects Gut Microbiome Composition and Influences Cardiac Function in Myocardial Infarction Mice
There are 37.2 Trillion Cells in Your Body
Revised Estimates for the Number of Human and Bacteria Cells in the Body
More than half your body is not human
Glycolysis for the Microbiome Generation
Mechanisms Linking the Gut Microbiome and Glucose Metabolism
Gut microbiome and aging: Physiological and mechanistic insights
Role of the Microbiota in Immunity and Inflammation
Revised Estimates for the Number of Human and Bacteria Cells in the Body
NIH Human Microbiome Project defines normal bacterial makeup of the body
The Epidemiology of Obesity: A Big Picture
The Obesity Epidemic: Challenges, Health Initiatives, and Implications for Gastroenterologists
The Epidemiology of Obesity
Gut bacteria and the brain: Are we controlled by microbes?
American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research
Evidence of different metabolic phenotypes in humans
Human metabolic phenotype diversity and its association with diet and blood pressure
Human genetics shape the gut microbiome
An introduction to the analysis of shotgun metagenomic data
Microbial regulation of microRNA expression in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex
When Good Bacteria Go Bad
Microbiome Research Is Becoming the Key to Better Understanding Health and Nutrition
Microbiome Research is Changing Medicine
Kwa kawaida, neno bakteria halihusianishwi na kitu chochote kizuri. Jambo hilo linakaribia kubadilika. Utafiti wa microbiome unaonyesha kuwa kuna viumbe vingi sana katika mfumo wa kiasili wa binadamu ambao huishi ndani ya matumbo ya binadamu. Ingawa huenda hilo likaonekana kuwa jambo lisilo la kawaida, kwa kweli si jambo baya. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba bakteria hizi zote, kwa pamoja, hufanya kazi kama kiungo cha ziada muhimu. Kujifunza juu ya mambo haya kunatusaidia kuelewa mambo kama afya ya akili na kimwili, magonjwa, mfumo wa kinga, utendaji wa michezo, kiwango cha kimetaboliki katika mwili wa binadamu na unene wa mwili na kwa nini hutokea. Kuna mambo kadhaa ya kuzingatia: Kwanza, sayansi ya microbiome ni mpya sana. Katika mwaka wa 2005, wakati wa kuanzishwa kwa utaratibu wa kizazi cha pili cha chembe za urithi, metagenomics, ambayo inatuwezesha kuchunguza chembe za urithi zilizopatikana moja kwa moja kutoka kwa sampuli za mazingira, alizaliwa. Kwa upande mwingine, wakati sayansi ya microbiome inaendelea kwa kasi na masomo mapya yanatokea wakati wote, ni vigumu sana kujifunza jamii za bakteria ndani ya matumbo ya binadamu. Ni vigumu hata zaidi kupima nadharia kuhusu wao kama maswali ya maadili ya mgonjwa usumbufu na hata madhara lazima kuzingatiwa. Kwa hiyo, kwanza mambo ya msingi kabisa. Makoloni ya bakteria wanaoishi katika matumbo yetu yana uhusiano wa ushirikiano nasi. Hii inamaanisha kwamba wakati wao ni katika usawa homeostatic na mwili wao kazi kwa bidii ili kutuweka hai. Kwa mfano, kuna aina 500 hadi 1,000 za bakteria zinazokaa ndani yetu. Mchanganyiko halisi wa aina hizi zote ni tofauti kwa kila mtu, lakini njia yao ya kuchanganya huunda alama ya kidole ya bakteria ambayo inaweza kutambua mtu mmoja kwa kipekee kama mviringo kwenye ncha ya vidole vyetu. "Bakteria ya utumbo (microbiota) ni ""kiumbe cha ndani"" ambacho kinajumuisha viumbe vyote vinavyoishi ndani ya utumbo wa tumbo." Microbiome ni aina ya chembe za urithi zinazotumiwa na bakteria, eukaryotes, archaea na virusi katika mwili wa binadamu. Ni kidogo kama kuzungumza juu ya DNA ya wadudu katika matumbo yetu. Kuna karibu trilioni 39 za chembe za bakteria katika mwili wa binadamu, na kwa hivyo kuna chembe nyingi za bakteria katika matumbo yetu kama kuna chembe katika mwili wa binadamu. (Tamilioni 37.2 ya chembe za urithi) Chembe za bakteria ni ndogo na nyepesi na kwa jumla, katika mtu wa wastani wa 70kg, zina uzito wa karibu 200g. - microbiome kila mtu ana ni sehemu kurithiwa kutoka mama yao wakati wa kuzaliwa lakini muundo wake (yaani "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""kiwango cha kila aina tofauti ya bakteria na ukubwa wake"" (ambayo huunda alama ya kidole ya kipekee ya kila mtu) huundwa na idadi kubwa ya mambo ya mazingira na mtindo wa maisha, ambayo inamaanisha tunaweza kuchukua hatua za kuiboresha." - Bakteria zilizo katika matumbo yetu hutokeza idadi kubwa ya homoni tofauti-tofauti. Homoni ni wajumbe wa kemikali ambao husafiri katika mwili wote na kuamsha na kuzima michakato tofauti. Cortisol, kwa mfano, huondoa mkazo, lakini pia huondoa sukari ya damu, huongoza metabolism, husaidia kupunguza uvimbe, na husaidia kuunda kumbukumbu. Cortisol ni kiungo cha kemikali kinachotumiwa na bakteria za matumbo. "Upendekezo hapa, unaoungwa mkono na ushahidi wa sasa, ni kwamba bakteria katika matumbo yetu hucheza jukumu muhimu katika chochote kinachoguswa na homoni, ambayo inajumuisha karibu kila kitu. """ Mikrobiomu: sukari iliyo katika chakula chetu, nyuzi zilizopatikana katika matunda na mboga tunazokula, protini nyama ni kufanywa na wanga katika mkate na pasta zote ni kuvunjwa na kutumika na vijidudu katika matumbo yetu. Kwa kweli, kila kitu tunachofikiria kuwa chakula hutengenezwa na bakteria katika matumbo yetu. Sehemu ya chakula hicho huchanganywa na viungo vingine vya mwili na baadhi ya chakula hicho hutumiwa na bakteria ili kupanuka. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba microbiome hutegemea chakula tunachokula na, katika mzunguko tata wa maoni, hutoa ujumbe wa kemikali ambao huashiria ubongo wetu kuunda hamu na kutufanya tuvuti na vyakula maalum wakati maalum. Hii ndiyo sababu tunaweza kupata <unk>munchies<unk> katikati ya usiku na kufikia kwa vitafunio vyenye sukari nyingi. Wakati wa ujauzito, microbiome ya mwanamke hupitia mabadiliko maalum katika maandalizi ya kuzaliwa wakati baadhi ya mkazo wake unapopitishwa kwa mtoto mchanga. Wanawake wajawazito wana hamu ya vyakula fulani, na mpaka sasa, haikuwa na wazo la kweli kwa nini. Mabadiliko ya bakteria katika utumbo wakati wa ujauzito yanaweza kuathiri idadi ya bakteria. Idadi kubwa ya bakteria huwa na nguvu na kisha inaweza kudai aina yoyote ya chakula kwamba strain maalum ya bakteria mchakato ambayo husababisha hamu ya chakula. Hapa kuna baadhi ya mambo tunayojua kuhusu jinsi microbiome inavyofanya kazi: - Aina tofauti za bakteria za matumbo huchakata aina tofauti za chakula. Kwa kushangaza, chakula tunachokula huathiri pia aina za bakteria za matumbo zinazositawi katika matumbo yetu. Bakteria za matumbo hutengeneza kemikali ambazo huendesha mfumo wetu wa kimetaboliki na misuli, na chakula tunachokula kinahusiana moja kwa moja na afya yetu ya akili, kisaikolojia na kimwili. - Aina isiyofaa ya chakula yaweza kugeuza bakteria nzuri kuwa mbaya. Kwa mfano, sukari iliyotengenezwa kwa njia ya kusafisha hutokeza bakteria iitwayo Candida ambayo hu dhaifu utando wa matumbo. Hii inaruhusu bakteria kuingia kwenye damu na kusafiri kwenda sehemu nyingine za mwili ambapo hawana kazi ya kuwa huko. Uvimbe wa moyo na mishipa ya damu (ugonjwa wa moyo na mishipa ya damu), mzio na matatizo maalum ya akili (kama vile mshuko wa moyo) yamehusianishwa na hali hiyo. Bakteria za utumbo ni wajibu wa kemikali zinazosababisha glycolysis (kuvunjika kwa wanga) na uzalishaji wa adenosine triphosphate (ATP), ambayo inaendesha kila moja ya seli zetu, inazalisha nguvu ya misuli na huongeza metabolism yetu, ambayo kwa upande wake inasimamia jinsi mwili wetu unavyoshughulikia chakula, kuhifadhi mafuta na kwa ujumla inabaki safi. Ili tumbo lituweze kuzalisha kemikali nyingi zinazohitajika, lazima kuwe na kiwango kizuri cha utofauti katika makoloni ya bakteria katika tumbo letu. Hii inahitaji aina katika chakula tunachokula (zaidi juu ya hii kidogo chini ya makala hii). Kwa hiyo, microbiome yenye afya inahusishwa na udhibiti bora wa hisia, nishati zaidi, kazi bora za utambuzi, kuzeeka polepole, afya bora ya moyo na mishipa, ubora bora wa usingizi na, kwa ujumla, ubora bora wa maisha. Kama vile chachu inayoishi ambayo hutumiwa kutengeneza mkate, microbiome ina mzunguko wa kawaida katika shughuli zake, na tunahisi kwamba wakati wa wakati tofauti wakati wa siku tunapata kupungua kwa mtiririko wetu wa nishati, tunahisi uchovu na uzoefu wa ukungu wa ubongo. Kama ilivyo kwa viungo vingine vyote muhimu katika mwili wetu, microbiome inaweza kuharibiwa na viuavijasumu, dawa za kuua wadudu, uchafuzi wa mazingira, mnururisho (kama ule unaopokelewa katika matibabu ya matibabu) na lishe duni. Utafiti mpya unafunua jukumu kuu ambalo microbiome inacheza katika afya yetu na jinsi usawa wake unavyoweza kutufanya tuwe wagonjwa. Miongoni mwa dalili za ugonjwa huu ni ugonjwa wa Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) ambao ni ugonjwa unaoathiri watu wengi. Uchunguzi wa vitu vya kinywa vya watu wanaosumbuliwa na IBS ulionyesha kasoro za kawaida katika microbiota iliyokuwa ndani yake. Utendaji wa bakteria zetu za matumbo unahusiana na hali yetu ya kisaikolojia na ya kihisia-moyo. Mkazo ni majibu ya kihisia ambayo hujieleza katika dalili za kimwili ambazo zote zinategemea homoni. Mkazo waweza kuharibu mwili kwa kudhoofisha mfumo wa kinga. Utafiti wa utafiti wa utafiti wa bakteria ya utumbo na hali ya hisia, kama vile mkazo, ambao huathiri tabia, ulipitisha bakteria za fecal kutoka kwa wagonjwa wanaosumbuliwa na IBS kwa panya. Panya hao waliendelea kuonyesha dalili sawa za wasiwasi, mkazo na usafiri wa haraka wa chakula kupitia mwili ambao wagonjwa wa IBS walipatwa nao. Utafiti huo unataja bendera kadhaa nyekundu zilizozalishwa na ukosefu wa usawa katika idadi ya bakteria katika matumbo na unaonyesha kuwa magonjwa mengi ya kawaida ya kisasa yanaweza kufuatiliwa moja kwa moja kwa ukosefu huu wa usawa mara tu masomo zaidi yafanywa. Kwa mfano, kuna baadhi ya mikrobiyo ambayo huathiri afya ya binadamu, lakini mikrobiyo hiyo huamua aina ya chakula kinachotumiwa na binadamu. Hii inaongeza uwezekano kwamba katika hali ambapo mtu ni overweight, remodeling microbiome inaweza kusababisha kupoteza uzito. - Kujifunza, kumbukumbu na maamuzi inaweza kuharibiwa na mabadiliko katika muundo na utofauti wa microbiome. Mabadiliko ambayo ni ya manufaa yanaweza kusababisha afya bora ya utambuzi wakati mabadiliko ambayo huathiri vibaya fizikia ya ubongo yanaweza kudhoofisha kazi zake nyingi muhimu, haswa tunapozeeka. Urekebishaji wa seli, kiwango cha uponyaji na uvimbe katika tishu na viungo vya mwili wa binadamu, yote yanatawaliwa na kuongezeka na kupungua kwa idadi maalum ya bakteria katika matumbo yetu. Kwa hivyo, njia ambayo microbiome huathiri uponyaji inachunguzwa kwa lengo la kupata njia za kusaidia kuharakisha uponyaji wakati wa majeraha. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba microbiome pia ina jukumu kuu katika mchakato wa kuzeeka (iliyo sehemu ya njia zinazodhibiti kimetaboliki) na modulation maalum ya microbiome inayoongoza kwa maisha marefu katika majaribio ya binadamu na wanyama. Utafiti wa hivi karibuni unaonyesha kwamba mazoezi ya uvumilivu na mazoezi ya nguvu ya juu husababisha majibu kadhaa ya kubadilika kutoka kwa mwili ambayo ni pamoja na marekebisho ya usawa wa electrolyte, kupungua kwa kuhifadhi glycogen na kuongezeka kwa mkazo wa oxidative, upenyezaji wa matumbo, uharibifu wa misuli, na majibu ya mfumo wa uvimbe. Hii, kwa upande wake, hubadilisha bakteria zetu za matumbo na kuzalisha mabadiliko kadhaa mazuri ya microbiome. Kwa kuongezea, microbiome yenyewe, kupitia aina maalum za bakteria za matumbo, inaonekana kuathiri VO2 max ya watu, ikiathiri moja kwa moja fitness yao ya moyo na kupumua. Kwa sababu ya athari za bakteria za matumbo kwenye mwili wa binadamu katika kiwango cha kimwili, kiakili na kisaikolojia, zinathiriwa na idadi ya sababu za binadamu. Katika mwaka wa 2015, sampuli za bakteria za kinywa, kinywa na ngozi za watu 11,336 kutoka Marekani, Uingereza, Australia na nchi nyingine 42 zilichunguzwa kwa kutumia mfuatano wa genomu, na hivyo kuweza kugundua alama maalum za maumbile. Utafiti huo ulifanywa na American Gut Project, iliyoanzishwa na Rob Knight, Ph.D., kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha California, mnamo 2012, na lengo lake la wazi lilikuwa kutumia teknolojia mpya kuchunguza athari za bakteria za matumbo kwenye afya ya mwili na akili. Matokeo ya utafiti huo, yaliyochapishwa katika jarida la mSystems na kuripotiwa katika Medical News Today, yanaimarisha yale ambayo masomo mengine pia yameonyesha. Kwa mfano, microbiome ya afya inahitaji aina mbalimbali za bakteria, na kwa hivyo tunahitaji kula aina 30 za mimea kila wiki. Kwa sababu mbinu za kisasa za uzalishaji wa chakula hutumia dawa za kuua wadudu na antibiotics ambazo huathiri usawa wa microbiome, vyakula vinavyojumuisha chakula cha kikaboni hutoa matokeo yanayoweza kupimwa katika afya na utofauti wa bakteria za matumbo. Dalili za microbiome isiyo na afya Idadi kubwa ya watu wanateseka kutokana na usawa katika microbiome yao, lakini dalili hazina nguvu ya kutosha kuhalalisha wasiwasi mkubwa, kwa hivyo wengi wetu tunapuuza na kujifunza kuishi na usumbufu. Ikiwa haitashughulikiwa kwa muda mrefu (na inaweza kuchukua miaka) itasababisha matatizo makubwa ya afya na magonjwa, unene, kuzeeka mapema na unyogovu mkubwa. Ikiwa microbiome yako haiwezi kufanya kile inapaswa kufanya (kutengeneza homoni muhimu na kulinda mfumo wako wa kinga), unaweza kuhitaji dawa kufanya hivyo kwa ajili yako katika siku zijazo. Ikiwa microbiome yako imeharibiwa na lishe mbaya na au kwa kozi ya antibiotics unaweza kupata dalili zifuatazo: - Ugumu wa kupoteza uzito. - Uchovu wa kudumu, kutoweza kukaza fikira, ukungu wa ubongo. - Uhasama na au mshuko wa moyo. - Matatizo ya kumeng'enya - kuvimba kwa muda mrefu, kuhara na/ au upungufu wa damu. - Ngozi mbaya, eczema. - Uwezo wa kuambukizwa. Jinsi ya kurekebisha microbiome isiyo na afya: Microbiome ya matumbo ni kiumbe hai, ni dimbwi la bakteria nzuri na mbaya. Katika mwili wenye microbiome iliyosawazishwa, bakteria nzuri ni nyingi kuliko zile mbaya, na kuna utofauti katika aina ya bakteria kwa ujumla. Njia moja ya kurekebisha microbiome iliyoharibiwa ni kutumia antibiotics kali kwa kipindi cha muda ili kuua kabisa matumbo na kisha kuingiza tamaduni mpya za bakteria huko kupitia upandikizaji wa matumbo (hiyo ni nini hasa inaonekana kama) ambayo inajenga tamaduni ya bakteria zaidi ya usawa, kutoka mwanzo. Kwa bahati nzuri, kuna njia nyingine mbalimbali za kufanya hivyo nyumbani bila kutumia njia hizo. Jaribu kufunga kwa vipindi. Inaathiri microbiome na hupunguza shinikizo la damu, kolesteroli na uvimbe mwilini. Inasaidia kuharakisha ukarabati wa seli, kusaidia kupoteza uzito na hata inaonekana kuchangia urefu wa maisha. Kula vyakula vya kikaboni, iwezekanavyo. Kwa sababu ya gharama kubwa ya chakula cha kikaboni, ni bora kuondoa matunda na mboga mara tu inapowezekana ili kuondoa baadhi ya mabaki ya dawa za kuua wadudu. "Kama vile, chagua matunda na mboga kutoka kwa kile kinachojulikana kama ""15 safi,"" vyakula ambavyo kwa asili vina viwango vya chini vya dawa za kuua wadudu kwa sababu ya matumizi ya dawa za kuua wadudu katika mchakato wao wa kilimo: mahindi ya sukari, maharagwe ya sukari, wakati wowote bajeti inapoiruhusu, nunua matunda na mboga zifuatazo kutoka kwa sehemu ya kikaboni ya duka lako, kwani wenzao wasio wa kikaboni wameonyesha kuwa na kiasi cha juu cha dawa za kuua wadudu." Inaweza kusaidia kubadilisha idadi ya bakteria za matumbo na kuongeza utofauti wa aina za bakteria katika matumbo. Hii husaidia microbiome kubaki na afya. Kuepuka kutegemea probiotics katika fomu ya kidonge kama wao wameonyeshwa kuwa na matokeo mchanganyiko na badala yake kuchagua katika kwa vyanzo zaidi ya asili. Vyanzo bora vya viungo vya asili ni vyakula vilivyochemshwa vyenye bakteria hai zilizopo tayari. Bidhaa nyingi zinazonunuliwa dukani tayari zimepasteurized ili kuongeza muda wa kuhifadhiwa. Kwa bahati mbaya pasteurization huondoa bakteria zote, manufaa au vinginevyo, hivyo hawana probiotics (probio maana <unk> kuishi <unk>). Njia bora ya kuongeza viumbe hai, viumbe bora kwa microbiome yako (ambayo itasaidia wale waliopo kuzidisha na kusitawi) ni kufanya yako mwenyewe katika mazingira ya nyumbani. Vitu viwili rahisi zaidi kutengeneza ni kefir na chachu (kichocheo). Kefir inahitajika kwa ajili ya uzalishaji wa mazao ya kienyeji, ambayo inaweza kuuzwa mtandaoni na kuuzwa kwa duka la maziwa, na inaweza kutumika kwa ajili ya kuoka maziwa. Sauerkraut hutengenezwa kwa kuchacha kabichi kwa kutumia chumvi na siku kadhaa za kuchacha kwa joto la chumba. Vipimo vingine vinavyojulikana ni pamoja na: kimchi, mboga, jibini, kombucha na miso. Vipodozi vyote vinapaswa kutengenezwa nyumbani ili kuhifadhi tamaduni ambazo zinaishi. Miongozo ya afya ya chakula ya kibiashara inahitaji pasteurization ya bidhaa hizi vinginevyo haziwezi kuuzwa. Vyakula vyote vyenye nyuzinyuzi nyingi ni prebiotic (prebios humaanisha <unk> kabla ya maisha<unk>). Wao hutumika kama aina bora ya chakula kwa microbiome yako na husaidia "watu wazuri" kuzidisha na kusitawi. Hapa ni baadhi ya prebiotics bora unaweza kula kila siku kwa ajili ya tumbo afya: - Leek, vitunguu na vitunguu - Apples na chini ya kukomaa ndizi - Nyanya, matango na karoti - Oats, shayiri na buckwheat - maharagwe na vitunguu - Flaxseeds na mbegu popcorn - Kumbuka: mbichi fiber matunda na mboga ni daima bora kama wao kuwa na fiber zaidi ikilinganishwa na hali ya kupikwa - hata hivyo, hata kupikwa, vyakula hivi itasaidia afya ya tumbo yako. Kunywa maji yaliyochuja. Kuepuka kunywa maji moja kwa moja kutoka bomba kama ina alama ya klorini ambayo inaweza kuharibu usawa wa gut mimea yako. Maji yaliyochuja pia yanaonekana kuwa bora kwa microbiome yenye afya kusaidia kupunguza uvimbe wa matumbo na kudumisha afya, harakati za matumbo za kawaida. Punguza ulaji wa kileo. Ni sababu ambayo husaidia microbiome kupona kutoka kwa ukosefu wa usawa unaosababishwa na pombe katika idadi yake ya bakteria, ambayo kisha inaruhusu kudumisha mfumo wa kinga wenye ufanisi zaidi. Kupunguza matumizi ya bidhaa za wanyama zisizo za kikaboni. Uchunguzi wa hivi karibuni ulionyesha kwamba mifugo inayotumia viuavijasumu kwa ukawaida (hata wakati wanyama hawajaugua) hukua na kuwa nzito. Ni faida zaidi kukuza wanyama wakubwa kwa muda mfupi. Kwa bahati mbaya, kuna alama za viuavijasumu vile vile ambavyo wanyama hupokea katika nyama tunayonunua. Wakati tunakula nyama tunapokea, kwa kipimo cha chini, dawa za kuua bakteria sawa na zile zilizopewa wanyama. "Upendekezo hapa ni kwamba kipimo hiki cha chini cha viuavijasumu, kwa jumla, pia kitatuathiri kwa njia sawa, kutufanya tuwe wakubwa na wanene zaidi. """ Nyama, maziwa na mayai ya kibaiolojia hayana gharama, kwa hivyo kubadilisha tu kwa kiasi sawa inaweza kuwa isiyo ya kweli. Kwa hivyo, inaweza kuwa wazo nzuri kupunguza kiasi cha nyama, maziwa na mayai tunatumia na kuona ikiwa inafanya tofauti katika jinsi tunavyohisi. Kula vyakula 30+ kila wiki Kula vyakula mbalimbali kutasaidia kukuza mimea mbalimbali ya matumbo. Inashauriwa kula angalau aina 30 za mboga kila wiki ili kudumisha microbiome yenye afya na usawa. Funga hasa juu ya vyakula vya nyuzi nyingi - mboga, matunda na nafaka na hakikisha ni pamoja na makundi yote ya chakula. Aina pekee ya chakula ambacho kinapaswa kupunguzwa ni sukari. Pia, kupunguza au kabisa kuondoa chakula yoyote ambayo imekuwa overprocessed kama ni kukosa thamani ya lishe ya sawa yake kikaboni na tu njaa microbiome yako: supermarket mkate na vitafunio, nafaka ya kiamsha kinywa, vyakula zilizopakwa, chakula tayari, ham na sausages, vinywaji sukari na ketchup ni baadhi ya mifano ya kuepuka. Tengeneza chakula chako nyumbani kwa chakula kilicho karibu na hali yake ya asili iwezekanavyo. Lala usingizi wa kutosha. Ukosefu wa usingizi na usingizi duni ni sababu ya kuharibu usawa wa microbiome na kuathiri jinsi mwili wa binadamu utakavyoshughulikia insulini, kuongeza uzito na kupambana na magonjwa. Usingizi mbaya pia umehusishwa na ongezeko la idadi ya bakteria mbaya katika matumbo na matukio ya uchovu wa muda mrefu. Usingizi wa kutosha wa saa mbili kwa siku ni muhimu kwa akili na mwili, kwani hutumia wakati huo kurekebisha miundo yao ya msingi, kujaza hifadhi yao ya nishati na kusafisha uhusiano ambao hufanya kazi vizuri. Fanya mazoezi. Mazoezi ya nguvu huchochea mwelekeo wa mwili na huathiri mfumo wa seli. Pia husaidia microbiome kufikia utofauti mkubwa wa idadi ya bakteria kwa kuzuia ukuaji wa bakteria mbaya katika matumbo na kukuza ukuaji wa bakteria ambayo ni bora zaidi kwetu. Hata mazoezi ya kiasi huathiri microbiome ambayo hutoa homoni ambazo huathiri jinsi moyo unavyofanya kazi. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, ""Ni wazi kwamba microbiome ni kiungo kilichopotea kati ya afya na lishe na sababu kwa nini kazi nyingi za akili na kisaikolojia zinaweza kuharibika kwa muda.""" Uthibitisho unaunganisha lishe ya chakula cha kikaboni na mazoezi makali na microbiome mbalimbali na yenye afya. Hata hivyo, si jambo rahisi. Uhusiano wa kisababishi si daima linear au mara moja dhahiri, wao ni hata hivyo haiwezekani kupuuza. Biomarker ya Faecal katika wagonjwa wenye dalili za ugonjwa wa matumbo ya kukasirika Upasuaji wa microbiota ya fecal kutoka kwa wagonjwa wenye ugonjwa wa matumbo ya kukasirika hubadilisha kazi ya matumbo na tabia katika panya wapokeaji. Ugonjwa wa utumbo wenye kukasirika: ugonjwa unaohusiana na viini vya utumbo? 4. Uwe na uhakika Bakteria za commensal na asidi muhimu za amino husimamia tabia ya kuchagua chakula na uzazi. Utaratibu wa kuunda upya microbiome huongoza kwa kuzuia ishara ya farnesoid X receptor ya matumbo na kupunguza unene. Microbiota-gut-ubongo axis na kazi ya utambuzi 7. Uzee huathiri utendaji wa ubongo, mfumo wa damu, na mfumo wa utambuzi, na pia mfumo wa utumbo. Mabadiliko ya pathogenic katika microbiota ya ndani huzuia urekebishaji wa tishu kupitia uanzishaji tofauti wa TAK1 na MKK38. "Mfano: ""Makosa ya microbiome ya mchakato wa kuzeeka""" Mazoezi Hurekebisha Mikrobiota ya Matumbo na Kuwa na Athari Zenye Kuboresha Afya Uunganisho kati ya fitness ya moyo na utambuzi wa microbiota ya utumbo katika wanawake wa premenopausal Mazoezi hubadili muundo na utendaji wa vijidudu vya matumbo kwa watu wenye uzito mdogo na wanene kupita kiasi. 13. (a) Kwa nini? Mabadiliko ya mazoezi ya mazoezi ya microbiota ya matumbo huendelea baada ya ukoloni wa microbiota na hupunguza majibu ya colitis ya kemikali katika panya gnotobiotic. Matokeo ya kufunga kwa muda mfupi kwenye physiology na gut microbiota katika panya wa presenium Mlo na Mlo wa Mlo Hutaathiri Dynamics ya Siku ya Microbiome ya Matumbo Madhara ya Mlo na Mtindo wa Maisha kwenye Microbiota ya Matumbo na Afya ya Binadamu Msaada wa chakula kwa microbiome ya matumbo na athari kwa afya ya binadamu Utafiti wa microbiome ya maji ya kunywa kuhusiana na matukio ya ugonjwa wa uvimbe wa matumbo. 19. (a) Kwa nini? Microbiome ya Gastrointestinal: Athari za Alkooli kwenye Muundo wa Microbiota ya Matumbo. 20. (a) Kwa nini? Ugonjwa wa microbiota ya utumbo na glucose metabolic katika majibu ya kukosa usingizi wa sehemu ya mara kwa mara katika watu wazima vijana. Ugonjwa wa kulala na ugonjwa wa kukosa usawa wa microbiota ya matumbo katika ugonjwa wa uchovu wa muda mrefu Mazoezi ya nguvu ya juu huongeza utofauti na uwezo wa metabolic wa microbiota ya tumbo la panya wakati wa unene wa chakula. Ugonjwa wa Myoyo: Mifumo ya Miyoyo ya Mwili na Mifumo ya Miyoyo ya Myoyo ya Myoyo ya Myoyo ya Myoyo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo ya Myo American gut: Open platform for citizen science microbiome research: ushahidi wa tofauti metabolic phenotypes katika binadamu: binadamu metabolic phenotype utofauti na uhusiano wake na lishe na shinikizo la damu: binadamu genetics kuunda gut microbiome: utangulizi wa uchambuzi wa metagenomic data: microbial udhibiti wa microRNA expression katika amygdala na prefrontal cortex: wakati bakteria nzuri kwenda mbaya: utafiti microbiome ni kuwa ufunguo wa kuelewa afya na lishe