5 Ways You Might Upset Your Gut Microbiome (and What You Can Do About It)
When your body’s gut microbiome falls out of balance, there are many ways it can affect your health.
What’s a microbiome? It’s the genetic material of all microbes—bacteria—that live on and inside your body. The good bacteria that contribute to your intestinal microbiome are essential to your health, development, immune function, and nutritional status.
Sound complex? It is! And it’s a delicate balance that can easily be disrupted. Here are five key ways your gut microbiome may be negatively impacted:1
We all deal with stress, but when it becomes acute and chronic, studies show it can have a physical impact on the gut microbiome, even leading to such gastrointestinal disorders as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), peptic ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- Birth Method
Studies show, babies born by C-section have reduced bacterial diversity and lower levels of good bacteria than babies born via the birth canal.
Lack of exercise has been linked to reduced bacterial diversity in the gut and when it comes to the gut, the more types of good bugs, the better. (It’s time to get moving!)
Taking antibiotics can disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria in the gut, as it kills off microorganisms—the bad and the good.
Diets low in fiber and high in sugar can have a negative impact on gut bacteria. While fiber feeds good bacteria, sugar feeds bad bacteria, yeast, and parasites. Additionally, excessive alcohol consumption can reduce the good bacteria in your gut.
Do any of these situations apply to you? Fortunately, there are a few things you can do. Lifestyle changes, like effective stress management and more exercise, and dietary modifications, including cutting back on sugar, are a place to start. In addition, a probiotic supplement can help support healthy and balanced intestinal flora by recolonizing the gut with good bacteria.* When choosing a quality probiotic, work with your healthcare practitioner to select one with identified strains at clinically proven doses.
- University of Colorado Boulder. Gut Check: Exploring Your Microbiome. Coursera.https://www.coursera.org/learn/microbiome. Accessed August 19, 2016.
- Konturek PC, Brzozowski T, Konturek SJ. Stress and the gut: pathophysiology, clinicalconsequences, diagnostic approach and treatment options. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2011;62(6):591-9.
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Njia 5 za Kuathiri Microbiome Yako ya Matumbo (Na Nini Unaweza Kufanya Kuhusu) Wakati microbiome ya matumbo ya mwili wako inaposhuka kutoka usawa, kuna njia nyingi inaweza kuathiri afya yako. Microbiome ni nini? Ni nyenzo ya maumbile ya vijidudu vyote - bakteria - vinavyoishi ndani na juu ya mwili wako. Bakteria nzuri zinazohusika katika microbiome ya matumbo ni muhimu kwa afya yako, ukuaji, utendaji wa kinga, na hali ya lishe. Je, hilo linaonekana kuwa jambo gumu? Ndio, ni hivyo! Na ni usawa dhaifu ambao unaweza kuvurugwa kwa urahisi. Kuna njia tano muhimu ambazo microbiome yako ya matumbo inaweza kuathiriwa: Sisi sote tunashughulika na mkazo, lakini unapokuwa mkali na wa muda mrefu, tafiti zinaonyesha inaweza kuwa na athari ya kimwili kwenye microbiome ya matumbo, hata kusababisha matatizo ya utumbo kama ugonjwa wa uvimbe wa matumbo (IBD), ugonjwa wa matumbo ya kukasirika (IBS), vidonda vya tumbo, na ugonjwa wa reflux ya gastroesophageal. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba watoto wanaozaliwa kwa njia ya upasuaji wa kifua cha mviringo wana bakteria chache na viwango vya chini vya bakteria nzuri kuliko watoto wanaozaliwa kupitia njia ya uzazi. Ukosefu wa mazoezi ya mwili unahusishwa na kupungua kwa aina ya bakteria katika matumbo, na kwa sababu hiyo, aina nyingi za bakteria nzuri ni bora. (Ni wakati wa kupata kusonga!) Kutumia viuavijasumu kunaweza kuvuruga usawa dhaifu wa bakteria katika matumbo, kwa kuwa huua viumbe wadogo - wabaya na wazuri. Chakula chenye kiasi kidogo cha nyuzi na chenye kiasi kikubwa cha sukari kinaweza kuathiri vibaya bakteria za matumbo. Ingawa nyuzi hulisha bakteria nzuri, sukari hulisha bakteria mbaya, chachu, na vimelea. Kwa kuongezea, kunywa kileo kupita kiasi kunaweza kupunguza bakteria nzuri katika matumbo yako. Je, kuna jambo lolote kati ya hayo linalokufanyia kazi? Kwa bahati nzuri, kuna mambo machache unayoweza kufanya. Mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha, kama vile usimamizi mzuri wa mkazo na mazoezi zaidi, na marekebisho ya lishe, ikiwa ni pamoja na kupunguza sukari, ni mahali pa kuanza. Kwa kuongezea, virutubisho vya probiotic vinaweza kusaidia kusaidia mimea ya matumbo yenye afya na yenye usawa kwa kuanzisha tena matumbo na bakteria nzuri. * Wakati wa kuchagua probiotic ya ubora, fanya kazi na mtaalamu wako wa huduma ya afya kuchagua moja na aina zilizotambuliwa kwa vipimo vilivyothibitishwa kliniki. - Chuo Kikuu cha Colorado Boulder. Chunguza: Kuchunguza Microbiome Yako ya Matumbo. Coursera.https: www.coursera.org learn_microbiome Imetumika mnamo Agosti 19, 2016. - Konturek PC, Brzozowski T, Konturek SJ. Mkazo na matumbo: pathophysiology, kliniki matokeo, mbinu ya utambuzi na chaguzi za matibabu. Jol Physi Pharmacol. 2011;62(6):591-9. Imewasilishwa na Timu ya Uuzaji ya Metagenics