The 5 Most Common Disruptors of Microbiome Health

The 5 Most Common Disruptors of Microbiome Health

Posted 10 Nov '20

Research is continuingly proving that much of  your immunity depends largely on your microbiome health. Microbiome is the community of microorganisms that live within your digestive system and this community consists of about 38 trillion microbes that is collectively known as commensal microbiome.

When viruses and bacteria that don’t belong in your body enters your system, your own microbiome will be the first line of defence in working together to fight them off. That is, if your microbiome health is balanced. The microbiome will help to regulate and boost your immune system, promote healthy bowel functions and even affect your mood.

Poor diet and lifestyle choices negatively impact your microbiome health. It reduces the diversity and number of microorganisms within the guts, thereby causing an imbalance. This creates an environment where disease-causing organisms are allowed to multiply and flourish. This occurrence is called dysbiosis and it often lead to a plethora of health effects that includes stomach problems, mineral and/or vitamin deficiencies, allergies, recurring illnesses, and more.

The Main Causes of Digestive Issues

Several different factors may disrupt the balance of your microbiome health but here are five most common ones:

  1. Low fibre diet

    Microbes rely on the fibre in your food for sustenance and health. Low fibre intake means fewer microbiome diversity.

  2. Alcohol intake

    Drinking too much alcohol results in dysbiotic changes within the microbiome and also triggers gastrointestinal inflammation. Drink moderately and ideally never more than one standard drink per day. Limit drinking alcohol as much as possible for optimal gut health.

  3. Stress

    When your body experiences stress, it releases cortisol, the main stress hormone. Adrenaline then sensitises your body to inflammation, which includes gut inflammation. This disrupts the intestinal environment, compromising the conditions that the good microbes need in order to flourish.

  4. Sedentary lifestyle

    Having little to no physical activity is linked to reduction in the microbial diversity within the gut. Get moving and do what you can to build your strength and body moving!

  5. Taking antibiotics

    Antibiotics can be helpful when the body needs help fighting off bad bacteria that has invaded it. This may prove effective for the bad guys but the downside to it is that antibiotics cannot pick which bacteria it eliminates, and therefore also kills off most of the good, helpful bacteria. This then causes the intestines to be susceptible to imbalance and dysfunction of your microbiome. Around 10% of patients on antibiotic prescription experience gastrointestinal side effects.

Reversing The Microbiome Disruptors

If any of these five disruptors apply to you, it is of utmost importance that you start making some changes to either your diet, your lifestyle, or both. Addressing each disruptor is crutial in order to improve the diversity of your microbiome and its health.

  1. Eat a balanced and fibre-rich plant-based diet
  2. Regulate your alcohol intake
  3. Manage your stress levels
  4. Start a regular exercise routine
  5. Take antibiotics only when prescribed by your physician and supplement with strain-specific probiotics to help restore lost microbiome.

Natural Medicine Support

In some instances, pathogenic organisms may enter your gut and cause dysbiosis, and when this happens, you may be required to take specific natural formulations consisting of herbs and probiotics.

  • Pomegranate, Nigella, and Myrrh are just three herbs that are antimicrobial and helpful. They help remove unwanted organisms inside the gut and are proven to be as effective as their pharmaceutical counterparts.
  • Taking specific probiotic strains can also prove to be beneficial to restore the diversity and health of your microbiome.

Your body’s well-being depends greatly on your immunity. And in order to have a strong immunity, your microbiome must always be balanced and optimal. If you are experiencing stomach problems, infections that keep coming back, you fall sick too easily, or if you simply want to improve your overall health, it is best to talk with a Practitioner. Call  today to take control of your wellness.

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