The Mighty Microbiome

The Microbiome of our digestive system is an integral component of health throughout our ENTIRE BODY. Not only is it a key player for digestive health, but it also plays a role in brain health, cardiovascular health and detoxification.  If you have digestive issues such as constipation, acid reflux, gas, bloating or SIBO, or issues such as brain fog and fatigue, focusing on supporting the microbiome can be a starting point. 

The Microbiome in a Nutshell:

• Community of microorganisms (bacteria) that reside in our Large Intestine.
• They feed off of undigested fiber & starches known as "Prebiotics"
• They Produce Beneficial Byproducts like Short Chain Fatty Acids that Help Maintain a Healthy Digestive System & Act as Signaling Molecules Throughout The Body
• Probiotic Rich Foods Contain these Live Microorganisms That Help Repopulate The Microbiome
• It Survives as An Ecosystem & Is Critical to Our Overall Health

Simple Rules for a Healhty Microbiome:

• Eat Priobiotic Rich Foods multiple days per week.  Yogurts, kimchi, sauerkraut, other naturally fermented vegetables, miso, tempeh and kefir are some prime examples. Fermented Foods is what we're looking for here.
• Eat plenty of Fiber-Rich plant foods.  Even though I start my plate with protein I FILL my plate with a wide variety of colorful plant foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes & whole grains).
• Limit highly processed carbohydrates (sugars & wheat flours), as well as processed seed oils (soybean, canola, corn, vegetable oils).
• Limit antibiotic use unless absolutely necessary.  Focus heavily on the first two bullet points after antibiotic use to rebuild your microbiome, because the antibiotics wipe it out. NSAIDS (ibuprofens) also disrupt the balance of a healthy microbiome and should be limited.

This is why I preach "Eating the Rainbow" and focus on eating as diverse of a diet as possible (based on whole foods). Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments section!