By Rachael Bird, Myotherapist Understanding Microbiomes and Their Impact on Health Microbiomes are communities of tiny organisms living in our bodies, feeding off our environment and the food we consume. I recently learned about them from a Netflix documentary called "Hack Your Health." It's an engaging watch and surprisingly informative, with little animations throughout the movie. If you have a Netflix subscription, you should certainly give this a watch! Here's a summary of what I learned after watching it. What Are Microorganisms?
Microbiomes are made up of colonies of microorganisms that come in various types, depending on what you're exposed to and what you eat. When there's a healthy amount of microorganisms, there's quite a range of diversity. Conversely, a lack of healthy microorganisms results in little diversity, which can lead to health problems such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, ADHD, and many more. The Impact of Diet on Your Microbiome The documentary highlighted that a diet rich in vegetables can significantly increase the diversity of your microbiome. Interestingly, the good and bad microorganisms in your body will battle each other based on what you feed them. For instance, if you constantly consume sugary foods like chocolate, it will starve the good microorganisms, leaving you with fewer of them. Conversely, eating healthy foods will starve off the bad guys. Additionally, certain microorganisms thrive on fats. If you consume a diet high in fats, these fat-loving bugs will feed on the fat, influencing the composition and health of your gut microbiome. The Battle Within One of the fascinating aspects is that the more you eat sugary foods, the more you crave them. This happens because the bad microorganisms get "angry" when you try to starve them. However, if you persist in eating healthier, the baddies lose their power and cravings diminish. Real-Life Testing and Results The documentary featured microbiome and gut health testing on four people. Although some participants weren't doing as bad as they thought, the results showed a lack of microbiome diversity for most of them. This revelation led them to change their beliefs and decide to work towards better treating their bodies. Interestingly, one participant who had been consuming a blend of different fruits and vegetables saw a significant improvement in microbiome diversity due to this change in dietary behaviour. It's fascinating to know that such changes can really affect your body if you choose to make them. The documentary recommends consuming 20 to 30 different fruits and vegetables per week. Fecal Transplant Donations The documentary also touched on fecal transplant donations of microbiomes. Yes, that does pretty much mean a poo transplant! This process can improve the health of someone with bad microbiomes if the transplant is filled with healthy microorganisms. Interestingly, they also mentioned that it can transfer symptoms such as depression or hormonal acne, so its sounds like you want to be fairly picky with the donor if you were ever to try out a poo transplant yourself! Understanding how your microbiome affects your body and mind is crucial. This knowledge can be particularly useful for those struggling with IBS and other gut-related health issues. By making informed dietary choices, you can enhance your microbiome diversity, leading to better overall health. Watching "Hack Your Health" opened my eyes to the incredible impact of microbiomes. As we learn more about these tiny organisms, it's clear that taking care of them can lead to significant improvements in our health and well-being. If you haven't seen the documentary yet, I highly recommend giving it a watch. It might just change the way you think about food and health forever. |
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