A Nutritionist’s Top Tips For Keeping Your Gut Microbiome Healthy

Did you know?

• Your microbiome, much like your finger print, is unique to you
• You are more bacteria than human; there are 10 times more bacteria in and on your body than there are human cells
• There are 1-2kg of microbes in the gut and there are over 150 times more genes in the gut microbiome than in the human genome
• During a vaginal birth bacterium from the mother are passed on to the baby to stimulate their immune response and colonise their gut, breastfeeding also encourages gut bacteria
• Exposure to animals and nature can have a positive impact on your gut microbiome
• Those with health conditions such as type-2 diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome have altered gut microbiota in comparison to those without these conditions, however the consequence of these differences is not well understood
• There is growing evidence that gut bacteria have an impact on the brain, with a research on mice showing the impact of gut bacteria in relation to anxiety, depression, mood, Parkinson’s disease
• Research into gut health is still in its infancy and therefore exciting discoveries are being made regularly

Tips for keeping your gut microbiome healthy:

• Eat plenty of foods rich in fibre, such as vegetables, fruits and wholegrains; these are known as prebiotics and they support gut health because they provide food for the beneficial bacteria
• Include probiotic rich foods in your diet, such as yoghurt and fermented foods, these contain beneficial bacteria that colonise the gut
• Avoid highly processed and refined foods rich in sugars and fats as these foods can reduce the number of beneficial bacteria in your gut
• Eat mindfully and chew your food properly; this gives your digestive system time to secrete digestive enzymes which breakdown food and ensures maximum nutrient absorption
• Avoid antibiotics unless completely necessary, antibiotics are great as they destroy harmful pathogenic bacteria within the body but they also destroy beneficial bacteria within our gut