These bugs are good for you!
Microbiome has been a buzz word recently and it can be a very confusing idea. Most people become disgusted when they think of themselves being covered in microscopic bugs, and it may shock them to learn that these bugs also exist within their bodies. Yet these nearly invisible creatures are vital to us maintaining a healthy internal environment. Your health is your most valuable asset and tending to it is the most important task you have. If you haven’t yet, download my Simple 3-Step Plan to get even more ideas on how to tend to your most valuable asset.
We’ve all heard about bacteria at this point in our lives, and usually what we are told is that bacteria cause illness and that we must do everything in our power to destroy them. We use antibacterial soaps to wash our hands and bodies, sanitizers and cleaners (usually containing bleach) to ensure our environment is free of bacteria, and we have even discovered antibiotics that we put in our body to destroy these tiny bugs. Our world has developed such a passion for destroying these creatures that we even find antibiotics in our common drinking water.
But this is a big problem. See, not all bacteria are created the same. In fact, some bacteria are really good for us. We call these kinds of bacteria “commensal,” because they provide us with tons of essential nutrients. They live all over and inside our bodies. In fact, in each cell we have mitochondria which is now believed to have started out as bacteria. You can read more about this in my blog about “Bug vs Body.” Ultimately, we would not survive if we didn’t have these commensal bacteria protecting us, supporting our development, and providing us with valuable nutrients. Yet, these bacteria are also destroyed in our interminable mission to destroy germs. When we indiscriminately destroy germs, we wipe out the bad and the good, and this has become a major problem.
Beyond the fact that we have created so-called “superbugs,” we are destroying the beneficial bacteria we need to sustain health. One of the most common and popular superbugs is called Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We have created this strain by using antibiotics to the point that the bacteria are now resistant to antibiotics. They are much more dangerous and becoming more prevalent. There are more bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics all the time, and we really need to find a better way of staying balanced when targeting certain bacteria that are causing illness.
One effective and powerful way to defend against bacteria that causes illness is to rely on Mother Nature. We were provided a mechanism for defense when we were born. In fact, it was originally conferred on us by our mothers as we were being born. This is what we refer to as the microbiome. The microbiome refers to the variety of bacterial strains that live on and in us. In fact, there are an estimated 500-1000 strains of bacteria in and on our body right now. This variety is really what allows for some of the major protection and immune boost that we see from the microbiome. Research is hard at work trying to determine the exact reason why the microbiome is so important and valuable for us, and they are years away from many of the answers.
In the meantime, it is important that we become aware of our microbiome and do the best we can to protect it. Many times when we get sick, we take antibiotics to start to feel better. Did you know that it takes up to a year to reestablish your own healthy microbiome after using antibiotics? That’s a huge problem. That means you have what is called “dysbiosis,” or an imbalance of the bacteria in your gut for a year! For a year afterwards, you could be struggling with poor digestion in the form of diarrhea or constipation, allowing toxins to build up in your body, and reducing your ability to muster an immune response to other bugs. This is dangerous and most of the time, unnecessary.
These commensal bacteria help nurture and establish our immune system, digest our food and in the process make important vitamins such as a whole host of B vitamins as well as Vit K, and directly protect us from other bugs that slip into our system. Of the 500-1000 strains that live within us, we are only aware of how a few of them work. They all need sustenance to continue to live and thrive and compete with one another for space to live and grow. If one species gets larger, another gets smaller. When we eat foods high in sugar, we promote the growth of bacterial species that eat sugar, while decreasing the growth of other bacteria. This aids in the development of diabetes.
It is so vital to populate our gut with the bacteria we want to grow and give us the most benefit. We now know that 2 species are really important for making energy for our gut cells, protecting us from infection, improving immune function, and have even shown to improve heart and brain health by lowering our inflammation. These two species are Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. Along with a myriad of other species, these bacteria are essential to creating and maintaining a healthy body and mind.
I have been working hard to formulate a probiotic that uses these 2 species to their maximum potential. In the process, I formulated a probiotic that uses 2 strains of each of these species to not just support the immune response, but to stimulate recovery of the microbiome. Having used this with my patients, we have seen some great results. I invite you to read more about my Recovery Probiotic I here to see if it might be right for you. In the meantime, keep feeding your gut bacteria the good, anti-inflammatory foods that they want and tend to your inner health. It’s the best thing you can ever do!
