If you’re anything like me,

…you grew up in a world where sanitisation was of prime importance.

When in reality, our body is made up of trillions of microbes (including bacteria)

This internal ecosystem is known as the microbiome.

Instead of cleansing the gut, the focus should be shifted to –

Balance!

The gut microbiome is deeply connected to immune health

For a long time scientists have believed that the immune system doesn’t activate until 9 weeks into gestation

Now we know that the intestinal epithelial cells work to eradicate damaged cells long before our organs develop.

When you understand holistic health, this will come as no surprise

In reality, every cell needs an elimination outlet

The immune system is basically a massive organ of elimination, that takes out the trash.

Our immune system also works closely with the microbes in our gut to keep the body healthy.

If you renovate your home, you’ll know that a skip will be needed.

The same goes when your body creates healthy new tissue

The delicate interplay between the immune system and the microbiome must be kept in balance with a selection of healthy lifestyle choices.

In this article, we’ll look at how to help gut microbes remain in balance and what it really means to get rid of so-called “bad” bacteria. As well as 6 foods that are filled with probiotics.

Your Body Requires Harmony

Gut microbes work in harmony with the immune system. An imbalance of gut microbes can lead to immune dysregulation. Now we know how important gut microbes are in maintaining health. The immune system’s job is to eliminate pathogens and toxins while creating new healthy tissue. A person with an autoimmune condition has their immune system falsely identify healthy tissue as foreign.

New techniques have allowed researchers to analyse the relationship between gut microbes and the immune system. They can now use either germ-free mice or manipulate the gut microbiome to study the immune system. The gut microbiota doesn’t just shape the local immune system, it also impacts systemic immune responses to achieve balance.

Microbes Work As Waste Disposal Guys

When you think about your immune system, you probably picture white blood cells. And when you think about those, you probably picture them fighting off germs in your body. But there are many other players involved in keeping us healthy. The trillions of bacteria living in our guts, for example, help to keep us healthy by training our immune systems, scientists say. What’s more, the lymphatic system (part of the immune system) works as the waste disposal system of the body.

Innate immunity is the first line of defence against pathogens, explains Dr David Relman of Stanford University School of Medicine. It’s the body’s natural response to foreign invaders that have been around since before humans even walked the earth — because we share so much genetic material with them, we’re very vulnerable to their attacks if they get into our bodies. The innate immune system uses physical barriers like skin and mucus to prevent pathogens from entering the body.

Getting Rid of Bad Gut Bacteria (Hint: It Isn’t What You’d Think)

Surprisingly, there isn’t such a thing as “bad bacteria.” The marketing term “bad bacteria” refers to bacteria that are detrimental to overall health and wellbeing. What’s important is that the population of bacteria in the gut can change, depending on your internal environment. For example, at normal levels candida is fine, in fact, it’s required. Candida is a type of fungus that proliferates when lifestyle factors are out of balance. Candida overgrowth can be a serious problem for people who eat too many sugary foods. The reason that candida multiplies is not that it’s “bad” or harmful. The overgrowth is due to an abundance of food that candida likes to eat. In a way candida is trying to help.

Your diet is linked to the trillions of microbes in your gut. Eating an ultra-processed diet, filled with snacks and sugary drinks affects the microbiota population. In the US – energy intake from ultra-processed foods is a shocking 57.9%. This means that just 42.1% of energy in most Americans, comes from healthy food. In the first review of the impact of ultra-processed foods on the gut microbiota, researchers found that eating a diet high in ultra-processed foods changes the types of microbes in the gut, leading to inflammation and epigenetic changes. These changes impact the progression of disease and cause weight gain. Moreover, the effects can be transferred to future generations.

7 Foods Rich In Probiotics

The trick is to keep your microbes in balance. They can be brought into balance by consuming probiotics. This helps balance out the population of microbes in your gut. So that it contains more health promoting microbes. Here are ten foods that you can eat to boost microbiome health, in turn boosting immune health:-

1. Yoghurt – To create yoghurt, many manufacturers ferment milk with probiotics. Hence many forms of yoghurt can help reduce damage from antibiotics.

2. Tempeh – While most soy products contain phytic acid that inhibits vitamin and mineral absorption. Tempeh is a fermented soy pâté that contains many vitamins and minerals like B12.

3. Sauerkraut – Sauerkraut is an eastern european dish made with fermented cabbage. Choose raw sauerkraut to benefit from its probiotics, minerals and vitamins.

4. Kimchi – Similar to sauerkraut, kimchi is made with fermented cabbage. The difference is that kimchi is more spicy and normally contains a mix of seasoning like garlic, chilli and salt.

5. Miso – Miso is a Japanese dish made with fermented soy beans. Some studies have linked frequent miso soup consumption with reduced risk of breast cancer and stroke.

6. Kombucha – An Asian drink made with fermented tea (green or black). The fermentation process results in many probiotics and health benefits.

The Bottom Line

We’re learning more about the microbes in our gut and the role they play in health and wellbeing each month. This information can help us take steps to boost overall health and wellbeing. Because we now know that these microbes change and alter our health, we should all be paying more attention to our lifestyle and how these microbes are changing depending on what we eat and do. Consuming probiotic rich foods, or supplements can play a major role in boosting overall health.