{"id":24639,"date":"2018-11-05T12:08:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-05T20:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/?p=24639"},"modified":"2024-10-14T10:37:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T17:37:00","slug":"get-your-gut-microbiome-in-shape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/news\/get-your-gut-microbiome-in-shape\/","title":{"rendered":"Get Your Gut Microbiome in Shape"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"article\">\n\t<header class=\"header\">\n\t\t<span class=\"type\"><\/span>\t\t<h1>Get Your Gut Microbiome in Shape<\/h1>\t\t<time>November 5, 2018<\/time>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div id=\"block_523a20674ebe26833dd80653dded9f5f\" class=\"shs-block block-news-article entry-content\">\n\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>Gut health and the importance of the \u201cfriendly\u201d bacteria that make up your microbiome is a prominently featured health topic lately. Everything from weight loss to allergies is being tied to your gut health. So just what do these tiny bacteria do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOur bodies have about 100 trillion microorganisms that help us in ways we didn\u2019t even realize 20 years ago,\u201d said Michelle Eckroth, MD, a pediatrician who specializes in pediatric integrative and functional medicine at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/find-a-location\/samaritan-heartspring-wellness-center\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Samaritan Heartspring Wellness Center<\/a>. \u201cAs scientists study the role that gut health and the microbiome plays in overall health they are learning just how important those microorganisms are. It\u2019s a synergistic relationship \u2014 if we feed them properly, they will help take care of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-role-of-the-microbiome\">The Role of the Microbiome<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Each body area like the skin, mouth, underarms, gut and more, have unique bacterial colonies based on the location where they live. These specific colonies living in specific locations of your body are a microbiome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gut bacteria live in the digestive tract and are found primarily in the large intestine or colon. After the body absorbs the nutrients it needs from food in the small intestine, the \u201cleftovers\u201d move into the colon. That remaining fiber feeds the gut bacteria. As the bacteria ferments this non-digestible fiber it creates short chain fatty acids which nourish the colon cells and decrease the risk of gastrointestinal cancers, modulate the immune system and help decrease inflammation throughout the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cResearch suggests that inflammation is a significant factor in most chronic diseases,\u201d said Eckroth. \u201cAlmost two-thirds of the immune system lives in the intestinal tract. When we feed our gut microbiome the things that it needs to be healthy, we can improve our own health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology found that people with rheumatoid arthritis and allergic diseases had altered gut microbiota, indicating that the gut regulates inflammation elsewhere in the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe microbiome is a complex ecosystem that affects many of the body\u2019s systems,\u201d said Eckroth. \u201cBroad-spectrum antibiotics, chronic constipation, chronic maldigestion, stress and the standard American diet, which is low in fiber and high in fat and simple carbohydrates, can all create an environment that reduces the effectiveness of the microbiome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-changing-your-microbiome-for-health\">Changing Your Microbiome for Health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thinking of your gut bacteria as its own ecosystem may seem odd. But Eckroth notes that the number of microorganism cells in the body outnumber human cells by about 10:1, so maybe taking care of your gut isn\u2019t such a bad idea after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are hundreds of different types of bacteria that live in the gut, but an article published in the journal Genome Medicine reported that the specific combination of bacteria isn\u2019t as important as having a wide variety that is able to carry out its duties and be resilient to change. Over time, different bacteria are introduced to the body depending on early life exposure, where you live, your genetics and what you eat. So making gut-friendly food choices is one important area that you can control, and can determine how healthy the bacteria are that make up your microbiome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen you give your gut the right foods, it feeds the friendly bacteria and helps them grow to out compete the bad bacteria,\u201d said Eckroth. \u201cOur bodies need to have a thriving diverse microbiome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Eckroth, highly processed foods and sugars can damage the friendly bacteria in the gut. But transitioning to whole foods with plenty of fiber will feed the good bacteria and help them thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-to-eat-for-better-bacteria\">What to Eat for Better Bacteria<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Changing your diet can improve your microbiome in as little as 24 hours. Eckroth recommends these four steps to get you started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-eat-whole-foods\">1. Eat Whole Foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Eat 5-7 servings a day of a rainbow variety of vegetables. Eat 1-2 servings a day of fruit. Buy organic produce and pasture raised or grass fed organic meat when possible. Minimize processed foods and sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-eat-prebiotic-foods\">2. Eat Prebiotic Foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Prebiotics contain fiber that you don\u2019t digest, but bacteria love to eat and help feed a healthy microbiome. Foods rich in prebiotics include brined vegetables, dandelion leaves, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, and raw foods such as garlic, onion, leeks and asparagus. Whole oats, whole barley (not pearled), beans, bananas and other fruits and vegetables also contain prebiotics. Cooking can destroy the beneficial compounds that feed your microbiome so eat some raw foods every day. If it helps you eat a higher quantity, try steaming vegetables until they are bright in color but still crunchy to retain a moderate amount of healthful prebiotic material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-eat-probiotic-foods\">3. Eat Probiotic Foods<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Probiotics are foods with bacteria already present because it is being used to ferment the food. Yogurt (look for unsweetened or low sugar varieties), kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, natto, miso and kombucha. One tablespoon a day of a probiotic food is enough to introduce healthy bacteria. Eat a variety of fermented foods to introduce new bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-take-a-probiotic-supplement-in-the-short-term\">4. Take a Probiotic Supplement in the Short Term<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Eckroth, the bacteria in a probiotic supplement don\u2019t take up residence permanently in the gut but are a good way to temporarily improve the number of friendly bacteria while you work on improving your diet. Look for a probiotic supplement from a reputable company that has the ConsumerLab or USP seal on the label.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/?p=24542&amp;preview=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read more<\/a>\u00a0about probiotics and maintaining\u00a0their benefits.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<aside>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/probiotic-foods-325-CO.jpg\" class=\"attachment-cta size-cta wp-post-image\" alt=\"A picture of small bowls containing a variety of probiotic foods, including yogurt, pickled beets, vinegar, pickles and sauerkraut.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/probiotic-foods-325-CO.jpg 360w, https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/probiotic-foods-325-CO-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/probiotic-foods-325-CO-120x100.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption>Kimchi, pickled beets, vinegar, yogurt, sauerkraut and pickles are foods rich in probiotics.<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/kombucha-fermented-tea-325-CO.jpg\" class=\"attachment-cta size-cta\" alt=\"Colorful jars of kombucha fermented teas.\" \/><figcaption>Kombucha tea provides the natural benefit of probiotics. But if you\u2019re not brewing your own, be aware that high amounts of sugar in many store bought brands can make them closer to a soft drink than a healthy beverage!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t<\/aside>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dr. Michelle Eckroth explains the role of good bacteria in your gut and how changes in diet can impact your overall health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":14041,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_shs_workflow_notes":"November 5, 2018","_shs_exclude_from_navigation":false,"_shs_promote_article_on_blogs":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"news-topics":[293],"news-types":[270],"services":[251,244],"specialty":[47,99],"class_list":["post-24639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","news-topics-wellness","news-types-feature-article","services-nutrition-services","services-integrative-medicine","specialty-nutrition","specialty-integrative-medicine"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24639"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24639\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24639"},{"taxonomy":"news-topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-topics?post=24639"},{"taxonomy":"news-types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-types?post=24639"},{"taxonomy":"services","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/services?post=24639"},{"taxonomy":"specialty","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samhealth.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/specialty?post=24639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}