Microbiome

The Microbiome is one of the key elements of our health, representing about two thirds of the immune system and it is considered our first line of defense. It also has about 3 million genes and represents a large part of our body’s DNA and is very sensitive and malleable to our lifestyle choices, including our food choices.

When we lead a healthy lifestyle, we feed the good bacteria and serve an entire ecology of non-human organisms that live, under normal conditions, in a symbiotic relationship with our body. This symbiotic relationship results in a strong immune system and, consequently, a healthier and better quality of life. On the other hand, when we have an unhealthy lifestyle, we feed the bad (pathogenic) bacteria, which in most cases leads our body to a state of systemic inflammation, responsible for a large number of modern diseases.

There are several factors that negatively influence our microbiome, such as chronic stress, poor diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, poor hygiene, obesity or overweight, sedentary lifestyle, some medications (e.g. antibiotics) and the aging process. These can be considered the main ones.

When a person has several of the listed risk factors, there are many health, wellness, and quality of life issues that can begin to arise over time.

The accumulation of these factors can cause a decrease in good bacteria, an increase in bad bacteria, and a so-called leaky gut, where the walls of the gut become more fragile, allowing bacteria and food particles to pass into the blood. This process confuses white blood cells, which are the cells responsible for immunity, and makes them think that the proteins associated with these food particles are invading germs, which causes them to increase the number of inflammatory molecules in the bloodstream, causing systemic inflammation.

The process of systemic inflammation can lead to various symptoms and health problems, such as altered body composition and weight gain, difficult digestion, constipation, abdominal pain and bloating, frequent diarrhea and flatulence, chronic fatigue and lack of energy, brain fog, difficulties sleeping, stress and anxiety, reduced immunity, skin problems, joint and/or muscle pain, and increased susceptibility to the development of some diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases.