Bullet Points 

1.  The microbiome of your gut is made up of a large number of different types of bacteria as well as viruses and fungi.
2. The gut microbiome is critical for health as these microorganisms perform necessary functions for your health including the production of needed nutrients, the metabolism of specific toxins and hormones, and the support of your immune system.
3. Dysbiosis is the term used when there is an imbalance in your gut microbiome which can lead to many adverse side effects
4. By following the principles outlined within you can achieve a healthy gut microbiome and improve many chronic health conditions 

We are using the term “gut” to refer to your gastro-intestinal digestive tract.   This includes the mouth, the swallowing tube known as the esophagus, the stomach, and the small and large intestines.   Over the last 15 years an increasing level of medical literature has shown the important role of the gut in health and disease.   To understand a bit more about why let’s take a journey through your gut.   This journey begins with your mouth which has the job of adequately chewing your food and beginning the digestion process.   The esophagus carries this food to the stomach where stomach acid and the digestive enzyme pepsin are released that further aids in food breakdown.   Once the food enters the small intestine enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the gall bladder go to work to continue the digestion process.  The food is next moved to the small intestine.  The lining of the small intestine contains finger like projections called villi which provide nutrient absorption.  The lining of a healthy small intestine carefully chooses what molecules to allow through.   These macro and micro-nutrients selectively pass through the small intestine into the bloodstream where they become available to the body.   Lastly, the remaining food passes into the large intestine where water and electrolytes are removed and where the gut microbiome goes to work. Interestingly, the most important part of your gut is not “you”….not your own cells.   It is composed of trillions of bacteria primarily living in the large(and some in the small) intestines known as the microbiome.   The gut microbiome is the most well-known and extensively studied microbiome in the human body. The gut is home to over 1000 different species of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. These microorganisms play a critical role in your health and well-being. A healthy gut microbiome is one that is rich in diversity, with a wide range of different microorganisms present in balanced proportions. These microorganisms in your intestine work together to break down food, extract nutrients, produce specific vitamins and support your immune system.  In fact, almost 70% of your immune system is actually within the gut! In contrast, an unhealthy gut microbiome is one that is imbalanced, with an overgrowth of certain types of microorganisms.   This imbalance in the gut microbiome is called dysbiosis and can cause a range of health problems. Dysbiosis can be caused by a variety of factors.  A common cause of dysbiosis is antibiotic use, especially multiple antibiotic use over time.   While antibiotics can be lifesaving they are not without risk and should be used judiciously by your health care provider.   Other causes of dysbiosis or alterations in your healthy microbiome include diet high in unhealthy and/ or processed foods, chronic stress, lack of sleep, pesticides your food and recurrent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications( NSAID’s ex ibuprofen, Aleve) . Dysbiosis often leads to a condition known as leaky gut.   A healthy gut lining selectively absorbs macro nutrients into the bloodstream.   Once this lining is disturbed by an altered microbiome, this selectivity becomes impaired and unwanted breakdown products of food can enter your bloodstream.   This is referred to as leaky gut.   Dysbiosis and subsequent leaky gut not only can cause gut symptoms of bloating, constipation, diarrhea, pain and gas but can result in health problems outside the gut as the immune system reacts to the unwanted proteins that pass through the leaky gut and abnormally stimulate the immune system to promote inflammation and create a myriad of health issues including headaches, migraines, allergic symptoms, joint pain, muscle aches, fatigue and others.   In fact, several known diseases are linked to dysbiosis and leaky gut including Irritable bowel disease, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune diseases.  Additionally, weight gain/ obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart and vascular disease have been shown to be related to dysbiosis and leaky gut. There is one last piece to the microbiome story.   The beneficial good bacteria in your microbiome produce Post Biotics such as Butyrate which help to provide nourishment to your gut.   This is why I am a proponent of specific Probiotics that have been shown to increase butyrate and other healthy post biotic production. You can see why it is critical to maintain or regain a healthy gut microbiome as failure to do so can lead to a host of symptoms and diseases.   Let’s review the strategy for maintaining your healthy gut.

1. Diet is very important in maintaining a healthy microbiome. A diet high in fiber as described in the Diet section of the site provides needed Prebiotics.  Prebiotics are used as food by the good  beneficial bacteria in the gut. Also, consuming Probiotics, either through supplements or fermented foods like yogurt and kefir as described in the Diet section of the site can also help to maintain a healthy microbiome.
2. Avoiding the triggers which cause dysbiosis as outlined above
3. Regular exercise: Exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on the gut microbiome, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria.
4. Taking the right supplement Probiotics is an important insurance policy to maintain your microbiome. If you currently have any gut symptoms ( bloating, constipation, etc.) or any of the non-gut symptoms or illnesses noted above, your gut microbiome is likely disturbed and requires attention. Even if you have no current symptoms BUT have not been eating healthy, are under stress, have taken a number of antibiotics and/ or NSAID’s or do not maintain a healthy lifestyle, you likely have asymptomatic dysbiosis brewing that will eventually affect your health and well-being.   A program to restore and maintain gut health can be found in the Gut Health Recommendation section of the The Tools page.