by Valerie Izarnotegui, MD
Think of your gut microbiome as a community of microscopic organisms that live inside your body. When everything is working right, this ecosystem helps protect you from a host of diseases. Unfortunately, the reverse is also true. When your microbiome is off kilter, it can lead to inflammation and vulnerability to heart disease and other conditions.
Your gut microbiome is made up of trillions of microorganisms – including thousands of species of bacteria, fungi and parasites. These organisms live primarily in your gut, but they are also found throughout your body, including your skin, nose, eyes, lungs and mouth. The largest concentration of microbiota are found in your colon, where they help your body process vitamins and break down the foods that you eat. As part of this process, they create enzymes, vitamins and fatty acids that are beneficial to your health. There is still much we are learning about the roles played by these microorganisms, which can vary from one person to the next. We do know that a disturbance in your microbiome can have a significant impact on your health, leading to gas, bloating and gastrointestinal issues. More importantly, microbiome issues can cause inflammation that may increase your risk for many diseases and disorders. Those include:
Instead of asking yourself whether you have a “good” or “bad” microbiome, it’s more accurate to ask whether it is “balanced” or “imbalanced.” Found amongst those trillions of microorganisms living inside you will be a mix of both pathogenic (bad) and symbiotic (good) organisms. They all have roles to play, even if we don’t yet know exactly what those roles are. Ideally, microbiota will coexist in a ratio that doesn’t lead to inflammation. When there is a good balance, your gut will help you in a variety of ways. For example, it produces short-chain fatty acids, an important energy source that also helps reduce inflammation. When the balance is off, on the other hand, your gut may produce more of a substance called TMAO, which can increase your risk for heart disease. Interestingly, here is another reminder about our need for more research in this area. We don’t know why, but each of us interacts differently with our microbiome. Two people, for example, can essentially share the same microbiome, yet produce different amounts of both good and bad substances.
If your microbiome is out of balance, there are steps you can take to repair it. Every time you eat, you have the potential to send reinforcements to the army of microorganisms in your gut. The foods you choose can impact which side you are boosting. Research has shown, for example, that a diet extremely heavy in red meat is more likely to foster the creation of the harmful TMAO substance. But a diet that’s heavy on legumes, vegetables and fruits is more likely to generate more of the beneficial short-chain fatty acids. This isn’t to say that you should avoid all red meat. But your microbiome will benefit from a diet that’s more focused on plants. Here’s one way to look at the foods you eat: If it’s something that can be harvested, it’s more likely to be good for your body. But if it comes out of a factory, it’s probably not great for your body. It’s OK to indulge in some of the bad stuff – as long as the vast majority of what you eat is healthy. If you are more comfortable following a particular diet, consider the well-known Mediterranean diet, which focuses on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, healthy oils and fish.
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