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What do Microbes Have to Do with Your Health

Post by: KATHY SKINNER in gut health, digestine
There has been a lot of discussion lately about microbes and microbiomes. Just what are they and what do they have to do with your health?

Human beings have evolved alongside trillions of tiny organisms called microbes. In fact, scientists estimate there are more microbes in your body as there are human cells!
Our bodies are comprised of about 10 trillion cells. But strangely enough, only half those cells are human. The rest of them comprise our microbiome, which is a vast and complex ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in or on our bodies.    
These little guys are what make our lives what they are. They’re essential for human development, they determine the strength of our immune system, and they help make the most of our nutrition. These bacteria that live in and on us are not invaders, but beneficial colonizers. 

These microbial communities are called microbiomes. You may have heard about the gut microbiome, but you actually have microbiomes in more than just the digestive system. They exist throughout your body, including the skin, mouth, eyes, ears, nose, lungs, kidneys, urinary tract, reproductive system—basically anywhere that has contact with the outside. 
Each microbiome communicates with and helps support your cells and vital organs—and ultimately your overall health.


The Scoop on Microbiomes
 
Microbiomes are their own ecosystems. They’re sensitive to temperature, pH, nutrients, and environmental influences, just like you. Healthy microbiomes have more good microbes—sometimes called flora—than bad, but there’s more to it than just numbers. For microbiomes to thrive, they also require diversity.
Diverse microbiomes are more resilient at handling stressors and adapting quickly to changing circumstances. You need a variety of microbes to process food and supplements, produce important signaling messages, and assist the immune system, among other crucial functions.
 
Microbiomes are involved in several critical health functions, including immunity, digestion, energy metabolism, sleep, brain and heart support, and healthy weight maintenance. Multiple studies have shown that an imbalance of good and bad microbes may contribute to weight gain. Having more good microbes is key to a healthy microbiome and weight. 

Microbiomes also serve as sensors for your outside environment and as a communication network throughout your body. If you’ve heard of the gut-brain connection, that’s referring to the way your gut microbiome communicates with the brain in what scientists call “bidirectional axes.”

There’s also a connection between the oral microbiome and brain. Even the gut and skin microbiomes are connected. Effectively, your microbiomes communicate with your tissues and organs and receive information from other microbiomes.

Lifestyle factors that impact the health of your microbiome and overall digestive health include:
 
Physical activity increases blood flow to the muscles in the digestive system, which massages our food along the digestive tract. A process known as peristalsis – causing them to work more quickly and effectively. Recent studies suggest that exercise can enhance the number of beneficial microbial species, enrich the microflora diversity, and improve the development of commensal bacteria. 
 
Stress is associated with reduced diversity in the microbiome and increased intestinal permeability. Emerging evidence suggests that our gut microbiota can influence stress responsiveness. Implementing stress management techniques can help to address stress derived digestive issues.
Need some tips? Check out Lower Your Anxiety with these Eight Tips
 


Poor sleep can create poor conditions for microbiota, while poor digestive health can generate issues with sleep. According to neuroscientists, a healthy microbiome affects cognitive function. Sufficient sleep, at least six to eight hours a night, can help bring balance to the microbiome and improve brain function. The link between sleep and the microbiome is circular: Poor sleep can create poor conditions for microbiota, while poor digestive health can generate issues with sleep.
 


Supplementation with probiotic and prebiotics can encourage healthy activity in your intestinal microbiome. Here are some things to look for when looking for a quality microbiome supplement: 
• Prebiotics: Prebiotics are the food/fuel for Probiotics. Probiotics love eating prebiotic carbohydrates, or fiber, as they are more commonly referred to, because they make them strong.
• Probiotics: Probiotics are tiny manufacturing plants that reproduce communities of healthy bugs, bacteria, and flora, which help to fight off the bad bacteria. They literally crowd out and create a barrier to prevent the bad bugs from getting into your system. They also reproduce, help digest foods, breakdown fat, and protein. 
• Postbiotics: Postbiotics are the after-life probiotics that help create thousands of health promoting metabolites from the food we eat. These are what influence our DNA and cellular functional health benefits throughout every system in our body. 
• Phages: Then, we have phages. These are healthy viruses and are also referred to as Bacteriophages target harmful bacteria/pathogens and kill them.
 
Taking a daily probiotic and prebiotic supplement is one of the best ways to support your whole-body microbiome. The proprietary blend PB Restore® assists your microbiome by providing prebiotic fiber, 30 active cultures, and 24 strains of probiotic microorganisms.
And they’re all provided in a unique, double-layer vegetable capsule. The formula is also supercharged with the addition of those bacteriophages, or phages, which were mentioned above. 
These phages are like superheroes to our immune systems because they target bad bacteria and cause them to burst. Phages have a unique ability to hone in on a specific bacterial species, or even an individual bacterial strain. They essentially support the immune system in targeting harmful organisms, which makes the probiotic stronger and more effective. 
The delivery system is also part of what makes this product unlike anything else on the market. While the benefits of probiotics are well documented, many probiotic supplements can’t pass through the stomach acid unharmed. PB Restore® is unique because it is encapsulated in a time-release, double-layer capsule, which protects the probiotic cultures as they pass through the stomach so they can provide your digestive, and immune systems with the support that they need.
Contact me HERE to learn how you can try PB Restore and get a 25% discount too!
 
 
Another blog post that might interest you  How to Maintain a Healthy Gut for a Healthier You




Blessings for Health, Joy & Laughter,
Kathy

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