Did you know the human microbiome has an estimated 100 trillion microbes? The microbiome is composed of microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, protozoa and fungi. The bulk of these are housed in the gut but they also exist in the skin, eyes, mouth, lungs and hair. They are our friends and are responsible for thousands of metabolic processes in the body. They help regulate our immune system, protect us from bad pathogens, regulate our nervous system, regulate our mood, and help keep our fats and cholesterol in balance to name a few.
Many things can have a negative impact on the microbiome. Poor oral health from lack of brushing and flossing can be a cause. Using anti-bacterial soaps and sanitizers can be harmful. Certain deodorants, shampoos and other body care products can damage it. Acid-blocking medication for heartburn and reflux, steroid medication, birth control pills and antibiotics can all be culprits. In the case of antibiotics, some of the latest studies show it takes the microbiome up to a year to recover from a 10-day course. Chronic stress can also imbalance the delicate microbiome.
The bottom line is that in the world of functional medicine, most conditions come back to fixing gut health. A big problem we see in the gut is a disrupted or imbalanced microbiome. When we find this and work towards fixing it then a lot of different symptoms and conditions many times improve or go away completely. In our next newsletter, we will talk about some of these conditions and how we test the microbiome.