So, in this third post on the gut brain axis and how it impacts our health...in terms of chronic pain and otherwise..we're looking at our microbiome and things we can do make or keep it healthy !
The human microbiome consists of the "normal flora"...the microrganisms that live on our skin, in our mouth, our GI tract...We all have this world of organisms living in and on our bodies; and amazingly, no two are alike! These colonies of bacteria also change at various times throughout one's life in response to body changes. Of most importance here is whether or not there is a healthy balance of these organisms. We are learning more and more about the importance of maintaining a healthy flora: we're finding out more and more that many health conditions may be connected to the normal flora in ways we'd never have suspected.
Some well-known examples of an unhealthy balance of the microbiome include yeast infections, gastrointestinal disturbances such as diarrhea, respiratory infections, ringworm, and thrush. We all know what these are like from personal experience, or from knowing someone who has dealt with these problems. What I am going to tell you today, is that there is something you CAN do about it! And by doing something about it, your overall health may be greatly improved.
1) Think ecology. All living things on this earth are part of its ecology, including you and I and are bodies and all the organisms that live within us. We are all part of the whole. By taking care of your own microbial garden, you are contributing to the overall health of the global ecosphere.
2) Plant a vegetable garden. By working in the soil, you will incorporate the organisms of the earth into your own microbiome. If you plant vegetables, you will most likely eat them (and their microbiomes will become a part of you, too!)
3) Eat more vegetables. This does not mean that you have to become a vegetarian, but the fiber content of the vegetables is great sustenance for the microbes living in your "inner garden."
4) Open the windows! Enjoy fresh air whenever possible. That way you'll introduce new microbes to the flora of the respiratory tract, instead of breathing the same old recycled indoor air all the time.
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5) Limit use of antibiotics. Antibiotic drugs can be lifesaving; they kill off the harmful pathogens that cause many infections. That being said, these drugs can kill off some of the organisms of our microbiome as well; they are not as selective as we might think. Overuse of antibiotics is also responsible for the development of MRSA and some other super-bugs we've been hearing about in recent years. It's good to know that these drugs are there when they are really needed, but for the most part we can get through a lot of illnesses without them.
Sources: Human Food Project; Wikimedia; Wikipedia
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