The human microbiome, consisting of trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa, resides primarily in the gut and plays a vital role in health.
A healthy microbiome ensures proper digestion, immune system regulation, and even mental well-being.
Recent studies reveal its far-reaching impact on diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders (Cho & Blaser, 2012).
What are the characteristics of a healthy microbiome?
Diversity: A robust microbiome is characterized by a wide variety of microbial species.
Higher diversity is associated with resilience against infections and diseases (Sommer et al., 2017).
Balance: Beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium should dominate, keeping harmful species in check (Kailasapathy & Chin, 2000).
Stability: Consistency in microbial composition supports long-term health and reduces susceptibility to dysbiosis (imbalance) (Das & Nair, 2019).
How to maintain a healthy microbiome?
Make good dietary choices.
Prebiotics (foods like garlic, onions, bananas, and asparagus) feed beneficial bacteria (Madrid, 2020).
Probiotics (fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut) introduce beneficial bacteria (Kok & Hutkins, 2018).
Fiber-rich foods (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) promote microbial diversity (Um et al., 2023).
Limit ultra-processed foods as these foods are often low in fiber and can promote harmful bacteria (Levy et al., 2024).
Avoid overuse of antibiotics.
Antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiome by eliminating both harmful and beneficial bacteria (Ribeiro et al., 2020).
Use them only when prescribed and necessary.
Chronic stress can negatively impact gut health (Leigh et al., 2023).
Practices like meditation and yoga are beneficial.
Poor sleep patterns are linked to gut dysbiosis (Matenchuk et al., 2020).
Adults should aim for 7-9 hours per night.
Regular moderate exercise promotes microbial diversity.
Exposure to pesticides and chemicals can harm the gut microbiome (Chu et al., 2020).
Opt for whole-foods produce when possible.
A 2023 study published in PubMed Central demonstrated that a diet high in plant-based foods significantly increased gut microbiota diversity over 12 weeks (Sidhu et al., 2023).
The PMC also reported that individuals consuming more than 30 different plant-based foods weekly had the most diverse microbiomes (McDonald et al., 2018).
References:
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Cho, I., & Blaser, M. J. (2012). The human microbiome: at the interface of health and disease. Nature Reviews Genetics, 13(4), 260-270.
Das, B., & Nair, G. B. (2019). Homeostasis and dysbiosis of the gut microbiome in health and disease. Journal of biosciences, 44, 1-8.
Kailasapathy, K., & Chin, J. (2000). Survival and therapeutic potential of probiotic organisms with reference to Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium spp. Immunology and cell biology, 78(1), 80-88.
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