Have you ever struggled with bloating, indigestion, cravings, mood issues, chronic illness or skin rashes? As annoying as they can be, these symptoms are indicative of a not so balanced microbiome, or gut flora. Optimizing gut health has become a major focus for 21st century health practitioners.

This microbiome is essentially its own ecosystem of various types of bacteria. These bacteria number in the trillions, the majority being in our gut flora, though they are also on our skin and through our whole digestive tract. When our microbiome is made up of good bacteria, they help us fend off infection and viruses, digest our food, absorb nutrients, and promote a sense of general well-being. Suffice it to say that good bacteria and our bodies have a mutually beneficial relationship.

When bad bacteria take up residence in our guts, they use the gut environment selfishly, demanding sugar and starch so they can continue to multiply. They emit toxins into the bloodstream and don’t secrete the enzymes we need to extract the nutrients from our food.

The links between chronic illness, even anxiety, and imbalanced gut bacteria keep growing. Scientists and many experts in the field of functional nutrition and integrative health refer to the gut as the second brain. It is important to know that the majority of our immunity and serotonin come from the gut.

Intestinal, or gut health is defined as optimal digestion, absorption and nutrient assimilation. It’s a big job, requiring more energy than any other system in the body. In fact, so much energy is required that when we are under stress, digestion stops in an effort to divert energy towards the flight or fright response.

Many factors contribute to creating a healthy gut flora; conversely, many factors contribute to creating an imbalance.

5 Signs Your Microbiome is Out of Balance

1. You crave refined sugars and carbohydrates. When healthy, we crave foods to maintain that status qou. Maintaining weight is not always an indicator of healthy eating habits, though it is the assumption of conventional practitioners.
2. Your mood is off and you experience anxiety. Bacteria in your gut emit chemical signals to your brain. This can cause mood disturbance such as anxiety and depression.
3. You experience digestive distress. It seems obvious that if you aren’t digesting properly there may be something wrong with your digestive tract. Perhaps looking at the food you are eating will help you determine if you are helping or harming your gut flora.
4. Your skin is rashy or prone to outbreaks. Eczema and other slin rashes are one of the most common ways that gut health shows up. Our skin is our largest organ and it displays imbalances in the body. When we correct what is going on inside, the outside reflects that.
5. You struggle with chronic health conditions. Autoimmune disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, or just feeling tired all the time can point to gut issues. If your autoimmunity is messing with your ability to process and absorb nutrients from the healthy food you eat, healing from the inside out can help eliminate something you thought you’d have to live with.

6 Ways to Improve and Optimize Gut Health

1. Eat whole, unprocessed and unrefined foods. Cutting out the sugar and refined carbs as well as adding in fiber is one of the best ways to maintain gut health by feeding healthy bacteria.
2. 75% of your plate should be vegetables and plant-based foods. Gut bacteria thrive on these high-fiber plant foods.
3. Amp up on good quality fats.Omega-3’s and monounsaturated fats (from extra virgin olive oil, avocados, wild fish and grass fed beef) promote healthy gut flora while omega-6 vegetable oils (from soybean oil, canola and other seed oils) are inflammatory. Decreased inflammation gives healthy gut bacteria the chance to flourish.
4. Supplement smartly.Studies show that omega 3 fatty acids can support healthy gut flora so if you are not regularly eating fatty wild-caught fish, you should definitely supplement. A good probiotic supplement will reduce gut inflammation while cultivating health and growth of good bacteria.
5. Add fermented foods.Sauerkraut, tempeh and miso contain good amounts of probiotics so your healthy gut bacteria can multiply.
6. Get 7 – 8 hours of sleep and practice stress reduction daily.Chronic stress, caused by lifestyle choices and lack of sleep contribute to gut imbalance. Your gut responds to your thoughts and feelings. There is truth to the saying, “I feel it in my gut”.

Please know you don’t have to be obsessive in your efforts to be healthy but seeing the relationship between what you eat and how you feel can be life changing. As Hippocrates, the father of medicine said, “let food be thy medicine…”