Many people are searching for answers around the gut microbiome. In this blog, I’ll cover how to reset your microbiome and improve your immune system.
The digestive system plays a crucial role in our immune system, mental health and metabolism. The gut has a significant impact on several areas of your health, and it all comes down to the gut microbiome.
When stress levels are high, we see a considerable rise in patients with gut issues. The human body cannot discern if the stress we are under is a real threat or just one that we are imagining. As a result, we go into fight or flight mode, and the blood is shunted into our arms and legs, preparing us to take action. Our digestion is then impaired as the blood diverts away from our GI tract. It is imperative to eat your meals in a relaxed environment and not while watching stressful programs like the news or a violent movie.
The gut is filled with many different types of bacteria. The bacteria are estimated to outnumber our normal cells by a 10:1 ratio; for every healthy cell, we have ten bacteria cells. If you were to lay these bacteria out in a row, they would circle the entire earth 2.5 times!
All this to say that your diet and lifestyle will determine the balance between good and harmful bacteria in the gut. This will have a direct impact on your health.
Here are ways you can reset your gut microbiome to improve your immune system and overall health:
Remove Items That Weaken Your Gut Microbiome
Antibiotics, artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sugar and non-GMOs all weaken your gut microbiome. Unfortunately, antibiotics destroy good and harmful bacteria in the gut, which can lead to many gut issues including IBS, bacteria overgrowth and infections.
Think of your gut microbiome as a beautiful rainforest and antibiotics are like a wildfire that revenges the ecosystem. Artificial sweeteners tend to encourage an overgrowth of unwanted bacteria that can lead to sugar/carb cravings, brain fog, increased risk of obesity, eating disorders, diabetes and various other diseases.
Processed foods, non-organic and GMO foods are dangerous due to the high levels of the pesticide glyphosate. Glyphosate can encourage an overgrowth of harmful bacteria & damage gut lining (causing leaky gut). Chemicals in tap water such as fluoride, chlorine and aluminium can also reduce the microbiome’s delicate balance.
Cut Sugar To Reset Your Gut Microbiome
Bottom line, sugars feed your bad bacteria, and fibre feeds your good bacteria. When your good bacteria is high, you crave healthy foods. When your bad bacteria is high, you crave sugar and junk foods, as this is their preferred source of food.
High GI foods and sugars mainly feed Candida which exaggerates your sugar cravings and is linked to depression and brain fog. Cut the nasty sugar and use stevia or monk fruit sugar instead.
Increase Your Daily Fibre
Fibre acts as a prebiotic because this is your good bacteria’s preferred food source. Fibre also supports overall digestion and transit time which in turn promotes detox of your colon having a positive effect on your overall health.
A healthy fibre intake creates a stool that will float. If transit time is too slow food tends to ferment and putrefy, releasing harmful toxins and feeding your bad bacteria. The goal is to feed your good bacteria and starve your harmful bacteria.
Foods high in fibre and low in sugar include chia seeds, psyllium husks, quinoa, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, avocados, berries, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussel sprouts, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, cucumbers, apples, onions, garlic, chicory and artichokes. It is best to aim for 30-35g of fibre per day. (Around three/four teaspoons of psyllium husks per day, three cups of green veggies, and three cups of coloured fruits and veggies per day.)
Doing this doesn’t just feed your good bacteria and drive a craving for healthy food, but it also balances your blood sugar levels to make you feel full. You even lose unwanted body fat as a side-effect.
Try Intermittent Fasting
Fasting will take the pressure off your digestive system allowing your gut microbiome to heal. Many patients present with gut inflammation and low immunity when their good to bad bacteria ratios are out.
16/8 or 18/6 intermittent fasting works well where you swap out your breakfast for water with fresh lemon and lime and then have a green juice as a brunch and then have lunch and dinner. You can make a green juice from fresh veggies such as celery, cucumber, romaine lettuce, cucumber, parsley, cilantro, ginger, lemon and lime.
You can also do an adjusted fast by using organic veggie juice, veggie soup or bone broth (high in L-Glutamine to heal your gut).
Increase Fermented Foods & Probiotics
I advise my clients to eat fermented food each day such as organic kefir, coconut water kefir, sauerkraut or spicy kimchi. The number of good bacteria these foods provide is extensive and tends to have a significant impact on improving your microbiome.
Probiotics are convenient in supplement form, but I suggest combining pre-and-probiotics, as the prebiotics are not only the preferred food source of your good bacteria.
If you are having many intestinal issues and severe bloating and IBS symptoms, you may have histamine intolerance and overreaction to fermented foods. Therefore it is best to start with just probiotic and anti-bacterial herbs such as oregano and rosemary until your body can tolerate the fibre and fermented foods.
Strengthen Your Mucosal Barrier
A strong mucosal barrier is essential to keep the gut microbiome healthy. Most of your gut bacteria live in your mucosal barrier, so making sure it is in good condition is critical.
The mucosal barrier is the barrier in the stomach made up of thick mucus secreted together with an alkaline fluid. Not only does this barrier house your good bacteria, but it also protects you from toxins, pathogens and excess stomach acids. The importance of the mucosal barrier for a healthy microbiome has been confirmed, and to support your immune system.
The best way to keep your mucosal barrier healthy is to use fresh aloe vera juice or bone broth as they help heal leaky gut and keep this barrier intact.
Boost Your Good Environmental Bacteria
Plants, animals and soil all contain unique good bacterial microbiomes. Having regular exposure to plants and animals will improve your microbiome. Playing with pets, gardening and not washing off all the dirt of your organic fruits and veg are all beneficial.
Animals, plants, and dirt all harbour their bacterial microbiome. By coming in contact with soil, sea and animals, we acquire unique and diverse bacteria that improve the health of our microbiome. Just getting skin contact with the earth can be beneficial and gardening, even just tending to window boxes if you live in an apartment, will help. Grounding barefoot in the soil or sand will also reset all of your electrical circuits and boost your negative ions combating the positive ions of our WiFi-laden worlds.
I love using plants to boost my home microbiome, and my favourite is Peace Lillies, I have them on all of our home desks and on each of our bedside tables to oxygenate us during the day and night.
Clear Parasites To Reset Your Microbiome
Your natural defence against pathogens, bacteria, parasites and viruses is compromised if your good bacteria is too low. Such nasties release mycotoxins as a secondary metabolite not only reducing your physical health but playing havoc on your mental health also.
There is more serotonin produced in the gut than in the brain, and your gut lining has more than 100 million nerve cells, which is why the gut is often referred to as our second brain.
We can test you for parasites, but if you already know you have them you can order the Rejuv Para Cleanse, and the Rejuv Candida Gone Capsules as fungus and candida often go hand in hand with parasites.
Make Your Microbiome a Healthy Internal ‘Rainforest’
As you can see, there are lots of ways to support your gut microbiome for overall mental and physical health. There are many foods, herbs and lifestyle choices you can make to ensure a healthy internal ‘rainforest’, your microbiome. You don’t have to be perfect for it is what you do most of the time that determines your health.
Be kind to yourself, keep a gratitude journal and keep your stress under control for this will also significantly impact your gut health.
Eating more fibre and vegetables, as well as taking Rejuv Digestive Complex Powder to reset your microbiome, can change the balance of power of good bacteria back in your favor—so you can get well and stay well.
Simone Laubscher has a BSc MSc PhD in Science and nutrition and has treated patients for over 20 years.
After struggling with health issues relating to obesity (metabolic, thyroid, adrenal, blood sugar and eating disorders), Simoné treated herself successfully 22 years ago, following her graduation from university with her B.Sc.-Nutrition, from the UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
Simoné then went on to do an M.Sc in Naturopathy and Nutrition and a PhD in human nutrition. She is very passionate about setting both adults and children free of disease and debilitating conditions. Simoné specialises in obesity, long-term weight loss, metabolic reset, eating disorders, diabetes, IBS / gut disorders, depression, stress/adrenal fatigue, hormonal regulation and immune-related illnesses such as cancer.
Due to her own health issues and observations with her clients Simoné became increasingly frustrated with the vitamin industry using synthetic ingredients, so as a result 15 years ago started to formulate her own whole food organic supplement line called Rejuv Wellness. Simoné also went on to formulate the whole food supplement line for Welleco, born out of her client Elle Macpherson’s own personal journey for optimum wellness.
Really insightful and easy to follow. Thanks for writing this.