What factors influence your microbiome?

We’ve previously established the significance of your microbiome. Given that’s the case, how can we actually improve ours? What factors influence the microbiome you have today?

A myriad of factors have shaped your microbiome as it is today. What’s more, your current choices continue to affect your microbiome on a daily basis.

Your current choices continue to affect your microbiome on a daily basis.

Who you are today is a result of the way you were born, your genetic lineage and your medical  history. Whether you took antibiotics as a kid, ate a lot of processed food, and even if you drank  kefir – all affect the composition of your microbiome today.

 

And yet, what’s even more revealing and rewarding, is that – although you cannot change certain factors, such as your age – you are able to make lifestyle selections that, in turn, can boost your well-being.

From your very first breath your microbiome started to establish itself. Being born through the vaginal birth canal, or by C-section will change your microbiome. For the first few months, whether you were breast or formula-fed, will also support different groups of bacteria. As you matured into adulthood, your microbiome will have begun to stabilise.

Still, the amount of exercise, exposure to the outdoors and the food you ate during your childhood and teens will all have had an impact too.

Now, as an adult, the status of your microbiome is surprisingly still very much in your control. Many factors influence your composition, including – but not limited – to:

  • Stress
  • Sleep
  • Exercise
  • External Surroundings
  • Diet

Yes, genetics and age play a part in your microbial composition, but what you can truly control is your current lifestyle.

What we eat alters our microbiome faster than anticipated.

Avoiding antibiotics and artificial substances, as well as maximising your diet with whole, fresh foods – rich in prebiotics and probiotics, as well as making sure to maintain an active lifestyle, with plenty of rest and relaxation, will all support your microbiome to shape it into what you WANT it to be. The form you envision is yours to achieve, with the right daily habits.

At GUTXY, we choose to focus on dietary habits as the cornerstone to better  overall health. Specifically, we believe in the inclusion of foods rich in prebiotics and probiotics. By creating your lifestyle to help you avoid what  diminishes or erodes your microbial communities, we can support you  in elevating your current health status.


Sources: 

Rodriguez, J.M., et al. (2017)

Hunt KM, et al. (2011)

Zivkovic AM, et al. (2011)

Adlerberth I, Wold AE. (2009)

References

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