Why do we talk about balanced microbiota? We are all increasingly alert to our health. Whether it’s nutrition, physical activity or mental well-being, we are increasingly aware of the effects of our lifestyle on our health. More specifically, digestive well-being has become essential: it is one of the keys to general good health. As a part of digestive well-being, we are also becoming more conscious of the value of our digestive microbiota. And the perception of our microbiota is also evolving! It can be considered as an organ itself whose dysfunctions have repercussions on our entire body. This article presents the keys to a balanced microbiota, and ultimately, to a healthy gut.
Why a healthy balanced microbiota is important for our gut health?
The microbiota represents all microorganisms present in a defined environment. The largest population of microorganisms in the human body is located in the intestine: its number has been estimated to exceed 1014 1. This enormous quantity represents 10 times more bacterial cells than the number of human cells in our body! Everyone has its own combination of species among more than 1000 species.
The balance of our microbiota is fragile, between friendly bacteria and others. Its composition depends on several factors. Keep in mind that the balanced intestinal microbiota offers many health benefits to the host. It strengthens gut integrity, protects against pathogens and regulates host immunity. If the intestinal microbiota is unbalanced, these mechanisms can be altered. This phenomenon is known as dysbiosis. Indeed,
Why can our microbiota be unbalanced?
The composition of the intestinal microbiota in adulthood is strongly dependent on the diet and environment that the individual experienced during its early childhood. Nevertheless, some events can still modify its composition. This can be due to infections, the intake of medications such as antibiotics, a diet rich in sugars and fat, genetics or anxiety.
As an example, have you ever experienced some digestive discomfort after taking some medication? This is why healthcare professionals often advise you to take biotics with some type of medication, such as antibiotics. Therefore, these events can lead to a dysbiosis of the microbiota. This can reveal itself in different ways: digestive problems, allergies, or skin disorders.
How to balance our microbiota?
By modifying habits of your daily life or using supplements, you can easily get a balanced microbiota:
- A balanced diet: eat more fiber, diversify your diet, eat more fermented products and more dairy products. To learn more about diet and microbiota, check this article: What is good food for microbiota ?
- By your way of life: limit alcohol and tobacco, take care of your sleep and limit sources of stress.
- The use of biotics’ supplements: it will help you taking care of your microbiota! Among the biotics, some advantages are specific with the use of postbiotics. As a reminder, postbiotics are inactivated microorganisms and/or the fragments or structures of those microorganisms, and/or metabolites. And the inanimate part is of great interest! Indeed, they do not pass into the bloodstream, which is much safer. Moreover, many studies have proven their efficiency for immunity and digestive health. You can also keep in mind that postbiotics are much more stable. It means postbiotics products will be easier to store at room temperature, without worrying about degrading the effectiveness of the product.
To know more about the advantages of postbiotics, click here.
Finally, having a balanced microbiota is a must to maintain a good gut health. Indeed, many mechanisms depend on its composition. Keeping a healthy way of life is necessary to avoid dysbiosis. However, postbiotics’ supplements will give you a safe boost in your discomfort.
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