Think of your gut as a landscape (or microbiome) that is populated with “Resident Bacteria”. Our bodies host many microorganisms, the word “Microbiome” refers to the vast ecosystem of microorganisms in and on your body, including your gut. The Resident bacteria in your gut are inherited and they play a big part in our immunity and health. 

You could have inherited an impoverished gut microbiome (landscape) or a rich one depending on your parents and ancestors, their “culture” and eating habits. This does not determine your gut fate forever. You can take matters into your own hands. You can impoverish a robust gut if you are careless, and you can enrich a poor one if you care. 

This leads us to the questions: How does one destroy it? And build it? 

How do we feed our resident microbes? In a general sense, the answer is fiber (aka Prebiotics). You will need to have a good combination of soluble and insoluble fibers to benefit you and your microbiome. The bacteria feed off the insoluble fibers known as polysaccharides (complex sugars, not starch). 

Probiotics, on the other hand, are good bacteria that can be introduced to fortify your microbiome, livening up the landscape temporarily. Your resident bacteria and the probiotics both need prebiotics to sustain them. You can’t keep flooding your system with probiotics without the prebiotics needed for all the microorganisms (old and new) to thrive.  

It’s like throwing a party. The hosts are the Resident bacteria, and the guests are the Probiotics. Every party needs food (Prebiotics), but you can’t expect it to be a good party if the hosts aren't fed and there are too many guests and not enough food.

 A beautiful landscape (or microbiome) means diversity. Diversity means enough good residents around to keep the “bad” ones in check. This balance leads to Health and less inflammation. 

Just like there is a microbe population in the gut, there are other ones on your skin. The skin microbiome protects your skin and maintains its immunity to inflammatory bacteria and microorganisms that can cause acne, eczema, psoriasis etc.  

Your skin has a natural defense against bad bacteria. The acid mantle (layer of sweat and sebum) keeps the skin’s pH acidic to protect you, but if it is weakened it can make your vulnerable to many skin issues. 

Your skin needs gentle microbiome-friendly products that don’t upset the balance, along with prebiotic and probiotic* products that can enhance the skin’s natural microbiome. 

*Remember: Prebiotics are nutrients that feed the bacteria and microorganisms. Probiotics are good bacteria that can be introduced to balance your microbiome.

Want to learn more? Here is a recommended reading list on the subject: 

• Cultured by Katherine Harmon Courage 
• The Human Super Organism: How the Microbiome is revolutionizing the pursuit of Health by PHD Imusti Rodney 
• An Epidemic of Absence by Moises Velasquez Manoff

Photo Credit: Rogan Brown, Magic Circle Colour Variation, 2018 & Magic Circle Variation 5, 2015