Why the Gut Microbiome Is Crucial for Your Health

• Most microbes in your body live in your intestines, more specifically in the cecum, in the large intestine. 
• There are about 40 trillion bacteria, compared to your own cell count, 30 trillion. 
• The total amount of microbes contributes to your body weight about 1–2 kg. 
• From textbooks, we usually learn that women's wombs are sterile, but they are not.

• Digest the healthy sugars in breast milk which are essential for normal growth for babies. 
• Digest dietary fiber, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which positively affect our health. 
• Controlling immune system, thus possibly enhancing our body's immunity to infections. 
• Gut microbiome can affect our brain health, either positively or negatively.  

Gut dysbiosis is a term referring to the imbalance between good and bad microbes in our gut.

• In many studies involving identical twins, we observed that the one with obesity has different gut microbiome than the other with healthy weight. 
• Consequently, differences between gut microbiome are not genetic.
• In a mice study, we transferred the microbiome of the obese twin to a group of normal weight mice. The group gained more weight than the other group (of mice with normal weight) receiving the microbiome from the lean twin. 
• We conclude, gut dysbiosis may play a role in weight gain. 

• In a study of 1500 people, we observed the gut microbiome may have a role in our heart health. 
• Certain species of microbes contributed to the elevated levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and triglycerides. 
• Other species of microbes seemed to be unhealthy by producing trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). 
• TMAO is a chemical contributing to blocked arteries causing heart attacks or stroke. 
• TMAO production is increased when we eat foods high in choline and L-carnitine – in other words red meat and other animal-based products. 
• Lactobacilli bacteria, found in fermented foods, may reduce cholesterol. 

• The gut microbiome may influence blood sugar level. 
• In a study of 33 infants with high risk of getting type 1 diabetes, the diversity of infants' microbiome decreased before getting type 1 diabetes. 
• The number of unhealthy microbes also increased. 
• People eating the same foods had different blood sugar levels after the meals. 
• It may be caused by the difference in the gut microbes in each person. 

• The gut microbiome may produce chemicals affecting our brains. 
• For example, serotonin, a good-feel chemical/neurotransimiter is mostly produced in the gut. 
• Microbes may help its production. 
• The gut is connected to the brain through numerous nerves.
•  The gut microbiome can affect our brain health through these nerves. 
• Certain psychological diorders are attributed to the gut microbiome. 

Eat a diverse range of plant-based whole foods.