Prompt: Brainstorm a list of behaviors that an individual could engage in that could cause changes to a gut microbial community. For each behavior you list, discuss how that behavior could change the microbial community, and what potential health impacts (beneficial, detrimental, neutral) that change could be for the individual’s health.
- Take Probiotic/Health Supplements – In modern society, so many people are constantly on the go. With that, people tend to take shortcuts in areas that could very well be detrimental to their health. It is in my opinion, necessary to keep up with a healthy diet while practicing consistent exercise routines. Technology is so advanced, and supplements are easily accessible, so something like a multivitamin and a probiotic supplement each day are an easy tool to keep our bodies healthy and balanced. A probiotic supplement is especially beneficial for our gut health, because probiotics assist in microbe growth prevention in the gut.
- Well-balanced, colorful diet – Eating a variety of clean foods is especially beneficial for changing the microbial community in our guts. Each food group brings a different set of vitamins and nutrients “to the table” when it comes to human health. Berries, greens, and lean, grass-fed meats are all amongst foods that promote good health and are full of vitamins and antioxidants, all of which could be beneficial to the gut microbiome.
- Limiting the use of antibiotics – Overconsumption of antibiotics seems to be a large issue in the United States at the moment. The conversation that many people are having is how antibiotics are going to affect both humans and viruses/microbes/parasites in the future. The reason for this is because of antibiotic resistance. Viruses, bacterias, and parasites are super efficient when it comes to survival, so they can often become resistant to antibiotic treatment. The problem with gut health and antibiotics is that there is a deprivation of gut bacteria during antibiotic administration. Although most gut bacteria can recover, the overconsumption of antibiotics could cause more deprivation in our gut bacteria than we can recover from. Chris Kresser is someone I would recommend researching on this topic. He has multiple books and articles on diet, medicine, and the correlation to gut health.
The High Price of Antibiotic Use: Can Our Guts Ever Fully Recover?
