Overeating:
Obesity has been found to have a detrimental impact on your gut microbial life. Person’s who consume large quantities of processed foods can actually impact the life that belongs in their gut. Normally people have a 90% percentage of similar gut microbes (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes) but with obesity, it has been shown that there are more Firmicutes and fewer Bacteroidetes (John 2016). Overall, the amount of diversity decreases across your whole gut microbial life. The over processed foods do not give the proper nutrition in the small intestine to sustain different types of bacteria, which results in their death. This can be very bad for microbe-specific activities in your gut, the major one being the metabolic pathway. This can lead to slow metabolic pathways, which doesn’t allow for people to correctly and efficiently process the foods that they eat.
Not eating enough:
People who do not get enough food or nutrition in their diets (whether by choice or not) have a large impact on their gut microbes. Without necessary nutrition, these bacteria are unable to reach full maturity (Monira, 2011). This is very bad for your health. If your microbes are not fully mature, that leads to not fully functioning cells. The microbes are unable to fully break down foods in your body and decrease your likeness of gaining weight by nutrient absorption. This leads to fatigue and an even further puts the person in the situation to be malnourished.
Increase in exercise:
An increase in exercise leads to enhanced microbial diversity in your gut and has been shown to also increase butyrate-producing microbes (Haridy, 2017). Butyrate microbes have been linked to a healthy colon conditions. This has a very beneficial effect on human health. A good colon has been shown to decrease dehydration and speed up bowel elimination.
Lack of sleep:
Not getting enough sleep can have a very negative effect on your gut microbes and overall health. Lack of sleep has been shown to change your circadian rhythms (the normal sleep cycles), which doesn’t allow the gut microbes to sufficiently decay and renew the microbial life. Renewal and decay doesn’t only occur during your sleep cycles but part of it has been linked to doing so (Breus, 2016).Without sufficient sleep, your gut microbes can’t perform their normal functions such as lower levels of cortisol, produce serotonin, and produce probiotics (which increases levels of tryptophan)(Morea, 2017).
- John, G. K. and G. E. Mullin. 2016. “The Gut Microbiome and Obesity.” Current oncology reports.Retrieved January 26, 2018 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27255389)
- Monira, Shirajum et al. 2011. “Gut Microbiota of Healthy and Malnourished Children in Bangladesh.” Frontiers. Retrieved January 26, 2018 (https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2011.00228/full)
- Haridy, Rich. 2017. “Exercise can beneficially alter the composition of your gut microbiome.” New Atlas – New Technology & Science News. Retrieved January 26, 2018 (https://newatlas.com/exercise-gut-bacteria-composition/52472/).
- Breus, Dr. Michael J. 2016. “Unlocking the Sleep-Gut Connection.” The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 26, 2018 (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-michael-j-breus/unlocking-the-sleep-gut-connection_b_8941314.html).
- Morea, Jamie. 2017. “Is Gut Health The Key To A Good Night’s Sleep? – Thrive Global.” Thrive Global. Retrieved January 26, 2018 (https://journal.thriveglobal.com/is-gut-health-the-key-to-a-good-nights-sleep-414e9e7df545?gi=4bd02de155cd).
