The dysbiosis of which I speak is “GUT dysbiosis”. Perhaps you’ve never heard the term before, but it’s probable that you may have felt the symptoms; dysbiosis is quite common.
Normally, your gut is inhabited by trillions of good bacteria, the ones that help you digest your food, produce energy, and regulate your immune system. When your gut is dysbiotic, this means that the “bad germs” begin to edge out the “good germs.” When this happens, basic functions are compromised and symptoms begin to appear.
Not all symptoms of dysbiosis are obvious, so how do you know if you have it? Some people will experience diarrhea, bloating, or constipation, while others feel exhausted, have food sensitivities, or are constantly getting sick. Symptoms can be misleading so let’s instead note what causes dysbiosis in the first place.
- Antibiotics
- Stress
- Poor nutrition
- Pain killers
- Oral contraceptives
These factors disrupt the balance of bacteria leaving vacant space for the “bad guys” to colonize the gut and crowd out the “good guys”. These bad microbes produce toxins that damage the intestines and cause uncomfortable symptoms.
We can help to alleviate dysbiosis by changing the way we eat; moving towards a fibre-rich, whole foods diet with limited sugar intake is the first step. Eating a nutrient-dense, sugar reduced diet will give the intestines the tools they need in order to heal and at the same time it will stop feeding the bad bacteria.
Secondly, making some lifestyle changes to reduce stress will improve our digestive health and at the same time it will reduce how often we get sick. Less sickness leads to less of a need for antibiotics and pain killers.
Lastly, a probiotic supplement is a worthwhile investment if you think you may suffer from gut dysbiosis. A quality probiotic will help reinstate good bacteria into the digestive tract which will balance the gut flora and reduce symptoms of dysbiosis.
If you think you may have some dysbiosis in your gut, perhaps it’s time to speak with your natural health care provider.
