Trillions of microbes are living inside us, and this is what we call the microbiome. These microbes, which were once ignored, are now recognized to have a crucial role in our immunity and health.
Recent studies have found that the beneficial microbes in our gut help in the regulation of our immune system, in the suppression of excessive inflammation, and even in the promotion of our resilience against infections. But aside from our immunity, the gut brain axis has another intriguing connection: that certain microbes affect our stress response, our mood, and even our cognition through metabolites.
A healthy microbiome is linked to our ability to adapt to stress and to our overall health. And our diet, sleep, exercise, and prudent use of antibiotics all affect our microbiome. The future of preventive medicine may not only be in treating diseases, but also in taking care of our microbial balance.
If your gut microbes affect your immunity and stress levels, how are your daily habits shaping your invisible allies?
MBH/AB