Your microbiome is the bacteria in your gut which can be good or bad. The microbiome works as a protective layer to keep toxins out especially when it is healthy.
I like to compare a healthy microbiome as a perfect, white picket fence around yard. It keeps out unwanted intruders. When our microbiome is unwell, it is like having a fence that is starting to rot with holes or loose boards. These holes allow unwanted stray animals into our yard or even worse a stranger!! We want to keep out any toxins who have no business running around our beautiful yard!
These bacteria need food to survive and depending on what you feed it, you can have very different outcomes. For instance, a healthy microbiome with good bacteria thrives when fed a diet high in nutrient dense foods like broccoli, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables and fermented food (yogurt, kimchi, or kombucha).
The stomach is often referred to as the second brain because 95% of our “feel good” hormone, serotonin, is produced there. A healthy microbiome sends these “feel good” hormones up to the brain, improving your mood.
When you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria, that bad bacteria sends up signals to continue to eat unhealthy foods like highly processed carbohydrates or sugar, which may cause you to feel depressed, anxious, sluggish and also allows toxins into your bloodstream.
It takes a few days for your microbiome to change. When your microbiome is fed appropriately, you will have less cravings for the processed, less nutrient dense food. For many people, this means weight loss, better moods, more energy and less brain fog. You will start to crave more nutrient dense foods.
Many of my patients who HATE vegetables will come back weeks later not only feeling better, energized and happier, but they say they CRAVE veggies at every meal.
Don’t believe me…give it a try for 1 week. See how your mood is when you increase your veggies.
WARNING: if you are not accustomed to a diet high in vegetables, you may experience some unpleasant side effects like stomach cramps or gas. This happens because when your good bacteria is starved and then receives appropriate nutrition, its like they are celebrating by throwing a noisy party in your yard…so it can feel off-putting.
I recommend to slowly incorporate veggies if this is the case. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts) are notorious for causing discomfort if your are not use to eating it regularly. So start slowly and increase the amount until you are up to half plate full of vegetables.