This week on Amy’s B-sides to Health we talk about the bugs we live with. There are over one million bugs that live on & in us! This includes bacteria, fungi, protozoa & viruses. Ever heard of E.coli? You've probably heard of it in a negative way, such as food contamination. We have E. coli that live in our colon! So long as the E. coli is in the colon we are good! If it makes its way to the urinary tract.... hello Urinary tract infection! If it makes its way into the blood... NOT GOOD.

In this episode, we focus on the bugs in our gut. The bugs that live in our digestive tract. This is called our gut microbiome. Having a diverse & balanced microbiome is key to health! It influences nutrient absorption, & thus nutrient deficiencies, the state of our immune system, food intolerances, & even autoimmune disorders! Scientists are finding that autoimmune diseases are highly influenced by our gut microbiome & in fact they are finding evidence that the gut microbiome may have more influence on autoimmune diseases than DNA! This is still being researched.

So what happens if we don't have a diverse & balanced microbiome in our gut? This leads to dysbiosis. Our immune system is not functioning well, our autoimmune disorders flare, we can develop food sensitivities & even our hormone health is disrupted. There is even a strong link between having a diverse & balanced gut microbiome & one's ability to survive cancer treatments. This is a heavy area of research currently. People with more diverse & more balanced gut microbiomes have better prognosis.

So how to keep that gut microbiome healthy? Eat lots of fiber! It's the preferred food of our gut bugs! They love vegetables, onions, leeks & garlic as some examples. Cut back on processed sugars & alcohol. Some of the bugs LOVE the sugar & alcohol so much that they grow too much & crowd out other helpful bacteria! Remember we want diverse & balanced! No overcrowding!
While it might alarm you that you have over a million bugs who live on & in you, make friends with them! They are integral to your health!
 Amy
The DR & the DJ
 Nothing in this email is meant as medical advice. Ask your own doctor about this & anything you read in emails from The DR & the DJ.

Join Dr. Amy’s community and get her libido boosting recipes and more midlife health tips at Craft & Clinic.

Get on John’s Record Club List for all the best vinyl recommendations and community events.