The Unknown Microbiome -The Key To Understanding Health

Single celled bacteria that live on us and in us can outnumber us up to 10-1. These bugs live in our guts, mouths, nasal cavity and on our skin. Up to a 1,000 different species live with us on a daily basis, and we couldn’t survive without them. If this makes you cringe, don’t worry they are our best friends. Just think what all these antibiotics and hand sanitizers have been doing to these friendly’s. From birth these friendly bugs are responsible for developing our immune system. These plethora of bacteria are formed at birth to begin our interrelationship with the world and protect us against a hostile environment. Unknown to most these microbes provide us with energy sources and vitamins especially in the gut if the environment there is conducive to their growth. They even produce ingredients that act as anti-inflamatories that are so important in reducing inflammation due to infection and trauma. In my office just eliminating certain foods that create allergic responses and inflammation, then restore normal GI (gastrointestinal) function, relieves gastritis, jt pain is reduced and healthy brain function is restored. Geneticists are beginning to understand the role of the microbiome and its effects on health. This complex inter-web of bacteria that geneticists are looking at helps us to understand how we treat patients in the future. Physicians are just beginning to grasp that changes in the microbiome due to many factors, stress, poor dietary habits such as high sugar, non-complex white flour foods, overuse of antibiotics which scientists are seeing as a major cause of antibiotic resistant strains, leaves open the door for the destruction of these healthy flora. The destruction of the gut microbiome is found to be detrimental to our health and leads to difficult to diagnose disease processes. Because of the importance of these friendly bugs in 2007 the National Institutes of Health initiated and launched The Human Microbiome Project to categorize all these microorganisms, a daunting task. Samples will be taken from healthy volunteers from different parts of the skin and the lower intestine (where most people have their complaints more about that later). NIH director Francis Collin likened the research to “15th century explorers describing the outline of a new continent”. Many studies now show that a disrupted microbiome, driven by overuse of antibiotics combined with a low nutrient overly processed food supply, is suspected in our obesity epidemic. In my experience working with physicians we have found that processed nutrient deficient antibiotic induced foods, once in the gut destroy the healthy flora and produce abnormal growth of microbes such as yeast and unhealthy bacteria which flourish and cause systemic symptoms that are hard to control with medication. Disease processes such as Autoimmune disease, Neurologic diseases and Inflammatory diseases especially of the bowel are now believed in Enteroimmunology to start in the gut. Overweight mice given a “post Surgery” microbiome (but no surgery) lose weight. Less diverse gut microbiomes have been linked to the risk of some cancers and signals produced by the gut microbiome influence blood pressure. The microbiome plays a role in the way our bodies respond to some prescription drugs. A recent study showed that the microbiome can influence the brain. When researchers at the California Institute of technology treated mice with a dose of healthy gut bacteria, some of the animal’s abnormal behavior and anxiety disappeared. In my experience when an individual’s dietary changes are made and when pre and probiotic strains are introduced, dramatic changes in one’s symptoms occurs. These friendly bacteria even affect our sleep. Bent Formby, Phd., in his work Lights Out, Sleep Sugar and Survival, sleep is triggered by a substance called Endotoxin LPS which is exuded over the course of the day by guess who, yes our gut bacteria. When LPS reaches a critical level an immune response is triggered and sleep is induced along with Melatonin. What is being found is that our present microbiome has changed because of the stresses in our environment and look nothing like samples taken from ancient peoples such as Otzi the Iceman and a soldier frozen for decades on a glacier, Suggesting the recent rise in the kinds of diseases found today. “If you look at a lot of the disease issues of the 20th and 21st century, a lot of them have to do with nutrition and autoimmune processes says David Suskind a pediatrician and gastroenterologist at Seattle Childrens Hospital. We see a lot of connection to the microbiome and dysbiosis (microbial imbalance). Suskind’s list is arthritis, gum disease , obesity and cardiovascular disease”. Dr. Charles Lewis MD MPH, his work from his second edition book Enteroimmunology lists Autism, Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, MS, Depression, BI Polar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Migraine Headaches, Cerebellar Ataxia, Certain Seizure Disorders as gut related disorders and this is just in the Neurologic realm. Individual’s seeking care in my office by just removing certain foods from their diet, re-establishing healthy gut flora, proper supplementation because of nutrient poor food intake and some exercise not only does weight loss occur but neurologic symptoms lessen. IBD (irritable bowel disease) is an autoimmune process which is a relatively new disorder that attacks the gastrointestinal tract and other organs. Is it that the gut immune cells are attacking certain abnormal bugs and or certain allergens trying to do their job and the healthy gut tissues is just collateral damage. There are immunity related genes but you always need the trigger. Evidence is pointing to a damaged microbiome that is suppose too keep us safe. Rob Knight of the University of Colorado Boulder “instead of declaring war, we need to think in the context of ecosystems that make up our bodies. Figuring out how to encourage good microbes while eliminating the bad will be of increasing importance”.
So, what is the answer to keeping our friendly bacteria with us. In my experience proper diet, eliminating pesticide laden foods, eat meat that does not contain steroids or antiobiotics which includes dairy product as well. Eliminate pesticide laden grains especially gluten containing white flour foods whenever possible. Complex grains such as millet, quinoa, complex rices not white are best with other carbohydrates such as tubers especially potatoes, white and sweet. If you are symptomatic with neurologic or any systemic disease process you may need more precise direction on which foods to avoid, how to combine certain foods, stress reduction which affects the gut microbiome positively (most of the neurotransmitters in the brain are produced in the gut) Within these concepts there is definetly food for thought.
Enteroimmunology: By Charles A. Lewis
Genome Magazine: What Is Personalized Medicine 2014
Lights Out: T.S.Wiley with Bent Formby Ph.D.
James Stivaly LMT has been a health care provider for 28 years with over 20 years experience in the functional medicine, nutritional and manual therapy fields. James has been in the martial arts for 30 years. In 2010 James and his wife founded Hydrex to provide cost effective nutrient dense supplement formulas and Health and Lifestyle programs for individuals in need. His office is in Montclair N.J. and is a member of the AUSA. For more information go to Hydrexsupplements.com James can be contacted at Hydrex33@gmail.com. Hydrex is a SAM registered company.








