Most of us have probably heard by now that depending on the balance of our gut microbiome (bacteria, viruses and fungi) it will have a strong correlation on how we are feeling a how good our health is. There are trillions of these little guys present which are roughly categorised as symbiotic (helpful bacteria) and pathogenic (harmful bacteria). Knowing how to keep a balance of these bacteria in the gut is imperative for proper digestion and a strong immune system.

There is still a great deal we don’t know about this microbiome but disruption of gut bacteria, (aka metabolic dysregulation) can not only be strongly associated with stress in the first place but also cause more stress, leading to a catch 22 situation.

As so many things can overly stress the body such as sub optimal food, eating and sleeping habits, life circumstances, environment and especially the way we see the world, it’s not surprising that many of us have problems.   People who struggle with their weight will very often have a more unbalanced microbiome compared to lean individuals and often have a higher ratio of certain bacteria called Firmicutes and Lactobacilli which influence glucose and fat metabolism, whereas leaner people have more bacteroides which help digest carbohydrates. This is why supporting the gut through nutrition is really useful and also helps healthy metabolic function.

Nutritional therapists and practitioners consider each individual to be unique and recommend personalised nutrition and lifestyle changes.