Your gut is full of bacteria and other microorganisms and that’s a good thing. They help break down the food we eat and provide our bodies with the nutrients it needs. Fun fact – did you know that your digestive tract (everything from your mouth to your anus) is considered the outside of your body.

To make the most out of the healthy foods you eat, particularly green leafy vegetables and the nutrients they provide, you need a healthy gut biome. You need plenty of good bacteria that help break down these types of foods and allow the nutrients to enter the cells of your body.

That’s where sugar comes into play. Sugars, particularly fructose and sucrose can cause the wrong type of bacteria to grow and flourish. This in turn overcrowds the good bacteria you need to break down healthy food. Cutting back on the sugar and processed foods you eat will help you restore balance to your gut microbiome and give the good guys a chance to help you stay healthy. Continue reading →

You know it’s important to get a good night’s sleep. One sleepless night proves that to anyone who’s’ in doubt. Exercise is another crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. But did you know that both sleep and exercise affect your gut microbiome? Let’s take a look at each in turn and talk about why you should strive to get plenty of both.

How Sleep Affects Your Microbiome

One of the main reasons sleep or lack of sleep affects your microbiome is because it increases stress. If you’ve ever had a newborn or pulled a couple of all-nighters to pass an exam, you know firsthand how much lack of sleep can stress you out. This in turn causes issues in the gut. What follows is an imbalance of the organisms that make up your microbiome that will last long past catching up on getting those hours of shut-eye. Continue reading →