Microbiome test + Nutritional advice

A microbiome test uses a stool sample in a laboratory to look for DNA from bacteria in your stool. This analysis is used to determine how your microbiome is structured. So: which bacteria are present in your intestinal flora, and in what proportions.

There can be as many as 1,000 different types of bacteria in our intestines. Among them are bacteria that we would rather get rid of, but also bacteria that benefit our health. Exactly which bacteria live in your gut, and what the mutual relationships are, differs from person to person. After all, we start building our highly personal gut biome from an early age.

The bacteria in your gut biome, as mentioned above, play an important role in your health. How do they do that?

• By digesting dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates that the body cannot break down itself, providing a supply of nutrients.
• By training your immune system to distinguish between “good” and “bad” bacteria.
• By recycling bile that has been used by the body to break down fat.
• By making enzymes that help absorb and produce vitamin B12 and vitamin B1.
• Good bacteria compete with bad, disease-causing bacteria so that pathogens don’t take over in your gut.

It is therefore essential for your health to keep your gut microbiome in balance. A microbiome test is a good tool for this purpose.

Microbiota are places where a collection of microbes live together. This can be in a planter or under a sidewalk tile, for example, and does not necessarily have to be in an organism. The microbiome, on the other hand, is the total of all microorganisms living in the human body. 

Sometimes the gut biome is out of balance. There can be many reasons for this: lifestyle, hereditary predisposition, diseases or the use of medications. A disturbed intestinal flora means that the distribution between good and bad bacteria is out of balance. With the possible result that the absorption of vitamins and digestion of nutrients becomes disrupted. 

It’s also possible that over a long period of time, you may unknowingly build up a vitamin B12 deficiency, with all the negative health effects that entails.

When the ratio of good to bad bacteria in your gut is disturbed, it manifests itself in a variety of symptoms. These symptoms can be annoying and sometimes even dangerous. Common symptoms include:

• flatulence, 
• diarrhea, 
• constipation, 
• fatigue,
• decreased appetite. 

The consequences of an imbalance in your gut can be major. For example, nutrient absorption may be impaired and vitamin absorption and production may be messed up. Problems digesting food can also result in the production of more gas than you are used to, resulting in flatulence.

If you suffer from the above symptoms, it is wise to do a microbiome test. But even if you are fond of your health and don’t feel sick right away, it can be good to know if your microbiome is in balance. With a microbiome home test, you can easily and without referral find out if the bacteria in your gut are in the right proportions or if you need to take measures to restore the balance in your gut. 

Note: If you are experiencing acute, potentially dangerous, symptoms, you are of course wise to seek medical attention.

To maintain the diversity and health of your microbiome, it is important to eat varied and healthy foods. High-fiber foods are good for your gut flora, and so are fruits and vegetables. Drinking enough water is also important in keeping your gut healthy. In addition, it is good to add natural foods that contain natural probiotics – such as yogurt or uncooked sauerkraut, for example – to your diet. Sugar is best avoided, as fungi and “bad” bacteria love it.

With a varied and healthy diet, you keep the microbiome balanced. Antibiotics can upset the balance because with the “bad” bacteria, they can also clear out some of the “good” bacteria. This gives bacteria that are not good for you the opportunity to take up this space. So be careful about using antibiotics and restore the balance with probiotics if necessary.

Finally, reducing stress and getting enough exercise are also factors in improving your gut health.

As explained above, you can address an imbalance in your gut with modifications to your diet and eating probiotics. Severe intestinal problems, which are the result of a disorder of the intestines, will require treatment by a doctor.