Gut Microbes

The micro-organisms in our digestive tract have a huge impact on our well being. The so-called ‘gut microbes’ make up around 70% of our immune system. They also produce melatonin, a powerful brain chemical that helps regulate our sleep cycle, amongst other things.

Keep your gut-microbes happy and they will help you fight disease and help sleep better too. What makes the Microbes happy? Simple, give them what they like to eat.

They don’t like pizza or cheeseburgers or salty snacks. What they really love is the fibre in vegetables and fruits. That is it. That is the whole secret of why eating your vegetables and fruits is so important. The gut-microbes love the fibre in produce.

It may seem strange but the beneficial soil life can also become beneficial gut microbes, as well. Human Gut microbes have evolved closely with beneficial soil microbes. This process continues today. You can see below that a plant’s roots, and the Microbes that are encouraged, act like a digestive system. Great nature is a brilliant engineer and everything is designed to work together for the benefit of all.

So the gut microbes we rely on for our immune system and to produce key brain chemicals, get refreshed and improved through contact with soil microbes. Is this why gardening and living on organic farms seems to have such a positive health benefit? Could this be why “forest-breathing” in Japan is paid for by the health plans as being therapeutic? They did the research to show the beneficial health effects of forest-breathing for this highly urbanized (cut off from soil contact) population.

Do your gut microbes a favour – feed them what they like. Make sure you get your organic regional 6 – a – day combined vegetable and fruit servings. If you help them they will help you. Do some gardening, make potting soil for cabbage and tomatoes and swiss chard seedlings in the winter. Go for walks through forests or greenways where you live, when things are green. Breathe in the fresh soil smell and your gut microbes will thank you.