Microbiome Impact

In addition to helping with digestion, your microbiome, especially the bacteria in your gut, appear to impact a range of bodily functions, from immune defenses to the production of vitamins, anti-inflammatory compounds, and even chemicals that relay messages among brain cells. Estimates are that many Americans, maybe more than 100 million, experience symptoms such as irregular bowel movements, abdominal discomfort related to gas or bloating, and sometimes constipation or diarrhea. Reportedly, 70-80 percent of your immune cells are located in your GI system and connect with and send information to the central nervous system and to other body organs. The bad news is that this is “old news,” that has not been widely disseminated or that has been forgotten or ignored. (https://www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpgi.1999.277.5.G922)