If you were requested to write down all the plant based foods that you ate over one week, how many different varieties would you be able to list? Most of us would achieve around 15-20 at the most........

To adequately feed our indigenous gut bacteria, we need to constantly consume a wide diverse range of plant based foods into our diet. Probiotics and gut guru Jason Hawrelak recommends at least 40 different varieties are required every week to maintain a happy and healthy microbiome. If the diet is not varied with diversity we run the risk of losing bacteria diversity and causing bacterial imbalances that leave us prone to opportunistic gut pathogens.

It is a long standing traditional Naturopathic belief that all disease begins in the gut and now in more recent times there is a large body of scientific research to support this statement. A disrupted microbiome that leads to dysbiosis (an imbalance of bacteria) can be linked to diseases throughout each system of the body including: the brain, immune system, liver, kidneys and bone joints.

As part of a treatment plan - diet, exercise, stress management and sleep become vital in supporting an optimal microbiome. In addition core natural medicine remedies guided by an experienced health professional - Naturopath to support overall host health can positively affect microbiome health.