Our gut has a complex ecosystem similar to a forest floor. Even though our gut is located within our body, we actually have more living cells residing in our gut than in the entire rest of our body. Most people think the gut is just a food tube, but those living cells residing in our gut actually dictates much of what makes us healthy. Let me paint a picture of this most interesting world that I will call the GUT FOREST.

The GUT FOREST has an active microbial flora that is home to bacteria, yeasts, molds, viruses and other cells that work to help us or challenge us. Going to a forest analogy, if there was only one type of tree, plant, moss or other living thing, it would have a hard time surviving. A forest needs diversity and competition to grow healthy and strong. That is true of plants, moss and fungus within the forest.  It is also true of the microbial flora that grows in our gut.

Our GUT FOREST gets a jump start beginning with birth. A baby going down the vaginal birth canal picks up various microbes from its mother that is missing with a C-section delivery. Other specialized nutrients with breastfeeding help to establish the GUT FOREST microflora which is more diverse and beneficial than from any processed formula. Also, a natural delivery would eliminate the chance of antibiotics being used prior to birthing that suppress the chance of the baby’s growth of its GUT FOREST biome. The greater the diversity and size of the baby’s own GUT FOREST, the healthier response the baby has to its many upcoming challenges in early life.

Growing up, the children’s diverse GUT FOREST is negatively affected by junk food. The analogy is like junk food feeds invasive weeds and brush versus desired species of plants. Less healthy food biome diversity reduces the gut and body defenses allowing more inflammation and less immune protection. This can lead to diseases including obesity, diabetes (Type 1 and 2), depression and food allergies for children.

The GUT FOREST biome is also impacted by chronic use of certain pharmaceutical medications. Some medications may affect the biome health and diversity, or are irritating to the intestinal lining, others may reduce production of the protective mucus barrier to the intestine. Look at the mucous barrier as the MOAT and the intestinal wall as the FORTRESS meant to selectively allow entry into the body. The place for many pharmaceuticals is as an intervention and less as a chronic cure. Your role as the GUT FOREST caretaker, is to make adjustments to the food types and environmental management.

Foods that feed the GUT FOREST microflora are typically not absorbed into the body. These are prebiotic foods that are digested by the residing biome’s bacteria, yeasts, and molds. The purpose of our GUT FOREST is to help block absorption of toxins, provide the first line of immune defense, create nutrients including free fatty acids that fortify the body, and also create neurotransmitters and hormones for the body. The important activity of the body’s FOREST acts as the second brain helping the body perform more effectively.

When the body ingests organic whole foods, it does not include antibiotics of any form. Chemicals that harm the GUT FOREST biome can be found with GMO or other foods that have trace amounts of herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. If chemicals kill plants and pests, it also works like an antibiotic within your GUT FOREST. Antibiotics can be given to animals to treat infections, or separately to speed the animal’s weight gain (by reducing the animal’s protective gut biome). Preservatives put into many foods act as antibiotics. They may prolong the shelf life of a food product, but they work against your GUT FOREST health and diversity.

What can you do to have the most diverse and vibrant GUT FOREST biome? It starts out with eliminating preservatives and unnecessary additives most often seen in processed foods. Read your labels.

Select organic food products and preparations whenever possible. Eat the most diverse selection of foods possible. Diversity not only comes in the type of foods, but also in the color of food. A rainbow of colors and the darker the food’s color the better.

You want to select more foods that are rich in plant nutrients, and proper fats and proteins effectively supports the good biome. That reduces inflammation and improves your immune system against disease.

Avoid or minimize processed sugars and starches, processed fats and processed meat proteins that support the bad part of the biome. Future articles and blogs will help you understand the good, bad and the ugly foods, leading you to greater vitality and health like your GUT FOREST was meant to have.