LGR Holistic Wellness

Through groundbreaking studies on the gut microbiome, we have become more aware of the role of the bacteria found in the gut. The way we commonly perceive bacteria, which is usually bad, is not how we need to view the bacteria in the gut. We need good gut bacteria for our health.

Gut health has become a focus of scientific research due to the role it plays in several aspects of our health. A healthy gut can ward off infections, facilitate the body’s self-repair mechanisms, help with inflammation, repair damaged cells, and even aid with longevity by recreating healthy cells that help with fighting age-related issues.

The gut microbiota or community of microorganisms that inhabit our gut influences many aspects of health, and we must find ways to help ensure it is working for us and not against us. Fortunately, it’s not all up to our inherited genes. The health and composition of our gut microbiome is something we can deliberately steer toward being more beneficial for our health.

When it comes to the gut microbiome, biodiversity is important. Out of the 100 trillion microbes found in our gut, some of these bacteria benefit our health. These are the good bacteria, while others do more harm than good, these of course are the bad bacteria. Importantly, many of the so-called ‘bad’ bacteria, yeasts, and other organisms are beneficial when their populations exist in controlled numbers. They become ‘bad’ when their populations explode or ‘overgrow’.

The major factor that causes this occurrence is diet. For example, if you are eating mostly processed and high-sugar foods, the microorganisms that live on that will explode. The organisms that live on healthy proteins and plant-based foods will diminish. Ultimately, it is possible that some beneficial strains may die out in an individual’s gut.

This is when a suppressed immune system and overall ill health become apparent. Through proper diet and nutrition, supplementation, and living a healthy lifestyle, it’s possible to influence the growth of more good bacteria in the gut. We must aim for propagating diverse types of healthy bacteria to achieve more immunity from diseases and infections that can find their way into our bodies at any time.

Our actions and lifestyle can influence our health in a major way, but like any change, enhancing the composition of our gut microbiome can’t be done instantly. In a similar light, one cannot simply supplement the body with random probiotics and expect gut problems to disappear overnight.

How Long Does It take to Repopulate the Gut with Good Bacteria?

After Taking Antibiotics

Antibiotics are a gift to mankind. Thanks to science and antibiotics, millions of lives have been saved throughout the years. However, just as antibiotics are the enemies of bad bacteria that cause us to get sick, they’re incapable of just picking out the bad bacteria from the good, so they end up killing good bacteria too.

Because of this, antibiotics have the potential to ruin our gut microbiome balance, as much as they can heal us from sickness. Therefore, communities of good bacteria in our gut can be killed by antibiotics and it’s important to take appropriate action to repopulate them. Fortunately, proper nutrition can heal the gut and restore the diversity of our gut microbiome after the intake of antibiotics.

There is no exact amount of time for repopulating the gut with healthy bacteria, as these can vary depending on many things, such as a person’s quality of lifestyle, the degree of damage to their gut microbiota from taking antibiotics, and their unique genetic predisposition. The amount of time can vary, but diet and nutrition are important in restoring gut health. A person can replace their healthy bacteria in about 6 months if they consistently nourish their gut with healthy eating.

The gut microbiome is acutely sensitive to our diet. It almost instantly reacts and changes composition depending on the nourishment it receives from the food intake. This means that you do not have to wait until you’ve completed your round of antibiotics to start eating healthy and nourishing your gut and body. Restoring your gut to health can begin whilst you’re still on antibiotics and this speeds up the rebalancing process.

Healing a Leaky Gut

Leaky gut is also known as intestinal permeability. It is considered to be more of a symptom rather than a specific health condition. A leaky gut is characterized by the presence of holes in the intestinal epithelial lining, which enables pathogens, bacteria, and toxins to enter the surrounding tissue. When this happens, a leaky gut triggers inflammation and disrupts the gut microbiome, causing health issues such as fibromyalgia, depression, skin problems, allergies, and others to manifest.

Similarly, healing a leaky gut is possible. The timetable for treating a leaky gut also varies depending on the classification of the underlying condition, whether it is IBD or IBS, and on how long it takes your body to react to the medication.

The best ways to successfully treat leaky gut include:

1. Eating fiber-rich foods and following a healthy diet.
2. Getting enough rest and sleep.
3. Taking probiotics.
4. Minimizing your levels of stress.
5. Quitting alcohol and smoking.

Our gut microbiome can be very resilient microorganisms that support our health in more ways than we are aware of.