Improve your Microbiome, Improve your Immune System

by Ramesh Bjonnes

The immune system is a network of biological processes that protects an organism from diseases. It detects and responds to a wide variety of pathogens, from viruses to parasitic worms, as well as cancer cells and objects such as wood splinters, distinguishing them from the organism’s own healthy tissue.

Scientists have found that the microbiome is essential in shaping the development of innate and adaptive immunity and, in turn, the immune system shapes the microbiome.

So how can we improve our microbiome, which is primarily located in the gut, and thus improve our immune system?

Here are five easy ways to do it:

Plant a garden. The microbiome is a set of microorganisms that also exist in soil, and when we put our fingers in the dirt, we will ingest some of these microorganisms that will then improve our gut microbiome and thus our immune system. Studies have even found that some microorganisms in the soil will even improve the production or serotonin in the gut and enhance our mood. A happy garden is a happy gardener.

Eat prebiotic foods. These foods, which include such simple things as the skin of vegetables and fruits, beans, artichokes, apricots, and more, are the food of the probiotic bacteria in our gut, which is an important part of the microbiome.

Eat probiotics. Eating sauerkraut daily, either homemade or from the cooler in the market, since the one on the store shelves is pasteurized and thus contains very few probiotics, will dramatically improve your microbiome. Similarly, yogurt (from animals or plants) will also improve your microbiome.

Stop eating processed and genetically modified foods, sugar, and factory-farmed meats and dairy products. These foods hurt or kill the good bacteria we’re trying to help. These fake foods are what introduce irritants, allergens, carcinogens, and inflammation into the body, potentially leading to a variety of illnesses and/or disease.

Eat whole foods. When you eat whole, real food you know what you’re getting – vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols, protein, good fats, and complex carbohydrates—which are all important for a healthy gut microbiome.

Happy eating. A happy gut is a happier you!