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Gut bacteria could be the reason why you can't lose weight

Did you know that the amount of bacteria on and in our bodies outnumbers actual human cells by more than nine times? The majority of those bacteria are in your gut.

    by Juliet Burgh, Nutrition Director and Vice President of Unite Fitness
    Published 

The gut microbiome. Sounds like some sort of science experiment, doesn't it?  Did you know that the amount of bacteria on and in our bodies outnumbers actual human cells by more than nine times? The majority of those bacteria are in your gut, where 80 percent of your immune cells can also be found.

What if I told you that every aspect of your health is defined by the ecosystem that lives inside your belly? Scientists are using your microbiome to discover the answers to why we can't lose weight (even when we eat all the right things and work out) and why we feel depressed (even when things are going extremely well in our lives).

Sounds intriguing, right? Recent research shows that the bacteria in our gut play a huge role in aspects like how well our metabolism is working, our moods (happy, sad, mad, anxious), and inflammation.

Our bodies contain trillions of bacteria (microorganisms) in our intestines; this is known as our gut flora. There are many functions for these living organisms, some include:

  1. Helping the body to digest certain foods

  2. Producing certain vitamins (B and K)

  3. Helping to fight bad bacteria that comes into our bodies

  4. Helping to keep our immune system strong

The composition of our intestinal flora evolves as we age and is influenced by environmental factors. If we develop a loss of balance in gut microbiota, this may lead to problems such as functional bowel disorders, allergies, obesity and diabetes.

So in order to achieve greater health and longevity, we need to create a stable environment in our gut.

Still need some convincing? Consider this:

Anxiety From Bad Bacteria

A study done by Oxford scientists on rats showed healthy probiotic supplementation that increases good bacteria gave the rats a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms after just three weeks. Our brain and body are interconnected, constantly sending messages to each other back and forth. If your body is in a state of homeostasis, your mind will feel more balanced and at ease.

Now that you're convinced, let's explore what feeds bad bacteria and kills good bacteria:

  1. Too many antibiotics

  2. Poor quality, processed foods

  3. Too much sugar (candy, sweets, alcohol)

  4. Food additives, such as Carrageenan

  5. Taking (NSAIDs) like Advil, Aspirin and Motrin on a regular basis

  6. Too much wheat consumption

  7. Chronic stress

  8. Lack of sleep

Finally, here are some helpful tools to create a healthy gut:

  1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet that is predominantly plant based and full of fiber

  2. When taking antibiotics increase your consumption of probiotics to help replenish bacteria that is being killed off

  3. Get plenty of sleep to balance out your bodies hormonal systems

  4. Incorporate probiotic filled foods into your diet: Fermented foods like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut and kombucha are all natural ways to get live bacteria

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