Micronutrient specialist and Synformulas Advisory Board member

The intestinal microbiome is the umbrella term for all microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, viruses and fungi) in our digestive tract.It is also referred to as the second human genome, as the multitude of different organisms exists within us almost like an organ of its own.It represents a highly complex system that can have a decisive positive or negative influence on our health.

It is impossible to define an imbalance or disorder quantitatively, as there is no so-called zero or base value for the healthy microbiome.The composition of the intestinal microbiome is constantly changing in type and extent and is continually adapting to our diet, environment and living conditions. It is highly individual for each person - like a fingerprint.To put it simply, we can say: If we are feeling good all around, our intestinal microbiome is more likely to be in balance. If we feel unwell, we can already assume unfavourable changes.If we have tangible complaints such as immune problems, digestive problems, allergies, metabolic disorders or depression, it is now considered certain that corresponding changes are also reflected in the microbiome.

We now know that stress, bactericidal agents, environmental toxins, smoking, alcohol, but above all sugar in all its forms tend to have an unfavourable influence on our intestinal microbiome. If I leave out the unfavourable and consume the right things, I can make a major positive contribution to my health.

If unfavourable factors such as extraordinary stress, traveling to other countries or taking certain medications such as antibiotics can be foreseen, prevention makes sense.

The intestinal microbiome changes constantly from birth to the end of life. The decisive factors are our lifestyle and, above all, our diet. The food we eat is the fuel of our microbiome.A natural birth and a diet with breast milk shapes our young intestinal microbiome differently than a Caesarean section or a diet with cow's milk. These and many other factors change the composition of the intestinal microbiome constantly and throughout our lives.This also applies to excessive sugar consumption: if we eat a lot of sugar, this favours the sugar-loving bacteria in the intestine. Their metabolic waste products, such as alcohol, can in turn burden our organism and the intestinal microbiome. We do not feel this immediately, but in the long term it can lead to lifestyle diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. However, if we take preventative measures against them, we do not give these diseases a breeding ground to grow at all.