WHAT IS THE MICROBIOME?
The microbiome is considered an inherent/intrinsic part of our immune system. It is comprised of the bacteria, fungi and viruses in and on the body which have an impact on the mechanism of your natural defense.
HOW DOES THE MICROBIOME WORK?
The microbial system of the body exerts a profound impact on our innate immune system by:
- Influencing the maturation of the immune response and its continued effectiveness;
- Protecting against overgrowth of harmful microbes;
- Modulating the balance between inflammation and the immune system.
E.g wound healing is promoted through an interaction between the skin microbes and the immune system; also, non-harmful staphylococcus bacteria on the skin can produce and antimicrobial protein which inhibits growth of the harmful Staphylococcus on the skin.
“WHY” IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR YOU?
When there is a change in the composition or metabolites of the protective microbes in the body from a healthy pattern to an unhealthy pattern, this is called DYSBIOSIS and can be linked to a predisposition to certain diseases; dysbiosis is also believed to play a role in the development of obesity, diabetes, food allergy, asthma, atopic dermatitis. Low amounts of the skin-protective antimicrobial strains have been found in certain skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis.
There is some evidence that the gut microbiome (100 trillion microbes that can affect the digestion and absorption of ingested calories) may affect the risk of diabetes and inflammation. Stay tuned to our Why Wednesdays for more information on our gut health and skin microbiome in upcoming weeks.
REFERENCES:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20465664/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4007340/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004287/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9501365/