Manage your microbes!

Did you know your body has more bacterial cells than human cells? Recent studies have suggested that the population of bacteria in our gut plays an important role in reducing risk of several chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. It is also now understood that diet plays a significant role in shaping these populations, with experiments showing that dietary changes can do this within 24 hours. How can we use this knowledge to benefit our health? A published review has evaluated current data regarding the effects of several common dietary components on our intestinal community of microorganisms. It showed that consuming particular types of food produces predictable shifts and that the identity of these bacteria has broad implications for human health, including impacts on our immunity and our mood! The good news is that we can continue to follow the Australian guide to Healthy Eating while we make positive changes to influence our guts!

If you would like to check out more on the Australian guide to healthy eating, head to: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating.

Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health

Rasnik K. Singh, et al.

Journal of Translational Medicine201715:73

![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--

![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--![endif]--