The Microbiome Diet and Its Effects on Skin
6 min read
jan 15, 2024- by felix tajanko
LIFE STYLE
The Microbiome Diet and Its Effects on Skin
6 min read
jan 15, 2024- by felix tajanko
LIFE STYLE
Garnering significant attention in the wellness community, the microbiome diet not only promises to improve gut health and overall well-being, including skin health but also plays a vital role in why gut health is important. This diet is focused on nurturing a diverse and balanced gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms living in our digestive tract, and engaged in a symbiotic relationship with the human body. Understanding how your microbiome influences the function of your body and how the microbiome diet can be integrated into daily life is beneficial for anyone looking to improve their health through the natural systems of the body.
Garnering significant attention in the wellness community, the microbiome diet not only promises to improve gut health and overall well-being, including skin health but also plays a vital role in why gut health is important. This diet is focused on nurturing a diverse and balanced gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms living in our digestive tract, and engaged in a symbiotic relationship with the human body. Understanding how your microbiome influences the function of your body and how the microbiome diet can be integrated into daily life is beneficial for anyone looking to improve their health through the natural systems of the body.
What is the Gut Microbiome Diet?
The microbiome diet aims to improve your microbiome’s composition, diversity, and resilience through dietary phases. At its core, this diet is based on eating foods that boost gut bacteria, benefitting the diversity and composition of your gut microbes Avoiding artificial sweeteners, added sugar, and processed foods, which harm your microbiome, will help keep your gut microbiome healthy — which is instrumental to your overall health. This is because the gut microbiome has a far-reaching impact, affecting your digestion, metabolism, and even immune system.1 By following the steps set out by the microbiome diet, you may be able to heal your gut and reset your metabolism, giving you the energy you need every day while maintaining good
gut health.What is the Gut Microbiome Diet?
The microbiome diet aims to improve your microbiome’s composition, diversity, and resilience through dietary phases. At its core, this diet is based on eating foods that boost gut bacteria, benefitting the diversity and composition of your gut microbes Avoiding artificial sweeteners, added sugar, and processed foods, which harm your microbiome, will help keep your gut microbiome healthy — which is instrumental to your overall health. This is because the gut microbiome has a far-reaching impact, affecting your digestion, metabolism, and even immune system.1 By following the steps set out by the microbiome diet, you may be able to heal your gut and reset your metabolism, giving you the energy you need every day while maintaining good
gut health.What Foods are Beneficial for Gut Microbiome?
Nourishing your gut microbiome involves incorporating a range of foods that contribute to its diversity and balance.Include high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains in your diet; they are rich in prebiotics that support the growth of beneficial bacteria. Enhance your gut health with fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha, which are abundant in probiotics. Opt for lean proteins like poultry and fish, along with plant-based proteins such as lentils and chickpeas, to promote gut health without the drawbacks associated with high-fat meats. Integrate foods rich in polyphenols, found in dark chocolate, green tea, berries, and nuts, into your diet. These antioxidants reach the colon undigested, fostering the growth of beneficial bacteria. Embrace omega-3 fatty acids from sources like fatty fish, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. Known for their anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3s contribute to maintaining a healthy gut lining, supporting overall gut health.
What Foods are Beneficial for Gut Microbiome?
Nourishing your gut microbiome involves incorporating a range of foods that contribute to its diversity and balance.Include high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains in your diet; they are rich in prebiotics that support the growth of beneficial bacteria. Enhance your gut health with fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha, which are abundant in probiotics. Opt for lean proteins like poultry and fish, along with plant-based proteins such as lentils and chickpeas, to promote gut health without the drawbacks associated with high-fat meats. Integrate foods rich in polyphenols, found in dark chocolate, green tea, berries, and nuts, into your diet. These antioxidants reach the colon undigested, fostering the growth of beneficial bacteria. Embrace omega-3 fatty acids from sources like fatty fish, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. Known for their anti-inflammatory properties, omega-3s contribute to maintaining a healthy gut lining, supporting overall gut health.
How to Follow the Microbiome Diet
Generally, you may follow the microbiome diet by shifting your meal choices to include more plant-based foods, fermented products, and organic, minimally processed foods. With the conscious goal to eat more of these foods, you will naturally include a wide range of nutrients and good bacteria from diverse food sources, which is the core foundation of the microbiome diet.
How to Follow the Microbiome Diet
Generally, you may follow the microbiome diet by shifting your meal choices to include more plant-based foods, fermented products, and organic, minimally processed foods. With the conscious goal to eat more of these foods, you will naturally include a wide range of nutrients and good bacteria from diverse food sources, which is the core foundation of the microbiome diet.
Diet Phases
Typically, the microbiome diet is structured into phases [2]. They are defined as:Phase 1: This first phase lasts 21 days and aims to remove unhealthy gut bacteria from your gut and replace stomach acids and digestive enzymes for a healthy microbiome. This is regarded as the strictest of the three phases. In this phase, you are required to avoid a large variety of foods, including all grains, eggs, most legumes, dairy, and starchy fruits and vegetables. Likewise, heavily processed and fried foods, added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and some types of fats, fish, and meat are also recommended to avoid. Phase 2: This second phase lasts about 28 days and allows you to add more flexibility to your diet, assuming your gut and microbiome have gotten stronger. You may reintroduce dairy, eggs, gluten-free grains, legumes, and most fruits and vegetables. During this phase, you still need to avoid the processed foods and items with added sugar mentioned above — but only 90% of the time. Phase 3: This final phase is usually referred to as the maintenance phase, and it is expected to last until you decide to no longer continue with the diet. By this point, your gut and microbiome are believed to be operating at their maximal capacity. So, although the foods to avoid remain the same as in the first phase, you only need to do so 70% of the time.
Diet Phases
Typically, the microbiome diet is structured into phases [2]. They are defined as:Phase 1: This first phase lasts 21 days and aims to remove unhealthy gut bacteria from your gut and replace stomach acids and digestive enzymes for a healthy microbiome. This is regarded as the strictest of the three phases. In this phase, you are required to avoid a large variety of foods, including all grains, eggs, most legumes, dairy, and starchy fruits and vegetables. Likewise, heavily processed and fried foods, added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and some types of fats, fish, and meat are also recommended to avoid. Phase 2: This second phase lasts about 28 days and allows you to add more flexibility to your diet, assuming your gut and microbiome have gotten stronger. You may reintroduce dairy, eggs, gluten-free grains, legumes, and most fruits and vegetables. During this phase, you still need to avoid the processed foods and items with added sugar mentioned above — but only 90% of the time. Phase 3: This final phase is usually referred to as the maintenance phase, and it is expected to last until you decide to no longer continue with the diet. By this point, your gut and microbiome are believed to be operating at their maximal capacity. So, although the foods to avoid remain the same as in the first phase, you only need to do so 70% of the time.
Benefits of the Microbiome Diet
A gut health diet plan can improve digestive health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and heart disease, and better immune function.3 Embracing a gut health diet plan has far-reaching benefits that extend beyond just digestive well-being as well. It can also contribute to healthier skin by addressing issues like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.4 The intricate relationship between the gut and skin, known as the gut-skin axis, highlights the significance of maintaining gut health for promoting optimal skin conditions.
By nourishing the gut with a diverse range of nutrient-rich foods, this dietary strategy not only fosters a balanced and flourishing gut microbiome but also aids in overall well-being. Benefits of the Microbiome Diet
A gut health diet plan can improve digestive health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases like inflammatory bowel disease and heart disease, and better immune function.3 Embracing a gut health diet plan has far-reaching benefits that extend beyond just digestive well-being as well. It can also contribute to healthier skin by addressing issues like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.4 The intricate relationship between the gut and skin, known as the gut-skin axis, highlights the significance of maintaining gut health for promoting optimal skin conditions.
By nourishing the gut with a diverse range of nutrient-rich foods, this dietary strategy not only fosters a balanced and flourishing gut microbiome but also aids in overall well-being. Key Takeaways:
- Beneficial Foods for Gut Health: Key foods for a healthy gut microbiome and boosting microbiome diversity include high-fiber fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains (as prebiotics), fermented foods like yogurt and kefir (probiotics), lean proteins, foods rich in polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Beware of Harmful Foods: Limit intake of processed food, added sugars, and artificial sweeteners, which can disrupt the gut microbial balance that feeds harmful bacteria and hinder the growth of healthy bacteria.
- Phases of the Microbiome Diet: The Microbiome Diet consists of three phases that determine what kinds of healing foods you can eat in order to build up your microbiome’s composition, diversity, and resilience.
- Gut-Skin Connection: A healthy gut can positively impact skin health, highlighting the importance of supporting your gut flora for a healthy skin barrier. For an added benefit, exploring topical skin care products can work with this lifestyle change to enhance the positive effects on longevity. Explore the scientifically proven way that the OS-01 peptide reduces your skin's biological age by improving the skin barrier, supporting cellular damage repair, and preventing the accumulation of senescent cells.5
Key Takeaways:
- Beneficial Foods for Gut Health: Key foods for a healthy gut microbiome and boosting microbiome diversity include high-fiber fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains (as prebiotics), fermented foods like yogurt and kefir (probiotics), lean proteins, foods rich in polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Beware of Harmful Foods: Limit intake of processed food, added sugars, and artificial sweeteners, which can disrupt the gut microbial balance that feeds harmful bacteria and hinder the growth of healthy bacteria.
- Phases of the Microbiome Diet: The Microbiome Diet consists of three phases that determine what kinds of healing foods you can eat in order to build up your microbiome’s composition, diversity, and resilience.
- Gut-Skin Connection: A healthy gut can positively impact skin health, highlighting the importance of supporting your gut flora for a healthy skin barrier. For an added benefit, exploring topical skin care products can work with this lifestyle change to enhance the positive effects on longevity. Explore the scientifically proven way that the OS-01 peptide reduces your skin's biological age by improving the skin barrier, supporting cellular damage repair, and preventing the accumulation of senescent cells.5
By Felix Tajanko: Felix is studying Bioengineering at the University of California - San Diego and is passionate about scientific writing as well as the research of menopausal endocrinology and microhemodynamics.
By Felix Tajanko: Felix is studying Bioengineering at the University of California - San Diego and is passionate about scientific writing as well as the research of menopausal endocrinology and microhemodynamics.
Reviewed by Alessandra Zonari, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Co-Founder of OneSkin
Alessandra earned her Master’s degree in stem cell biology, and her PhD in skin regeneration and tissue engineering at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil in collaboration with the 3B’s Research Group in Portugal. Alessandra did a second post-doctoral at the University of Coimbra in Portugal. She is a co-inventor of three patents and has published 20 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.
Reviewed by Alessandra Zonari, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Co-Founder of OneSkin
Alessandra earned her Master’s degree in stem cell biology, and her PhD in skin regeneration and tissue engineering at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil in collaboration with the 3B’s Research Group in Portugal. Alessandra did a second post-doctoral at the University of Coimbra in Portugal. She is a co-inventor of three patents and has published 20 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.
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