Tips for a healthy microbiome
The topic of the body's microbiom and its importance for our health has gained much attention in recent years. We sat down with Dr Elias Hinteregger to talk all things microbiome and personalised probiotics, from interesting background information to fact, tips and warnings as well as the role of microbiome analysis at the Park Igls Medical Spa Resort.
Interview
Dr Elias Hinteregger
Dr Elias Hinteregger is a Mayr doctor at Park Igls. His main area of interest is how we can maintain physical and mental health by adapting our lifestyle.
What is the microbiome?
Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites
The term microbiome is usd to describe all the microorganisms within a human or any other living being. These include bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Mikrobiom is often used synonymously with gut microbiome, since most of the microorganisms in the human body are to be found in the gut, specifically the large intestine. However, microorganisms can also be found across the skin, in the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and ears, as well as throughout the entire digestive system and in the vagina.
Fascinating facts
- Each person's microbiome is unique - even in identical twins.
- There are more bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites than cells in the human body.
- Around 36 trillion of all the cells in the human body form part of the microbiome, while 30 trillion are human cells.
A microbiome analysis makes particular sense for people who have been suffering from digestive problems for some time (e.g. diarrhoea, bloating, constipation) but who have no obvious reason for the problems (such as an intolerance to fructose, lactose or gluten, or a chronic inflammatory bowel disease). Gut microbiome analysis can be used to determine whether an imbalance is present. In technical jargon, this is referred to as a dysbiosis.
If a dysbiosis is detected, then it can be treated with a probiotic and, in the best case, the patient's gut microbiome can be brought back into balance. This is precisely where the current trend lies – a multitude of self-tests and ready-made probiotics are flooding the market. Ideally, however, you should have a personalised probiotic made that is precisely tailored to your own microbiome.
Many people jump on the bandwagon and buy the first probiotic or the cheapest microbiome analysis they can find after a quick search on Google. However, we would advise you to be careful. There are major differences in the quality and methodology of the analyses. The clear recommendation is to consult a specialist in the field of digestion. That means a gastroenterologist or an F.X. Mayr doctor.
- It is important that the guest has not yet started their Modern Mayr Medicine treatment at Park Igls. This is because the bitter water and fasting process can distort the results of the analysis. The patient's stool should ideally be roughly the same as in the weeks before their stay at Park Igls.
- First, a stool sample is taken and sent to our partner laboratory in Germany. The results of the microbiome analysis are available within a week. If the results are abnormal, we set about creating a personalised probiotic.
- For the probiotic to be as effective as possible, some background information about the patient is also needed. Which problems is the patient suffering from? Do they have chronic stress, a small intestinal dysbiosis, problems with the microbiome in the mouth such as periodontitis and caries, or psychiatric complaints such as ADHD, depression or low mood? These findings are then sent to the probiotic manufacturer.
- The production of the personalised probiotic usually takes several weeks. The product is therefore sent to the patient's home and should then be taken as recommended.
Under certain circumstances, the natural, healthy microbiome can be so severely damaged and the bacterial overgrowth so massive that a probiotic is no longer effective. This can happen, for example, during a hospital stay that requires long-term antibiotic use.
In this case, a stool transplant can be used. This means that the microbiome of a healthy person is used to restore the digestive tract of an affected person. Ideally, the ‘microbiome donor’ comes from the patient's immediate social environment. The sample taken is processed and then used to treat the sick patient – either by means of a colonoscopy or in capsule form.
Dietary tips for a healthy microbiome
Foods and cooking techniques
Here, there is an important diffrence between probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotic foods contain helpful and good bacteria and microorganisms. They include:
- fermented products such as whey, kefir, pickled cabbage and miso – through the fermentation process, these foodstuffs contain bacteria which are good for the mucous membrane in the gut.
Prebiotic foods serve to stregthen the bacteria and microorganisms already present in the gut. While they generally can't be processed by the body, the microorganisms in the gut are able to digest them and use them to grow. Prebiotic foods include:
- pulses, linseeds, linseed oil, wholemeal produce,
- foodstuffs containing pectine, including apples, apricots and fresh bananas,
- root vegetables such as carrots, Jerusalem artichoke, parsnips and beetroots.
The ideal way to strengthen your gut microbiome is by eating a wide range of foods with plenty of roughage. Try to have 20-30 different types of vegetables and fruits per week, with as many colours as possible on your plate.
Prebiotics and probiotics for a healthy microbiome
Pulses, wholemeal produce, root vegetables
Is there anything apart from diet that can help strengthen my microbiome?
Exposure to a wide range of naturally occurring bacteria early in life helps to strengthen the microbiome. The much-cited ‘eating dirt’ while playing in the garden is therefore entirely justified. The trend towards more sterility and disinfection in recent years is not beneficial for the strength of the microbiome in the long term.
Personalised probiotics and Modern Mayr Medicine
Gut microbiome analysis - new at Park Igls
Modern Mayr Medicine places a large focus on creating and maintaining a healthy gut. It is therefore only logical that we take a look at the microbiology of a patent's digestive system by carrying out an extensive gut mirobiome analysis in order to draw on the potential benefits offered by probiotics for the long-term health of the gut.
The doctors at Park Igls stay up to date with all the latest advances in research. Despite the fact that in 2012 almost all the bacteria in the human gut were identified, there are still plenty of questions that remain unanswered – and lots of potential benefits still to be discovered.
Ideal for anyone aiming for optimal health benefits on as broad a basis as possible.
It is very satisfying to help guests who suffer from chronic digestive problems with a relatively simple remedy such as a probiotic.
The Park Igls Health Blog
Continue reading
Fermenting as a self-experiment - a short guide
The gut – custodian of health
Allergies and food intolerances
Fermenting – A Kitchen Trend that Never Goes out of Style
For more information and interesting insights into Modern Mayr Medicine at Park Igls Medical Spa Resort, please visit our website.