By Dr Riccardo Di Cuffa, Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Thyme

As we seek to improve our health and prolong healthy ageing, it’s important to reflect on our gut flora. The microbiome is made up of trillions of bacteria, fungi and viruses that usually live in balance in our gut and on our bodies.

It is becoming clear that our western lifestyle and diet are having a profound effect on our gut balance and subsequently our immune response. If the balance of our gut microbiome is out of kilter, it can lead to symptoms of fatigue and depression. Over time, it can also increase your risk of cancer, diabetes and dementia.

Good Vs bad bacteria

There are bad bacteria like helicobacter pylori which can cause stomach ulcers and cancers and pro-inflammatory bacteria such as firmicutes (which don’t cause illness), but can lead to long-term problems if they colonise the gut to excess.

Good bacteria like lactobacillus or bacteroidetes are linked to positive health benefits. They can boost your immune response and help reduce chronic inflammation. If we reduce inflammation, then we decrease our chances of developing long term health issues.

Why is it important is check your microbiome?

If you have an excess of poor gut bacteria, they can cause gut symptoms like bloating, wind, indigestion, food allergies and intolerances. Outside of the gut, these bacteria can increase inflammation which can lead to cancers, diabetes, high cholesterol, cold and flu and arthritis.

Medications can also contribute to this imbalance. For example, antibiotics, antacids like omeprazole and anti-inflammatory pain killers like ibuprofen can all help to cause this imbalance.

Knowing exactly what your microbiome contains allows experts to help you to address any issues and with a doctor’s help, deal with any concerning symptoms.

If you’d like to learn more about our Gut Health packages, get in touch with the team on 0330 179 2000 or send us a message.