What Is The Microbiome?

What Is The Microbiome?

Have you heard the term Microbiome, but are still wondering what it is?

Or, are you ahead of the curve having read one of the increasingly popular books all about gut health?

However, even if you fall into the latter group you still may be relatively in the dark as to what the Microbiome is, and what it is made up of…

The Microbiome & The Gut

In this article you will learn all about the Microbiome. But, because the Microbiome resides in the gut, it’s really important for you to read the companion piece to this article, entitled Gut Health.

Microbiome Or Holobiome?

In his book, Plant Paradox, Steven R Gundry coined the phrase ‘the Holobiome’, describing this as being a complete extension of the Microbiome. This means that the cultures which exist in our gut extend out to the rest of the digestive system from the Oesophagus down to the Eliminatory Canal… and then outside of the body. In fact, Steven R Gundry effectively describes the body as being an extruded doughnut, with surface skin on the inside as well as the outside.

The Holobiome, therefore, covers the entire area of this internal and external surface skin… hence, the name Holobiome, meaning the total or entirety of the Microbiome over the body.

The Holobiome Is Made Up Of What?

Even if you have read a recently written book on the gut you may still be under the illusion that the Microbiome is solely made out of ‘good bacteria’. It’s true, there are hundreds of thousands of different strains of good bacteria, (thirty-eight trillion bacteria, according to GreenMedInfo), but this isn’t the whole story. There are also many different strains of fungus, or differing types of Yeast, as well as a whole different world of viruses.

What Is The Virome All About?

We have learned to be afraid of bacteria, and even more afraid of viruses. Modern medicine still doesn’t have a cure for the common cold, which we all know is a virus. Nor do they have a cure for Influenza, which used to wipe out entire towns and villages, before sanitation was improved. The outbreak of flu still inspires a shudder of fear in those that can remember the genuine terror of an influenza outbreak.

But, according to GreenMedInfo we need to start rethinking viruses as well as bacteria.

The welter of books devoted to the importance of gut health and the role ‘friendly bacteria’ has to play in maintaining a robust and healthy gut, have proven to be an important step towards us understanding the role that gut health has to play in our overall health. But, these books have largely explained why bacteria alone is so invaluable. Few refer to the role of viruses, and for that matter fungus or yeast, but it looks like all that is about to change….

Rather than harbingers of disease, viruses are intrinsic to immune modulation and to disease susceptibility.

To learn more about the viral elements within our guts, and the part our virus populations plays in the fine balance of supporting our health, you can read a very informative article in GreenMedInfo:

Profound Implications of the Virome for Human Health and Autoimmunity

Why Is the Microbiome Important?

All of the lifeforms which naturally reside within our gut account for 80% of our immunity against pathogens and toxins. They are also essential for the digestion of our food.

Without our microbiome we wouldn’t last very long!

All of the friendly microbes that reside within our digestive tract, and on our skin, play a vitally important role in keeping our body in balance, as well as being invaluable for delivering us with the nutrients from our food and keeping us healthy.

So, the saying “we are what we eat” isn’t entirely true… It’s actually a case of what we eat and how well it is absorbed that’s important.

Disclaimer

Another resource you may find useful can be found by following the link below. *Please note, I use sources from the Recommended Resources list as well as sources from the Healthcare and Skincare Information Sources list when researching articles for the Wild As The Wind Blog.

Wild As The Wind use a number of resources when deciding which essential oil formulas to put together for optimal healing and efficacy, as well as to support any health claims we may make.

We use the industry ‘bible’ on essential oil safety: Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals [2nd Edition] by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, to establish the safety of the Wild As The Wind formulations.