https://callyrae.com/

When I was going through my first transformation that I wrote about in 8 Lessons Lupus Taught Me: From Surviving to Thriving with Autoimmune Diseases the big revolutionary findings were focused on epigenetics and the fact that we could turn on or off our genetic predispositions with lifestyle choices.

Now I am struck by the revolutionary findings of today which are focused on the microbiome and the emerging evidence that our lifestyle choices can support or sabotage our health based on the health of our “bugs” in, on, and around us.

What is the natural response for most of us when it comes to bugs? Kill em, kill em all! Pests! Disease! Unfortunately, we have not understood the role of the bugs and as a result have inadvertently created much bigger problems. The degree of damage is still being determined as the microbiome is being studied and revealed.

The most basic understanding that is widely accepted now is that we are host to trillions of biota that live in, on, and around us. Microscopic organisms that have various roles in our survival. Probably the most recognized are the microbiome of the digestive tract. Lesser recognized, but I would argue also extremely important are the microbiome of the skin.

The question is not as much where they are (just assume they are everywhere) but rather what is their role and how can we cohabitate for thriving together?

Year after year, study after study, the complexity of the microbiome is beginning to be understood. Now it is common to replenish and support the biome with prebiotic and probiotic foods and supplements if you do need to take antibiotics. Doctors do not prescribe antibiotics as quickly and broadly as they once did thanks to the superbugs that began to create a firestorm of terror in the medical community (especially hospitals and nursing facilities).

Some of the latest studies are linking our gut health (aka gut biome) to immune function and brain function. Interesting when you look at the amount of bug killing compounds in our foods and environment. Could it be causing the rise in autoimmune diseases and mental health conditions of all kinds in all ages?

We are making huge strides in understanding the biomes of the body, what some eat, how their waste is necessary to support our organs, how each one is individual and unique like a fingerprint. Western medicine is coming along in some ways but old habits die hard.

Just like epigenetics turned our understanding of DNA on its head, I see the microbiome turning our understanding of our bodies systems and physiology on its head. There is still so much to learn and understand but I believe that the statement that Living WOW is founded on rings more true than ever.

Our bodies are indeed designed to heal if we give them the environment to do so. Trusting and listening to your individual body so that you can become the expert in YOUR body is key while the scientists figure out the universal details for EVERYbody