We know having a balanced gut microbiome is important to overall health. When this bacteria population is imbalanced, bloating, gas, and other discomforts can occur and could even lead to serious health problems.
With a healthy microbiome, gut flora can recover quickly. However, for those who have dysbiosis – an overgrowth of bad bacteria – it can be extremely hard to get balanced again with a healthy diet alone. Taking a multi-tiered approach, and going beyond the basics of probiotics, can help the gut not only be healthy, but thrive under pressure.
IgY – A Groundbreaking Discovery
A new hero nutrient for gut health, may have an unusual name, but is something that might be on your plate each morning for breakfast – eggs! Besides being abundant in vitamin D and zinc, eggs contain a very important molecule called IgY (immunoglobulin yolk) that acts as the egg’s immune system by working to bind and destroy bad bacteria.
Until recently, the only way known to benefit from IgY was by consuming raw egg yolks, which is not the safest or most enjoyable way to consume eggs. However, a recent breakthrough by a biotechnology company has found a way to extract a highly purified form of IgY from the egg yolk. This means you can now get the benefits of IgY without having to consume raw eggs every day. My company, SRW Laboratories, developed a particular immune formula using IgY called Imm¹ Defence that combines IgY with immune-supporting vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc.
Scientists are most interested in IgY because it targets and binds to bacteria and viruses, facilitating the elimination of bad bacteria in the gut in order to speed recovery times and free up the immune system to do its job.This is good news, because for the first time, we can target the bad bacteria in the gut and at lower levels which, in combination with postbiotics, prebiotics,and probiotics gives your gut the very best chance to be healthy – shifting the balance of dysbiosis (microbiome imbalance) in your favor.
Postbiotics – Next-Generation Ingredients
Ready for the next generation of ingredients for your gut? Postbiotics are compounds that the good bacteria in your gut produce as a by-product of feeding on the prebiotics and other nutrients that we eat. Postbiotic formulas deliver the by-products that your healthy bacteria should normally produce. When they are present in your gut in high levels, postbiotics create an environment that causes good bacteria to thrive.
Prebiotics – Gaining Massive Popularity
A class of compounds called prebiotics has been gaining massive popularity in the past few years. They can take many forms, but the underlying feature is that they provide an environment in the gut that causes good bacteria to thrive. Prebiotics share the same properties in that they are non-digestible foods that pass through the stomach that stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria.
Probiotics – The Gut Health Warrior
By now, everybody knows the benefits of probiotics, which are plentiful with good bacteria. Increasing the good bacteria makes it harder for bad bacteria to survive because each are fighting for the same nutrients. However, probiotics can pose challenges. When you stop ingesting good bacteria, the imbalance often returns. Also, our stomachs are extremely acidic and contain enzymes that break down food and extract nutrients. This is a rough environment and oftentimes probiotics don’t make it through in their full form.
It All Starts With Your Gut
Beyond supplementing, there are many dietary changes to explore to create an optimized microbiome. Eating different types of fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and consuming fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut helps support the population of healthy bacteria in your gut. Switching out processed grains for whole grains is another key to success that supports a healthy microbiome.
Avoiding too many alcoholic and sugary drinks is also important. Certain medications can also negatively affect gut health, so be mindful of this. Substances like antibiotics help eliminate infections, but they also deplete the health of our microbiome, which can lead to problems down the road.
Taking your gut health to the next level and supplementing with probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics and IgY is a great way to increase the potential of a flourishing, balanced gut. Combining all these approaches, along with a balanced diet and stress reduction techniques builds a strong microbiome that will improve overall health in the long run.
Macpherson is a pharmacist, biotechnologist, cellular health expert and author of, “Harnessing the Nine Hallmarks of Aging: to live your healthiest life.” For more than a decade, he has been working in the biotechnology sector, specifically focusing on the aging process at the cellular level. This work led him to discover ways to harness the nine identified, scientific hallmarks of aging, which is the premise of his book that addresses the natural aging process, how to age more favorably and simple strategies to slow the aging process and build a functional healthspan.
Beyond theory and concept, Macpherson has used his entrepreneurial spirit to further develop solutions to this new paradigm of aging, described in his book, by launching SRW Laboratories, a science and research based company that curates the latest biotechnology research to formulate natural products designed to help slow the onset of aging and disease, and develop evidence based solutions for those who are experiencing age-related health concerns or who want to improve their healthspan.
SRW, which stands for Science, Research and Wellness, is Macpherson’s natural world laboratory that will develop the preventative formulas for cellular health from nature required to slow down the aging process based on the nine hallmarks of aging, which include mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere attrition and cellular senescence, to name a few. With aging being the single biggest risk factor for developing disease, Macpherson’s mission to slow the aging process at a cellular level could help millions of people delay the onset of diseases associated with advanced aging like Alzheimer’s and heart disease and increase healthspan.
