I’m going to share some gems from one of my favorite talks at the annual IFM conference The Omics Revolution – Nature and Nurture. It was a talk by Dr. Robert Rountree and was called “Genome Meets Microbiome” and he opens with this great slide that paints an incredible picture:
Humans are like mobile warm-blooded coral reefs, home to vast numbers of microbial ecosystems that are rich in biodiversity
Dr. Rountree shared how humans have more than 100 trillion microbiota, outnumbering human cells by 10:1. And he shared this great quote from Dr. Martin J Blaser, MD’s 2014 paper:
It is reasonable to propose that the composition of the microbiome and its activities are involved in most, if not all, of the biological processes that constitute human health and disease
Here are some other gems from the talk:
- Disease-specific alterations in the enteric virome in inflammatory bowel disease (such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) and how changes in the virome may contribute to intestinal inflammation and dysbiosis
- Methanogens in human health and disease Evidence has linked overabundance of methanogens to constipation and IBS, influencing intestinal transit and pH. These methanogens ensure more complete fermentation of carbohydrates, leading to higher production and absorption of SCFAs (short chain fatty acids), which may lead to obesity
- The emerging world of the fungal microbiome or the mycobiome “Early-stage studies show interactions between the mycobiome and other microbes, with host physiology, and in pathogenic and mutualistic phenotypes. Current research portends a vital role for the mycobiome in human health and disease.”
So we have the microbiome, the virome, methanogens and the mycobiome! (and so much more)
He closes with this:
Alteration of the microbiome by our modern lifestyle (diet, stress, excessive hygiene and antibiotics) may be responsible for many chronic diseases [my addition: including anxiety and depression]
When I arrived in Austin I headed to the local Whole Foods to stock up on travel food (like I always do) and found some probiotic-rich foods that are made right in Austin. Now I can highly recommend this fabulous sauerkraut and fermented carrots from Hat Creek Pickles. I munched on this yummy food (and sardines, boiled eggs, grass-fed beef jerky, pemmican and fruit) all weekend! I even brought what was left of the the sauerkraut home!
Raw, local, organic, delish!!!! and oh so pretty too.
Happy gut means happy Trudy! How are you looking after your gut?