Weight Loss can be difficult for some. Many people go on endless diets and lose weight only to put it back on again once they stop the diet. Others participate in frequent exercise, pushing themselves to try to lose weight.
Well, it could be more than just what you eat and exercise.
When clients come in wanting to lose weight, they speak of being told to exercise more and stop eating by their doctor. Many times when I look through their diet, it is not what they are eating or the fact that they are lazy and not exercising enough
I once had a client who ate a healthy diet and was very strict with her diet. She didn’t stray. It was a keto-based eating plan. The client exercised two hours a day at the gym seven days a week. Her weight did not shift. It was about looking beyond just diet and exercise……
Weight loss is not just about what you put into your mouth and the energy you expend.
There are several reasons why a person may struggle to lose weight. …..
Some of the other reasons can include:
- Thyroid imbalance, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Adrenal Burden/Fatigue
- Stress
- Gut Dysbiosis
- Liver Burden / Toxicity
- Chronic inflammation
- Hormonal imbalance
It’s essential to look at the big picture.
But today, I wanted to look at one of the widely overlooked factors, and there’s a lot of research on how gut health influences weight.
Microbial Gut Health is important for the immune system, mental health and optimal digestion. But what else do the probiotics of the gut affect?
Probiotics are the trillions of microbes in our gut. There are many species or varieties of probiotics, and they varying functions.
Think about the probiotics of the gut like the different breeds of dogs in the world. There are hundreds of breeds. They all have differing strengths or abilities.
For instance, the German Shepherd is renowned as a good guard dog or police dog. Beagles are trained to be sniffer dogs or drug detection dogs. Labradors are good at being vision-impaired support dogs.
Poodles are known for their ability to be easily trained and were traditionally used in the circus. Nowadays, there are many poodle crossbreeds. This is partly due to their calm nature, making them great family dogs.
The Siberian Husky and Malamute are both sledding dogs. However, the Siberian Husky is better for short-distance, faster sledding, while the Malamute is better for longer endurance sledding.
The dog example shows that different strengths and qualities can be seen in each dog. This is similar to the probiotics in the gut. There are different species and strains of probiotics, which have varying actions in the body.
The probiotics in the gut influence health through the compounds they produce and their interaction with the body’s genes.
Research has shown that Probiotics
- Regulate blood sugar
- Fat metabolism
- Absorption of fat
- Regulate appetite
- Aid satiety
- Involved in metabolism
- Inflammation control
This is how gut microbes can influence weight!
Probiotics can help you gain weight or lose weight by interacting with our genetics, food and metabolism.
And yes, I did say lose or gain weight……..
Firstly, let me explain that the trillions of microbes in the gut need to be varied, meaning that there should be a large variety of species. There are many different species (or breeds) of microbes, and they all have their place in aiding health — the more variety and balance, the better health results.
Back to the weight loss or weight gain issue….
Do you eat yogurt and berries for breakfast? Thinking that it’s helping you lose weight?
Well, Lactobacillus acidophilus (like the species found in yoghurt) has been connected to weight gain.
I am not saying throw your yoghurt and berries in the bin. Instead, I am suggesting looking at the overall picture. If Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant micro-organism of the gut, then weight gain can result.
It is about the variety of species of gut microbes. Imagine if we only have trained german shepherd guard dogs in the world. It may be a safe world, but I am sure that other breeds may be more suitable as a family pet.
While Lactobacillus acidophilus is associated with weight gain, other Lactobacillus species correlate with weight loss.
Species like Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Bifidobacteria animalis have been found to support weight loss.
Want to lose weight?
Look at your gut flora to support your goal.
Tests can be performed to identify the predominant species of the gut, and specific species can be utilised to support weight changes.
Want more information about your gut health?
Or want to look at all the factors contributing to weight gain, I’d love to be able to help.
Click here to book your appointment!
