This article will focus on the Microbiome, which consists of the bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in and on our bodies. The health of our Microbiome directly influences our overall health. These microorganisms live in different areas, including the nose, skin, mouth, lungs, stomach, colon, and sex organs. 

Several pharmacy team members and I recently took in lectures from a women's health conference. One of the speakers discussed how the bacterium in our gut is also found in the vagina, bladder, and urethra of women. If the bacterium in our gut isn't healthy, these other body areas can also be affected. 

The gut microbiome begins in the intrauterine or when the baby is in the womb, so what a mom puts in her body will ultimately affect the makeup of the baby's Microbiome. The first three years are the most important, as these years will lay the groundwork for the Microbiome. The more diverse a person's diet, especially in fruits and vegetables, the more variety of bacteria that make up the Microbiome.

Fad diets have a direct effect on your Microbiome. Keto is a diet that largely shuns fruits and vegetables and, therefore, over time, can negatively affect the makeup of the biome. A high-fat diet has been found to reduce colon bacteria overall while increasing total anaerobic microflora and Bacteroides counts. Bacteroides are typically beneficial organisms, but overgrowth is associated with inflammatory bowel disease, severe antibiotic-resistant infections, and colorectal cancer.

Some other interesting points that the speaker brought up in her talk regarding the vaginal Microbiome:

• The Microbiome of our gastrointestinal tract does not start with the stomach. It begins in our mouth. Healthy oral flora can be enhanced by the way you take your probiotics. Open the capsule, put it in some yogurt, and take it that way. The probiotic can then benefit the oral cavity and not just the lower GI tract. I had not heard that before listening to the talk.

• The best way to take a probiotic is to open up a capsule, put it in a cup or two of yogurt, and eat a scoop or two of this probiotic-fortified yogurt every day. A group of med students was tested for the above probiotic vs. capsule form. When they had their GI bacteria tested, those who took the probiotic in yogurt had more bacteria in their colon than those taking a capsule. Not only does this technique colonize the oral cavity, but it also appears to be better distributed in the gut. It is also less expensive when taken this way.

• Hormones change the pH of the vagina. As women ages, specifically postmenopausal women, they make fewer and fewer hormones, negatively affecting the pH of the vaginal cavity. If the pH is off, women have the potential for increased risk of vaginal infections. The acidic environment is part of our immune system, protecting women from infection.

• A lactobacillus deficiency can cause opportunistic bacteria to flourish. Vaginal dysbiosis is almost always results from a lack of lactobacillus. 

• As a person ages, lactobacillus naturally decreases, setting the patient up with an increased risk of a bacterial infection of the vagina. 

• Cell division slows down as we age. Supplementing with a methylated B complex helps epithelial cell turnover. If your methylation pathways are strained, it can negatively affect your mood.

• Another factor affecting the pH of the vaginal cavity is the presence of lactobacillus acidophilus. These bacteria are broken down into lactic acid, eventually affecting the pH of the vaginal cavity. Lactobacillus also has both an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory benefit to both the gut and the vagina. 

• If you are being treated for a urinary tract infection, taking a probiotic is a good idea. Still, taking D-mannose is also essential, as it helps prevent the bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall.

• We have tests that can see what type of good bacteria is populating both the gut and the vagina. I find this super interesting as traditionally, you would test these areas to find out what kind of harmful bacteria are growing in them. Remember, we all have good and bad bacteria in our microbiomes; keeping them in balance is the key to maintaining health in these areas.

• Menopause severity can be affected by your Microbiome.

• Synthetic progestins in oral contraceptives are not suitable for the vaginal Microbiome and can disrupt the balance.

I hope you have found these bits of information both informative and actionable.  Our Microbiome, in some ways, seems to be headed towards the endangered species list.  If we don't take care of the bacteria that live on and in us, we are setting ourselves up for health complications in the future.  A quote from Hippocrates states, "All disease begins in the gut," and it could not be more accurate in today's world.

If you would like help or more information about the Microbiome and which probiotics might work best for a particular condition, do not hesitate to contact my pharmacy staff, as they would be more than willing to help you at 701-483-4858. All my articles can be found online at our website, www.irsfeldpharmacy.com. My podcast, "The Irsfeld Pharmacy Optimal You Podcast," can also be accessed through the website.

Until next time, be vigilant about your health!!