To be human we need the microbiome and their many parts such as their genes and their metabolites.
Humans have only 22, 000 functional genes, so how do we carry out so many functions? The answer lies in the microbiome. We have 150x more microbial DNA, that is over 2.5 million microbial genes than our own. And these 2.5 million microbial genes dictate many of our functions!
We deep dive into the microbiome in year 1 as our health and well-being depends on the amazing microbiome. What we know now about the microbiome is just SCRAPING the surface, in a decade, we will be in more ‘awe and wonder’ about the microbiome and may be scratching our heads as to why antibiotics were prescribed so freely and not just used for 'life-death situations. This microbiome is not only in the gut but all over and in the body, such as the oral microbiome, urogenital microbiome, lung microbiome, skin microbiome etc
Understanding WHOLE gut health itself including the microbiome is vital in nutritional medicine. We believe the gut plays a vital role in coaching too.
We have heard the saying
I have a gut feeling
My gut is telling me
I have butterflies
I can’t stomach it
No surprise there, as In the gut we have neuroendocrine cells, these are cells that produce neurotransmitters as well as hormones with the support of the microbiome. Approximately, 90% of serotonin and 50% of dopamine is made in the gut. That is not a small percentage.
It is not just the microbiome that is important, although the microbiome is absolutely VITAL, the microbiome has to be communicating with the 'right people', we want healthy neuro-endocrine cells, as well as a healthy enteric nervous system (the nervous system in the gut), healthy mucosal lining, etc., also these 'people' and more need to be in 'good shape' for optimal gut microbiome health.
We used to believe that a newborn’s gut was sterile until it came through the birth canal and picked up mamma bears microbiome…but now we know there is a microbiome found in the meconium (baby’s fist poop/bowel movement), in the placenta.
We even have a virome in our cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF), once it was thought that healthy individuals had a sterile CSF.
It is the microbiome that dictates the function of the ‘location’, not the location.
We now have more research showing that the mother’s gut microbiome impacts the baby’s brain development WHILST IN UTERO. We will be wondering (if not already), why we were taking medications that negatively impact the microbiome, antibiotics being the main culprits.
Mom’s immune cells known as dendritic cells (the gate keepers of the immune system) pick up SPECIFIC microbes that have specific molecules (peptidoglycans) in their membranes in the small bowel and ‘swallow' these microbes. They then, digest these microbes and transport these digested molecules (peptidoglycans) via the cord blood to the placenta. In the placenta, these dendritic cells release these digested molecules, which bind to SPECIFIC receptors in the placenta and these get transported to the developing baby’s brain. The baby’s brain has receptors to these digested microbial components (peptidoglycans receptors). Yes that is correct, there are receptors in the developing baby’s brain in utero that respond to the microbiome in the mother’s gut!
Once these digested microbial components bind to the receptors in the baby’s brain, they enhance the development of the blood-brain barrier and in the development of various parts of the brain. So we ask the question, what is mum-to-be’s microbiome health like?
Did you know that the microbial balance in the placenta also plays a key role in initiating labour? If this placental microbiome is out of balance it can off set labour initiation.
Comprehensive Stool Analysis
At the New School of Nutritional Medicine we teach comprehensive gut testing, and the microbiome health is ONE part of the test. We teach our students to look at gut health overall, such as immunity markers, gut health capacity markers, intestinal permeability, and inflammatory markers in the gut. We look at the whole gut health not just the microbiome ,because the microbiome is impacted by all these other factors.
Read more on the comprehensive stool analysis HERE.
In the years to come, we will be looking back and thinking, we knew very little about health and wellbeing, not just the microbiome.
Rapid Relief Homeopathy
At the New School of Nutrition, we also teach Rapid Relief Homeopathy for acute situations. Acute situations are conditions that arise that have a limited time line, such as a headache, fever, flu, cystitis, gout etc.
What if mom develops thrush during pregnancy? Having read all the wonderful information about the mother's gut and developing baby's brain axis, if mom develops thrush during pregnancy we want to avoid as much as is possible any medications that will further disrupt the health of the microbiome. Thrush is a common complaint during pregnancy and the standard medication is usually an anti-fungal. An anti-fungal can further imbalance the mother's microbiome and this may create issues with the baby's brain development. We teach and recommend Rapid Relief Homeopathy in such situations. There are various thrush remedies, and the matching remedy to the thrush symptoms is chosen...and the thrush will clear, no need for any anti-fungals and no side effects
Some Rapid Relief Homeopathy remedies for thrush:
Pulsatilla: itching, burning, thick milk, cream-like vaginal discharge. Maybe weepy and want attention
Sepia: excessive itching, complaining, excessive white discharge, irritable. May have bearing down symptoms, as if insides may fall out. Generally these people feel better for physical exertion like dancing or exercise
Calcarea carbonica: itching and burning with a milky or yellow discharge. Swelling of vulva and vagina. Generally worse before and after periods. Generally dislike the cold or winter
Mercurius solubilis: greenish discharge, itchy, corrosive. May have swelling of the vagina and vulva. On urination there is pain, itching and burning
Kreosotum: ACRID, yellow discharge with severe itching between labia and thigh. Itching within vulva with burning and swelling of labia. Urge to rub the parts. Offensive odour
Nitric Acid: stringy discharge, offensive odour, clear like water or green, brown discharge. Discharge is acrid and causes burning. May feel a stitching sensation in the vagina.
Homeopathy is taught in year 1 of the 2 year diploma course, such that our students can support clients through acute conditions without the need for medications that can suppress the healing process and/or acute condition, which drives the 'dis-ease' further into the body.
2 year part-time diploma in nutritional medicine and Integrative life coaching
Want to become a nutritional therapist and life coach? We offer a comprehensive, 21st century relevant immersive course. We are based in the heart of London, Regent's University and with some spaces for online live-stream learning.
If you want to train with us, feel free to connect with us
or if you are ready....
We look forward to hearing from you.
To Wholeness!
From the team at the New School Of Nutritional Medicine
Learn about the Founder & Principal of the New School of Nutritional Medicine, Dr Khush Mark PhD HERE.
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