Gut Microbes are also known as gut flora or microflora – & just incase you didn’t guess it – they are teeny tiny organisms that live inside your gut (& I mean really tiny – you’ve got about 100 trillion of them living inside you right now – hence the name “MICRObes” Because you can only see them under a Microscope!).

They’re made up of many different species of bacteria & vary widely from person to person.

But don’t let the size of these little guys fool you – they are INCREDIBLY important.

And as you may well have heard – encouraging the number of good bacteria & keeping them happy & healthy is an integral part of good health.

So what do they do??

They not only break down the food you eat & make the nutrients readily available for you to absorb (as important as that is!) – but they also protect you from a whole host of health issues, from simple bloating & diarrhoea, to candida – all the way to more serious health conditions including:

– diabetes 

– chronic fatigue syndrome

– inflammatory bowel syndrome

– rheumatoid arthritis 

…. & the list goes on & on!

It really is remarkable the amount of influence the health of your gut has on your overall wellness – & perhaps even more remarkable still is the power you have over the health of your gut microbes with the foods you choose to eat!

Organic fermented veggies, bone broth & turmeric are among the kind of foods that promote a strong healthy gut flora, while pesticide riddled conventional produce, sugar, processed/refined foods & caffeine promote an unhealthy, compromised gut flora & should be avoided!

In fact, more & more people are becoming aware of the importance of gut health, & putting more time, money & effort into it – eating fermented foods, taking probiotics, drinking kombucha etc…

BUT THEN…  

We sit there scratching our heads, wondering why our edible garden doesn’t look like the pretty little garden pictured below (our beautiful friend, Adele McConnel’s Healthy Patch) when we’re planting it in a lifeless soil, or we’ve used chemicals and harsh fertilisers to get rid of the annoying bugs…

…Queue In Soil Microbes… 

You see, just like a healthy gut, healthy soil should ALSO be home to a vibrant ecosystem of microbes – 10,000,000 per gram of soil to be exact…

And just like they work in your gut – their job is to break down the nutrient rich organic matter in the soil & help make the nutrients available for the plants to then uptake through their routes (which then gets passed on to you).

They also protect the plants from any nasty bugs found in the soil!

I think everyone knows these days that taking antibiotics is incredibly damaging to the microbes in your gut – wiping out huge numbers of the good & bad bugs – & making it incredibly difficult for your body to absorb nutrients from your food (& opening you up to all kinds of illnesses).

But what many people don’t realise however, it that using pesticides or harsh fertilisers has the same effect on your soil that antibiotics do in your gut!

They wipe out all the good bugs & strips it bare of nutrition… ultimately leading to nutrient deficient food.

So not only does this mean weak & disease prone plants – it also means that your plants won’t be receiving the vital nutrition that your body needs to thrive!

Tips for a Microbe Rich Soil

So in conclusion – Just like your gut… The more microbes in your soil – The more strong, vibrant & nutritious your plants will be.

Oh – & as an extra bonus for you – studies have shown that handling good quality, microbe rich soil is actually beneficial for your gut health! It’s a win win for your gut and your veggies!