Dysbiosis is a term used to describe a condition where the bacteria in your gut is imbalanced. We may not think about it on an ongoing basis, but approximately 40 trillion bacteria call our gut their home. The bacteria play a symbiotic role in helping us digest our food and fight other harmful bacteria.
When the diversity or quantity is disrupted, we may experience diarrhoea, colitis, obesity, an infection of the gums, and even cancer. It is no laughing matter. Several factors can result in dysbiosis. Drinking alcohol regularly, consuming food rich in sugar, antibiotics, stress, and poor dental health are all potential aggravators. The delicate balance has tipped over.
The leading cause includes poor hygiene, either in your food or orally. The most common foods that can cause dysbiosis include meats, yoghurt, apples, grapes, bananas. Anything sugar-laden will also increase your risks.
The consumption of an antibiotic can often cause disruption, the antibiotic eliminating bacteria, including the healthy ones. Your doctor may advise a battery of tests to validate what you are experiencing symptomatically.
One of the most worrying outcomes of a persistent case of dysbiosis is colon cancer. Over a million people lose their lives to colon cancer each year, making it among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Colon cancer occurs when a tumour develops in the colon. But what is the link between a tumour in the colon and a disruption in our gut bacteria?
Studies show [see here and here] that a tumour in the colon has an increased presence of pathogenic bacteria. The bacteria flourished and passed on down your digestive tract. There, the bacteria helped the tumour develop. When we experience a disruption in our gut bacteria, it is accompanied by symptoms. If these symptoms are severe, we were fortunate in a manner of speaking. You probably paid attention. However, poor gut health is often ignored if the symptoms are not severe. You live with it till it turns into something more severe.
