From ancestral balance to dysbiosis
Today our gut microbiomes have strayed far from their ancestral roots. Industrialized diets, antibiotic overuse, and sanitized environments have reduced microbial diversity, leading to widespread gut dysbiosis. The solution? Rewilding your gut—restoring microbial balance by reconnecting with nature’s original sources of probiotics and prebiotics. This ancestral approach focuses on environmental microbes, soil-based probiotics, and nutrient-rich wild foods to rejuvenate your microbiome and optimize overall health.
Why rewild your gut?
Your gut microbiome plays a crucial role in digestion, immune function, mental health, and even metabolism. A loss of microbial diversity has been linked to conditions such as obesity, autoimmune diseases, and mood disorders 1. Indigenous and ancestral populations, who maintain close contact with natural environments and traditional diets, exhibit significantly higher microbial diversity than those in industrialized societies. 2 Rewilding your gut is about mimicking these ancestral lifestyles to restore balance and resilience.
Environmental microbes: The missing link
Modern hygiene practices, while essential for preventing disease, have also distanced us from beneficial microbes. Environmental exposure to soil, plants, and natural waters has been shown to introduce beneficial bacteria that contribute to a healthy microbiome. 3 Spending time in natural environments—gardening, hiking, or even walking barefoot—can help reintroduce these microbes into your system.
Soil-based probiotics: Nature's original supplements
Unlike conventional probiotics, which often contain a limited range of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, soil-based probiotics (SBOs) include resilient bacterial species like Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus coagulans that thrive in the gut and promote a robust microbiome. 4 These microbes naturally occur in dirt and unprocessed foods, helping to modulate inflammation and enhance digestion. Consuming fermented vegetables grown in healthy soil or taking a high-quality SBO supplement can support gut resilience.
Wild prebiotics: Nourishing your microbiome
There are many wild prebiotic foods that help nourish the gut microbiome, but seaweed and mushrooms stand out for their profound impact on gut health. Let’s explore how these natural sources provide essential prebiotic compounds that support beneficial bacteria, enhance gut barrier function, and promote overall well-being.
Seaweed is a powerhouse of prebiotics, particularly fucoidans and alginates, which selectively nourish beneficial gut bacteria. 5 Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) and wakame (Undaria pinnatifida), in particular, contain polysaccharides that enhance gut barrier integrity and support immune function. 6 These marine superfoods also provide iodine and other trace minerals essential for thyroid and metabolic health.
Medicinal mushrooms contain prebiotic compounds, such as beta-glucans, that play a vital role in gut health. For example, chaga (Inonotus obliquus) and reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, modulate the immune system, and exhibit anti-inflammatory properties.7 These adaptogenic fungi have been used in traditional medicine for centuries to promote longevity and resilience.
How to rewild your gut
1. Reconnect with nature: Spend more time outdoors, garden with your hands in the soil, and avoid excessive sterilization of your environment.
2. Incorporate soil-based probiotics: Consume produce from regenerative farms or home gardens where the soil microbiome is rich and thriving, include fermented foods, and consider SBO supplements.
3. Eat wild prebiotic foods: Incorporate naturally occurring prebiotics like wild berries, fibrous root vegetables, and wild greens into your diet to fuel beneficial gut bacteria.
4. Diversify your diet: Ancestral diets were rich in fiber, fermented foods, and naturally foraged plants, all of which support microbial diversity.
5. Limit antibiotic and antimicrobial overuse: While sometimes necessary, these can deplete beneficial bacteria. Use only when needed and restore your microbiome afterward.
6. Engage in mindful eating practices: Chewing thoroughly, reducing stress, and eating in a relaxed state all support digestion and microbial health.
Rewild your gut, restore your health
By rewilding your gut, you’re not just improving digestion—you’re reclaiming a deeper connection with nature, your ancestors, and the ecosystems that sustain you. Small, intentional changes can lead to profound benefits for your health and vitality.
References
- 1. Sonnenburg JL, Sonnenburg ED. The ancestral and industrialized gut microbiome. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2019;17(6):383-390. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31089293/
- 2. Clemente JC, Pehrsson EC, Blaser MJ, et al. The microbiome of uncontacted Amerindians. Sci Adv. 2015;1(3):e1500183. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26229982/
- 3. Gilbert JA, Quinn RA, Debelius J, et al. Microbiome-wide association studies link dynamic microbial consortia to disease. Nature. 2016;535(7610):94-103. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27383984/
- 4. Hong HA, Khaneja R, Tam NM, et al. Bacillus probiotics: their role in health and disease. Res Microbiol. 2009;160(10):803-818. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5554123/
- 5. Wang Y, Xing M, Cao Q, Ji A, Liang H, Song S. Fucoidan: structure and bioactivity. Molecules. 2019;24(23):4283. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30897733/
- 6. Zha XQ, Xiao JJ, Zhang HN, et al. Immunomodulatory effects of a fucoidan isolated from Saccharina japonica in mice. Food Funct. 2019;10(8):5124-5133. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7345355/
- 7. 7. Xu X, Yan H, Chen J, Zhang X. Bioactive proteins from mushrooms. Biotechnol Adv. 2011;29(6):667-674. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21605654/
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