Gut Biome and Birthday Cake

So you want a healthy microbiome?

If you've had gastrointestinal problems, acid reflux, or lots of gas, you might have wandered into the maze of micros. Maybe you went on a FODMAP diet, like me. Maybe you researched gut health, also like me. Maybe you discovered popping probiotics daily isn't so good.

What is?
Diversity is key.

• I've read it's good to have a dog so you share those invisible organisms from others around you. Pets protect your kids from allergies.

• We know to get our hands dirty and garden to get local critters in our system.

• Studies in mice show there is a bacteria in the gut for "skinny" mice that can be put in the gut of "fat" mice to change their weight tendencies.

• And, why would anyone get a fecal transplant? These people - often due to antibiotics - have a horribly unbalanced bacterial biome. They know firsthand how other people's poop makes life much more manageable.

But now I have learned of another way, a small, surprising way, to encourage bacterial diversity, and I want to share it with you.

Caution: danger to germaphobes ahead

When a person blows out candles on a birthday cake, they transfer oral bacteria and micro organisms to the cake -- 1400% more than areas not blown on!

Now that's a reason to celebrate!

Image giphy