gut health & microbiome

Here you’ll find articles related to gut health and the microbiome. Your gut is at the core of your health (pun intended!), and so it should come as no surprise that many of our articles touch on the topic. The term microbiome refers to all of the microbes that reside within your body, while your gut refers to your entire digestive tract — all the way from your mouth down to the other end. 

Countless tiny microbes reside in your gut, and the delicate balance of these organisms is central to your body’s ability to function properly. When the balance of bacteria in your microbiome gets thrown off, your gut health suffers, and this has a cascade of effects on your health. Your gut health plays a pivotal role in not only digestion and nutrient absorption, but also immune function, metabolism, mental health, and many other areas.

Read these articles to learn more about the ways that your gut affects your overall well-being, as well as what you can do to support a healthy gut and microbiome.

Donna Jackson Nakazawa Explains Psycho Neuroimmunology: How Emotions and Trauma Affect Your Immunity and Disease Risk

Donna Jackson Nakazawa Explains Psycho Neuroimmunology: How Emotions and Trauma Affect Your Immunity and Disease Risk

Donna Jackson Nakazawa is the author of seven books about what she likes to call “gnarly problems” that span the intersection of science, emotion, and human life, most recently the book Girls on the Brink. One of the gnarly topics she’s done a deep dive on is something called psycho neuroimunology, which is the field that looks at the interplay between our mind and our immune system. As she learned in her research, the relationship between the two is strong — and it all starts in childhood. Read on to learn more about the emerging field of psycho neuroimmunology, what it has to do with adverse childhood experiences (ACE) research, how emotions affect the body physically by way of the brain, and more. 
Healthy Coffee Creamer Alternatives (+ the 4 Worst Things to Put in Your Coffee)

Healthy Coffee Creamer Alternatives (+ the 4 Worst Things to Put in Your Coffee)

We love coffee, and chances are, so do you. The taste, the energy boost, the comforting ritual — there are a lot of reasons that coffee is an important part of many people’s daily life. But here’s the catch: not all coffee is created equal. In fact, the way some coffee is grown and processed can be harmful to both the environment and your health, and what you put in your coffee can also do damage to your health. The good news is that with the right knowledge, you can make informed decisions that let you have your morning cup without compromising your health or the planet. Read on to learn about the various coffee benefits and side effects, why non-dairy coffee creamer is so bad (plus healthy coffee creamer alternatives), the importance of buying organic coffee beans, and much more.  
What Are the Root Causes of Eczema? A Holistic Nutritionist Explains

What Are the Root Causes of Eczema? A Holistic Nutritionist Explains

Abby Tai dealt with severe eczema for much of her childhood and into her young adult years—until she finally was able to get to the root causes of eczema and heal. When she was suffering, she made a promise to herself that if she ever got better, she would share her story with as many people around the world as she could and help them overcome the crippling skin condition like she did. Today, Tai is a holistic registered nutritionist, founder of Eczema Conquerors, and host of the The Eczema Podcast, and she joined WellBe to share what she's learned on her personal and professional eczema journey. Read on to learn more about the root causes of eczema, the connection between gut health and eczema, differentiating eczema versus psoriasis, the side effects of topical steroids, and more. 
2022’s Ten Most Important Health & Wellness Stories

2022’s Ten Most Important Health & Wellness Stories

In lieu of our normal Q4 wellness and health news wrap-up, we’re ending the year with a different sort of news roundup. In the spirit of end-of-year reflection, we’ve put together a list of the most important stories related to health and wellness from all of 2022, rather than just the last three months. Some of these stories are brand new, some were highlighted in past wrap-ups — and all of them have implications for the health of you and your loved ones.
Holistic Nutritionist Maria Marlowe on the Link Between Gut Health and Acne

Holistic Nutritionist Maria Marlowe on the Link Between Gut Health and Acne

For years, Maria Marlowe struggled with acne. She tried every product and prescription she could find to clear up her skin, but nothing works. It was only when she began learning about nutrition that she understood the role that diet plays in skin health — and after changing what she ate, her skin cleared up in months. Today, Marlowe is a holistic nutritionist, author, and host of The Glow Life podcast, and helps others clear their skin through food. Watch the interview or read on to learn the link between hormones and acne, how gut health and acne relate, the best diet for acne, and more. 
Dr. Kasey Holland on EBV Reactivation Symptoms and How EBV Triggers Autoimmune Disease

Dr. Kasey Holland on EBV Reactivation Symptoms and How EBV Triggers Autoimmune Disease

When Dr. Kasey Holland was in naturopathic medical school, she was experiencing a cluster of mysterious and sometimes debilitating symptoms, and didn’t know what they were, despite the fact that the answer was staring her right in the face (Literally! She was busy diagnosing patients with the very thing she had! ). When she eventually figured out that she had reactivated EBV, and then healed herself, she decided to make this complex virus her specialty. Read on to learn Dr. Holland’s insights on EBV reactivation symptoms, the best EBV treatment, how EBV might explain what triggers autoimmune disease, and much more.