A beautiful woman I know recently had a minor procedure. As she entered the pre-op area, she was asked to get on the scale. Now there was no rational reason in the world this woman should be even slightly anxious about stepping on a scale, but there it was - that ever so difficult idea that we are actually okay, that our weight is acceptable both to ourselves and our medical people. Her weight? Under 130 pounds.
Who among us doesn’t have that anxious feeling when stepping on a scale in a doctor’s office? I can’t think of many people, can you? Years ago I was working at a corporate health clinic and a woman came in, said she forgot that day was the clinic, and fretted over the ‘extra weight’ her trousers would reflect when she was weighed. She wished she’d worn a silk dress instead. Others describe their weight in quarter pound increments and weigh themselves daily. When the number comes down by .25 they celebrate; if it’s up .25 they are miserable.
As a result of all this angst about weight we have lost sight of what really matters, and that is our overall well-being. Weight, whether it is at an appropriate level, or it is too high or too low, is the result of many factors. Taking medication to alter your appetite puts the focus on weight, not on your whole self. The weight loss may lessen your chance for a variety of diseases, but what if instead you had a way of activating your own internal functions to regulate mood, weight, metabolism, heart health and immunity?
Microbiome and probiotics
That’s where the microbiome comes in. Though the concept may seem icky, we as humans house trillions of bacteria in our bodies, both inside and out. These bacteria comprise our microbiome. It regulates all those functions I mentioned - mood, weight, metabolism, heart health and immunity. The microbiome is defined as the collective genomes of the gut or digestive system. In it is the microbiota, the actual community of bacteria that reside there. When this community is made of the right combination of ‘bugs’ our body functions optimally.
Unfortunately, today’s ultra-processed foods, excess sugar and absence of simple whole foods grown locally and prepared at home introduce undesirable bacteria to the digestive system, especially in the upper and lower intestines. The outcome is poor processing of the food we eat and a weakened supply of good bacteria that would otherwise optimize our mood, weight, metabolism, heart health and immunity.
Akkermansia muciniphila
If you’ve been following me, you know I am not a fan of the weight loss drugs that have spread like wildfire in the past few years. Yes, we have seen celebrities and neighbors lose appreciable amounts of weight from them, but the research shows the weight will return when they stop taking the drugs. There’ s also a laundry list of side effects caused by these medications.
But back to the microbiota. What if you have struggled with weight and just can’t seem to lose it? What if you try some healing on the inside by getting your microbiome in balance so it can do its job? This happens when probiotics, compounds in food that foster growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms, populate your gut.
If you’ve struggled with health issues related to weight, mood, etc. I think it might be worthwhile to explore the probiotic Akkermansia muciniphila in combination with some changes in the foods you eat.
Akkermansia muciniphila is a highly promising probiotic. especially its potential for the prevention and treatment of diabetes, obesity, and their associated metabolic disorders, which is of great interest for future research and development.
Patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, obesity or metabolic disorders (e.g. type 2 diabetes), or metabolic syndrome, were found to have lower numbers of the akkermansia mucinphila bacteria than healthy individuals. Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information.
What to purchase
Because the research is so promising, many companies are already marketing this probiotic. Just like any supplement, quality varies and it is always best to go with a reputable company rather than grabbing something off the shelf at CVS or Walgreens. For many years my choice for supplements both for myself and my community have been through Metagenics. There are other quality companies around, but my preference is to stay with one company where I am able to provide a 20% discount to those who order through my portal. 20% is the maximum option I am allowed to give.
A Study on different Akkermansia Products
Though small and short-lived, a 3 month study of 32 obese /overweight participants, pasteurized Akkermansia, live Akkermansia and placebo were examined in a randomized double blind study. Results revealed that pasteurized Akkermansia patients showed significant improvements in insulin sensitivity, decreased insulin levels, improved blood cholesterol levels, decreased body weight and fat mass when compared to the placebo group.The live version did not exhibit statistically significant changes as compared to placebo.
Should you decide to give Akkermansia muciniphila a try through Metagenics, please be in touch with me and I will give you additional recommendations regarding optimal food choices that you can take along with the supplement. Here is the link. You can reach me through this link with any questions or for my food recommendations,