Harmony With Food Radio Show #228: How the Microbiome Impacts Weight Loss

This week on the Harmony with Food Radio Show, I continued our discussion on weight loss resistance, this time diving into how the microbiome influences it, and also talked about micronutrients.

Micronutrient Testing

I've been talking about micronutrient testing for the last few shows, and I want to talk more about why you need specialized micronutrient testing.

Your doctor isn't checking your micronutrient levels. If your doctor is testing any of your vitamin levels, they are probably testing Vitamins D, B12, and iron. But there are so many more micronutrients that are crucial to your health!
Micronutrient requirements change as you age. As you age, you may not be able to absorb nutrients as efficiently. This can lead to vitamin deficiencies.
You may be wasting money on supplements you don't need. If you're taking a ton of supplements, there's a good chance that there are some in there that you don't need. Testing can help you take a more targeted approach.
Your genes can influence how your body processes nutrients. For example, the MTHFR gene influences how you process folate. So even if you're taking a multivitamin, you may need a different form of it.

Effects of Nutrient Deficiencies

Below are the side effects of deficiency in just a few key nutrients.

Vitamin A Deficiency - Can cause night blindness, impaired immunity, impaired healing, increased risk of infection, and leukoplakia.
B1 Deficiency - Can lead to nervous system and cardiac abnormalities, as well as weakness, fatigue, confusion, irritability, unintentional weight loss, muscle wasting, and peripheral neuropathy.
B2 Deficiency - Causes fatigue and weakness.
B3 Deficiency - Can cause vomiting, constipation, headache, fatigue, and depression.
Niacin Deficiency - Can cause dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death.
Vitamin D Deficiency - Can lead to depression, mood disorders, Alzheimer's, autism, cancer, colds and flu, and more.

Interested in micronutrient testing?

If you're interested in micronutrient testing, you can click here to book a free 45-minute consultation call where we will decide if testing is right for you.

Causes of Weight Loss Resistance

If you feel like you are doing everything but not losing weight, you may be experiencing weight loss resistance. Here are a few things you may want to look at if you're feeling weight loss resistant.

Really Look at Your Habits

I often see clients who think they're doing everything right, but when we sit down to look at their lifestyle, they're eating more junk food than they think, eating dessert every night, or not getting as much exercise as they think. Keep a food and exercise journal so you can better assess everything.

Gut Microbiome Imbalance

Research shows that the makeup of the gut microbiome impacts how the body responds to weight loss interventions. There has also been a study that shows that gut microbiome genes associated with bacterial replication and the breakdown of carbs and proteins predicted weight loss response.

The bacteria in your gut can also influence your blood sugar, cravings, insulin, and how much of the calories you eat are stored as fat.

By getting gut microbiome testing, I can easily identify which bacteria are imbalanced in your gut, then we can use targeted probiotics, diet, and supplements to rebalance your gut and make weight loss easier for you.

If you're interested in microbiome testing, you can click here to book a free 45-minute consultation call where we will decide if testing is right for you.