What throws your microbiome off balance (and how to spot it)

Your microbiome does not like rollercoasters. Here are the main triggers, and why they matter.

The most common triggers

• Antibiotics: sometimes necessary, but not selective — they wipe out the bacteria behind the infection, and some of the good bacteria along the way.
• A diet low in fibre and high in ultra-processed foods.
• Lack of sleep: the body repairs and regulates part of its gut flora during the night.
• Travel: new foods, new water, jet lag.
• A strong emotional event — a bereavement, a break-up, a period of intense anxiety.

Stress acts directly on the gut. It is not "all in your head".

How to spot it

Bloating after meals, unpredictable digestion, fatigue that is hard to explain, minor infections that keep coming back. None of these signs means much on its own — it is above all their combination and repetition over time that should put you on alert.

Good to know — a temporary imbalance is no disaster: the microbiome is very good at rebalancing itself, as long as it is given the chance. If in doubt, it is always better to talk to a healthcare professional than to self-diagnose.

This article is part of ILINNE's free fundamentals — reviewed by a doctor, written to be understood the first time.