The microbiome helps slow down aging and prolong life

As Finlay notes, each person’s microbiome is unique — there is no perfect set of bacteria. The main thing is to maintain diversity and avoid the predominance of microbes that cause inflammation. It is chronic inflammation that accelerates tissue aging and weakens the immune system.

The good news is that the microbiome can be changed. Unlike genes, it reacts to nutrition, lifestyle, and even mood. Within a few days after changing the diet, you can notice positive changes.

The main recommendations are simple and scientifically proven:

• Food. Balanced diets like the Mediterranean or DASH diets. Less red meat, sugar and white flour, more vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish and olive oil. Fermented foods and fiber are useful. But ultra-processed food should be excluded.
• Physical activity. Every minute of movement prolongs life by 5-7 minutes, and the microbiome also becomes healthier.
• Mode. Avoid snacking between dinner and breakfast, reduce stress, get enough sleep and maintain social connections — all this directly affects the balance of microbes.

Microbes on the skin are just as important as those in the gut. Frequent washing and the use of aggressive products destroy beneficial bacteria, provoking irritation and inflammation. Finlay advises to limit yourself to regular soap and water, and the main secret of healthy skin is nutrition and the balance of the microbiome inside.

Studies confirm that the state of intestinal microbes affects the brain through the “gut–brain” axis. Changes in the microbiome are associated with depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases ranging from Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s.

Finlay notes that following the MIND diet (a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets) it can delay the development of Parkinson’s disease for up to 17 years, affecting the intestinal microflora.

Microbes are involved in the immune system and can affect the severity of infections, including COVID-19. The composition of the microbiome determines how the body will carry the virus and whether long-term covid will develop. The microbiome can also affect the effectiveness of anti—cancer therapy – some microbes help the immune system respond better to treatment.

Most probiotic supplements do not have the expected effect. Finlay advises not to spend money on magic capsules, but to focus on nutrition and lifestyle.

The microbiome is one of the most important factors of health and longevity. Taking care of microbes is not a fashion, but a scientifically proven way to slow down aging, strengthen the immune system and keep a clear mind. All you need is proper food, exercise, sleep, and a little care for your inner world— in the most literal sense.