“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” — Psalm 100:4

Did you know that not all germs are bad?

As we’ve decreased the number of germs on our bodies and in our environment, something else has increased at an alarming rate: our susceptibility to viruses. This paradox confirms the critical role our microbes play in protecting us from viruses. Our bodies are home to trillions of microbes that make up our MICROBIOME — boosting our immune system and joining in the fight against infections.

Like a well–built factory, our bodies house the machinery that keeps production moving. Some of these assembly line processes are automated, while others require constant monitoring, maintaining and adjusting. This is where microbes come in: they operate the machinery. Microbes within our gut microbiome, carry out all the following tasks:

• Digests food and metabolizes medications
• Produces essential substances like vitamins B12, thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin K
• Helps your body absorb calcium and iron
• Helps your body distinguish between dangerous and harmless viruses
• Balances the pH in our gut
• Neutralizes cancer–causing compounds and crowd out pathogens
• Activates anti–viral efforts of the immune system

We’re only as healthy as our gut bacteria.

Our choices directly affect our health — from the medicines we take to the food we eat and the environments where we live. Overuse of antibiotics can wipe out good microbes, low–fiber diets weaken immune–supporting bacteria and overly sanitized spaces can limit exposure to helpful microbes.

While washing hands and avoiding illness matters, so does maintaining a balanced internal ecosystem. Diet plays the biggest role: the overall quality of what we eat shapes our microbiome’s ability to protect us. By adding more of the foods your microbes thrive on, you naturally reduce less helpful choices — even without cutting them out completely.

Here are some suggestions:

• Eat more plants: Try zucchini noodles instead of pasta, roasted squash or sweet potatoes for fries, or mashed cauliflower for rice.
• Add in veggies: Blend spinach or kale into smoothies, use pumpkin or squash to thicken sauces, or toss onions, garlic, peppers and spinach into eggs.
• Choose whole foods: Get nutrients from real food — not pills or powders — for the full spectrum of benefits without fillers.
• Pick carbs wisely: Limit simple carbs like soda and baked goods. Choose fiber–rich complex carbs (fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans) and resistant starches (green bananas, lentils, white beans) that support gut health.
• Use medications sparingly: While sometimes necessary, overuse of antibiotics, antacids and pain relievers can weaken your body’s defenses. Use only when truly needed.

• Antibiotics: They kill not only the “bad” bacteria, but also the “good.”
• Antacids: Our stomach acid plays a necessary role in killing pathogens. Blocking stomach acid increases the risk for contracting rotavirus, influenza, norovirus ... among others.
• Cough suppressants: These can make you sicker because they diminish your ability to expel viruses and other pathogens from your body. 
• Fever–reducers: Fever (a body temperature above 100.4 F) is a signal that your body is fighting a virus or bacteria. Since most viruses can’t replicate at high temperatures, interfering with a fever too early could leave you more rather than less vulnerable to viral infection. It’s important to discuss a recommended therapeutic level with your provider.

Source: “The Anti-Viral Gut” by Robyne Chutkan, M.D.