Journey of healthy to unhealthy

You’ve already learned what the gut microbiota is and how you can influence its composition through your diet and food. But did you know that your gut microbiota and the cells in your body are constantly communicating and that your health state depends on this dialogue? This week, we’ll introduce you to the routes that your gut microbiota and your cells use to communicate, allowing you to understand why it’s so important to feed your gut microbiota appropriately as a means to care for your health. Let’s start from the beginning. How does this dialogue occur? The cross-talking between bacteria and our cells occurs through the release of molecules that trigger metabolic, immune, or neuronal signals into your body.

In a healthy state, the gut microbiota and the host exchange peaceful messages that help keep a homeostatic environment. But what happens when there’s an imbalance in your gut microbiota? Scientists have coined this status “dysbiosis” and has been linked with alterations in the gut-host communication, and ultimately, with the development of some diseases. In other words, the peaceful dialogue between microbiota and host ends.

During this final week, you will learn how the gut’s microbiota and the host communicate and the importance of a diverse and well-balanced microbiota for your health. You will also learn about the pioneering treatments that scientists have developed in recent years for the treatment of health problems caused by a dysbiotic microbiota.