Habits Destroying Your Microbiome: Oral, Skin, and Sun Exposure

Damaging Oral Microbiome Habits

• 🚫 Mouthwash is a primary culprit, not only damaging the oral microbiome but also hindering nitric oxide production, essential for overall health.
• 🦷 Many common toothpastes are also damaging to the oral microbiome.
• 🧵 Traditional floss is often made of plastic; opting for silk floss is a more natural alternative.
• 🍬 If using gum or mints, choose xylitol-based options, ideally derived from birch trees, and consider if dry mouth indicates sympathetic nervous system dominance.

Supporting Oral Health and Microbiome

• 🌬️ To combat dry mouth, practice parasympathetic nervous system activation through longer exhales (e.g., inhale for 2, exhale for 10) or breathing through the left nostril.
• 💃 Engaging in activities like dancing can also help activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
• 🦠 For smell issues, consider oral probiotics containing strains like Salivarius K12 and K18, and for gum issues, ozone oil can be beneficial.
• 💧 Oil pulling is a beneficial practice for overall oral health.

Detrimental Skin Microbiome Practices

• 🧼 Overwashing, using antimicrobial or perfumed soaps, and wearing polyester-based gym clothes are detrimental to the skin microbiome.
• ☀️ Insufficient sun exposure also negatively impacts the skin's microbial balance.
• 🧴 Applying products that are not edible to the skin can be harmful.

Nurturing the Skin Microbiome

• 🥑 Using edible oils like tallow or almond oil on the skin is a natural and beneficial approach.
• 🚿 Installing a shower filter can remove impurities that may harm the skin microbiome.
• 🧼 Salt bars can be used for exfoliation and offer mild antimicrobial benefits without damaging good microbes.
• 🐄 Whole-fat bar soaps made from olive oil or tallow are also good options.

The Importance of Light Exposure

• 🌅 Getting light exposure before sunrise and for an hour after is crucial for circadian rhythm and hormone production (cortisol, serotonin, dopamine, melatonin).
• 💡 This light exposure is essential for producing hormones that regulate sleep and mood, and it also shifts the skin microbiome.
• 👕 The type of fabric worn also impacts the skin microbiome, with natural fibers being preferable to synthetics like polyester.

Vitamin D and Natural Hormone Production

• ☀️ The body is designed to make its own Vitamin D, which requires microbes, cholesterol, and sun exposure.
• ⚠️ Long-term Vitamin D supplementation can be problematic as it depletes the animal form of Vitamin A, leading to widespread deficiencies, especially when combined with diets low in animal products.
• 🍎 Ensuring the correct ratio of Vitamin D to K2 is vital, found in whole foods like butter from grass-fed animals. High Vitamin D levels can lower Vitamin A, potentially setting the stage for cancer.