What's the difference between good gut bugs and bad gut bugs?

There are trillions of bacteria and hundreds of different species living within your gut. It sounds like a pretty big party, right?! All these bacteria make up an amazing ecosystem within your microbiome! Think of the microbiome as a forest. A forest is its own large ecosystem, and the health of a forest depends on the relationship between its plants, animals, soil, bacteria and more. The same goes for the gut microbiome. Each species of bacteria in the gut contribute to and can influence the health of the entire gut ecosystem. All of us have both good (the good guys) and bad (the bad guys) bacteria in the gut. The good guys are responsible for keeping us healthy by helping to improve blood sugar levels, digestion, metabolism, relaxation and sleep, blood pressure, and even our mood! Meanwhile, if the bad guys grow too fast, they can disrupt the balance of the entire ecosystem creating all sorts of problems including blood sugar imbalances, inflammation, and mental health and digestive issues. The secret to maintaining your gut balance? We need to feed the good guys (specifically prebiotic fiber from whole grains, vegetables, and resistant starch) so they can thrive in numbers within the diverse community of your gut. When the good guys thrive, they maintain a harmonious balance, simultaneously keeping you happy, healthy and thriving!