I've always wanted to know exactly which foods I should and shouldn't be eating. A list so specific to me and my current biology that there will be no more second guessing how i'll react to a certain food or confusion of what to buy at the supermarket each and every week. Over the past few years I was eating what most would consider a very healthy diet yet, I was still experience unexplainable bloating, digestive upset, chronic fatigue and other health problems. This is my story on how I discovered Viome, the gut intelligence test that is making illness optional.
I first heard about Viome on a podcast that I religiously listen to called - The Ultimate Health Podcast. One week in the middle of my health 'crisis', The hosts interviewed the founder of Viome; Naveen Jain, where he spoke about a test that will revolutionise the healthcare industry and essentially make illness optional. After listening to this podcast I knew right then and there I had to take this test to really get to the bottom of what's going on in my gut and with my health.
In this blog post i'm going to touch on the most common questions i have been getting about this test, explain the testing procedure and share my own personal results along with screenshots of how these results are presented.
So first up..
What is Viome and how does it work?
Viome is the most accurate at-home microbiome test on the market. It measures the microorganisms in your gut microbiome, and generates a uniquely curated diet and nutrition plan to help best support your gut bacteria for optimal health. In turn, helping you reach your goals—whether that’s more mental clarity, regular bowel movements, increased energy levels or beating that undeniable bloat.
Viome is available on an Annual Plan, which includes an easy to follow, at home test called the Gut Intelligence test, this specific test identifies the biochemical activity of the trillions of microbes in your gut and determines the unique way your body processes food into energy. The test is taken in the form of a stool test, is done in the comforts of your home and sent off in a tightly packed tube via a prepaid envelope sent in your initial package. They even send a catchment pad you can attach to your toilet, a little scooper and gloves so it makes collecting your sample much more sanitary.
After you send off your sample, you'll receive your results 3-4 weeks later via the Viome App, which is an easy to use mobile app that’s basically like having a health coach or nutritionist in your pocket.
So why is it important to maintain a healthy microbiome?
Think of your body like an eco system, there are trillions tiny organisms living in and on it. These organisms are known as microbes and include bacteria, viruses, and fungi. There are more of them living on just your skin right now than there are people on Earth. And there are a thousand times more than that in your gut! All the microbes in and on the human body form communities. These communities are part of the ecosystem of the human body. Together, all of these communities are known as the human microbiome. No two human microbiomes are the same. Because of this, you have a unique ecosystem. There is no other ecosystem like your body, which is why one food may work for you and not for another.
There’s a reason they call the gut the ‘second brain’: hundreds of million of neurons connecting the brain to the stomach and gut. And when your gut bacteria is off, it can mess with your cognition & overall wellness.
While some bacteria are associated with disease, others are actually extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight and many other aspects of health.A healthy gut does a whole lot more than just help you go to the bathroom. Multiple scientific studies show that gut health influences our overall wellbeing and mental health, and has been linked to:
Anxiety
Depression
Cognition
Mental clarity
Behavior
Neural development
Yup, what’s happening in your stomach can have a big impact on what’s going on in your brain. And maintaining a healthy gut takes a lot more than just eating probiotic-rich strawberry yogurt. So it's important to know exactly what’s happening in your body, so you can best support your gut health through diet, healthy habits, and supplements.
What do the Viome test results look like?
Here I will provide my personal and unique recommendations, these are based off my stool sample and curated just for me. I'm providing these screenshots only as a reference to you so you know what kind of information to expect if you end up getting your own kit.
The results are uploaded to your personal account and are viewable in your Phone app & your online web account. The app makes it easy to access and refer back to when you're out and about (ie doing the supermarket shopping). Whereas the web data is a lot easier to read when you're looking through it for the first time. The data available on your account via the web also contains a downloadable PDF so you can keep this information on your computer or email to friends/family.
Although Viome provides a full list of all the bacteria in your gut including % comparisons to those who are considered 'healthy' it is not their intention for you to decipher this information. They provide this as a reference only and what they really want everyone to focus on is the food recommendations they provide based off your bacteria data. If you follow the dietary & supplementation guidelines you should be able to diversify and restore balance to your gut microbiome, therefore alleviating uncomfortable symptoms and fending off potential diseases that originate from an unbalanced gut.
My takeaways?
What I found interesting is that most of the foods I was eating ALL the time are now on my minimise list. Yes I am a creature of habit. This could be due to the fact that the bacteria that forms from eating these foods is in abundance and i've neglected so many other foods (which are now in my eat abundantly list) So now I need to focus on these different foods in order for my gut to create new communities of bacteria which will over time build a stronger and more diverse eco system.
Something that was also interesting to finally confirm is that my body needs animal protein over plant based protein. Almost all beans and grains are in the minimise list minus a select few, whereas eggs, salmon, and a variety of meats are in my enjoy to indulge list. So it's a little comforting to know that my decision to go from Vegan to a meat eater was the right one (for me).
Being the health nerd that i am, I clearly looked into ALL the bacteria data they provided, even though they don't recommend this. HOWEVER from this data i've come to find my body is fighting a parasite (blastocystis) and a virus (streptococcus). I will be writing a whole separate blog post on Blasto and what steps iv'e been taking to rid myself of it.
I've been now been following this unique diet & supplement recommendations for the past 4 weeks and have honestly noticed a shift in my digestion, a decreased feeling of inflammation and most importantly, less fatigue. I will continue to follow these recommendations over the course of the year and get retested along the way to see how I'm improving.
If you're new to my blog, then check out my other blog posts on gut health including talking about Why i'm no longer Vegan and also my journey of Healing Leaky Gut to get a background on my journey to optimal health.
If after reading this you have any questions or want to learn more, please feel free to reach out to me via DM on my social @peanut.head
Or if you're interested in taking this test for yourself, simply visit www.viome.com and use my promo code PEANUTHEAD20 for a discount on your annual service
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