Bio-Individuality in Today’s Society
I’m a big fan of TikTok because it teaches me so much about health & wellness, and also it makes me laugh all the time too. Something I have fallen victim to in my experience with learning about new products, supplements, diets, food choices, etc. on social media is that I take their experience as the truth of how my experience will be. This has gotten me in trouble in a variety of ways.
I want to introduce the topic of Bio-Individuality, which is the idea that we are all different humans, and as such we all need, and respond to, things differently. This will also change throughout your life, so what you respond to well now might not work the same years from now. What works for me might not work for you and what works for me now might not work for me later. Why is this? Well, there are many different reasons, all of which are also bio-individual. The two main reasons are your gut microbiome and genetics, but there are many other primary food reasons we will discuss later.
Gut Microbiome
A large part of our health status is related to our microbiome, which is the culmination of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live in the digestive tract. There is a whole new perspective on the gut microbiome in science with studies popping up all over the place discussing their findings. Here are a few fun facts:
There are just as many bacterial cells within your microbiome as human cells throughout your body
Throughout the course of your life, your microbiome changes and adapts to the food you eat
The vagus nerve (known as the wandering nerve) that originates in the brain and branches out, like the roots of a tree, into a network throughout the body, is also connected to the gut. Researchers have identified how “gut instincts” or intuitions travel to the brain via the vagus nerve and are connected to fear response. This is why it is known as our second brain.
A lack of bacterial diversity in the gut can contribute to inflammation, which when traveled back through the vagus nerve, can contribute to depression and anxiety.
There is a separate nervous system in the gut called the enteric nervous system. This has the same relationship as our brain and central nervous system, which communicates with neurotransmitters and hormones.
The gut produces 95% of serotonin and 50% of dopamine in your body.
Genetics
Another reason that we thrive on different food choices is because of our genetics. If you consider that our ancestors came from different places all around the world, those places typically have cultural food choices and selections that other areas of the world do not. If your ancestors didn’t consume much dairy, or gluten, your body will have a larger intolerance for this.
One of the main reasons I wanted to talk about this is because it is so relational to every other topic I will discuss. Everything I am learning in IIN mentions the idea that in health coaching, and in pursuing our own healing journey, every single element will be different for each person. As I have done analysis on my own experiences, I realize just how true this is.
Also, this is related to every single element of health and wellness that you see on social media or connect about in your relationships. Hair products that make your hair shine may make mine brittle, food choices that make me feel satiated and full might make you bloat or have issues in the bathroom. Hobbies that fill my cup might be boring for you, or locations around the world that bring me joy might have the opposite effect on you.
Even in my program, I experienced bio-individuality in test taking. Some people really enjoy test taking, excel under pressure, and have really good memory recall to score well. Others might have testing anxiety, who experience brain fog and immense stress levels while looking at the questions. Some zip right through and others wait until the last second to submit.
We are unique, and it is important to honor that every chance we get. Don’t shy away from owning your truth, or being too influenced by others. In our society today, diet fads or other trends rip through our communities a mile a minute, and it can seem challenging not to jump on every bandwagon. If you do this to see what works for you and what doesn’t, almost like a hypothesized test, that is great! However, if you do this instead of listening to your own intuition, and GUT, you might fall victim like I have to the opposite effect.
Once you look through the lens of bio-individuality in every part of your life, you will not only increase grace and love for yourself, but you will also be able to do this for others. Try it out, and let me know how it goes <3
All my love,
Hannah