Balancing your Microbiome to Help with Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Your microbiome refers to the trillions of microbes that live on and in us and are an essential contribution to our health, on the skin, in the genitals, in the gut, and the mouth. There are thousands of different species of bacteria and it makes sense that what we eat has an impact on those microbes and therefore on our health. If you are living with HS you know there is no miracle answer or cure right now. But there are options to manage it and to improve your general health.

That includes changes in your lifestyle to a Hidradenitis suppurativa diet. Other things might include adding probiotics, cutting back on sugar, managing stress, doing what you can to exercise, proper sleep, and so on. The better health you are in, the more chance your body has with your HS symptoms. Here is a look at what balancing your Microbiome might include.

Eat More Fiber In Your Diet

The daily recommended allowance for fiber is 20 grams but a lot of people are not reaching that. In a diet focused on balancing your microbiome, you should try to double that, to 40 grams a day. Fiber is a great way to feel full for longer thereby controlling weight gain, it helps lower blood sugar and has several other benefits. The best foods to eat for fiber are fruit and vegetables. Fresh or frozen is the best form. Other than that you can also eat whole grain bread, brown pasta, and rice, more oats, dark chocolate even!

Eat And Drink More Polyphenols

Polyphenols can be found in olive oil, nuts, berries, seeds, teas particularly green teas, coffee, Brassicas such as turnip, cauliflower, rutabaga, and cabbage. They are antioxidants that feed those microbes.

Think about fermented foods

Now, this is where you have to use some common sense in your Hidradenitis suppurativa diet. A diet to balance your microbiome encourages you to eat fermented foods and those with brewer’s yeast. However, brewer’s yeast is one of the three groups of foods experts suggest a person with HS actually cuts out or limits.

Add more collagen-rich foods

Collagen is good for your organs as well as for your skin’s health. It can be found in foods such as blackberries, white tea, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, spinach, lemons, meat, raspberries, nuts, egg whites, limes, oranges, beets, kale, peppers, and sweet potatoes.

Limit dairy and sweets

Dairy is something you should limit or cut out. Dairy includes milk, ice-cream, cream, yogurt, cheeses, butter, and custard. Sugar is also something to cut back on, cakes, cookies, sweets, chocolates, desserts, and such.

Summary

A balanced Hidradenitis suppurativa diet includes eating lean proteins and reducing how much-saturated fat you eat too. Add in proper sleep, a reduction in stress, and a healthy microbiome and you could help boost your overall health and lessen the impact your HS symptoms have on you and your life.