Understanding Your Inner Ecosystem

Written By Benjamin Cooper

The word Microbiome gets thrown around a lot these days...in newspapers, podcasts, documentaries, wellness blogs...it’s everywhere...

Its very much a Buzzword!

But what does it mean??

Well...If you’ve ever worked with me 1:1, you’ll know this is one of my favourite ways to explain what your microbiome is and how it works:

Your Microbiome is your inner Rainforest!

Thanks to our dear friend Sir David Attenborough, we all know that a Rainforest thrives on diversity.

The more varied the species of plants, insects, fungi, birds, predators, and everything in between, the more stable and resilient the whole ecosystem becomes.

Strip away that diversity, and the Rainforest collapses.

Removing too many species at once, means opportunists take over.

Your gut microbiome works exactly the same way!

Why Diversity Matters:

Inside you right now is a living, breathing ecosystem made up of trillions of microbes - bacteria, yeasts and archaea - each doing tiny, but essential jobs that help keep everything in harmony for your overall health.

Some ferment fibres, some produce vitamins, some strengthen and protect the gut lining, some regulate inflammation, some keep pathogens in check.

It’s not the presence of one “good” species that keeps you healthy...

It’s all of them working together...

Now...what if that diversity drops..?

(This is what I often see in my own clients...)

Stress, restricted diets, infections, or repeated antibiotics cause shifts in your digestive function and gut microbiome:

  • Foods you used to tolerate suddenly cause symptoms.

  • Bloating appears out of nowhere.

  • Gas becomes smellier or more frequent.

  • Bowel consistency shift.

  • Energy dips.

  • Inflammation creeps up.

Gaps have opened up your inner Rainforest...and nature NEVER leaves empty space alone for long!

Opportunistic microbes step in to fill the gaps!

These tend to be species that grow quickly, take advantage of weakened ecosystems, and don’t contribute much to the health of the environment.

Worse still, many of these opportunistic species are exactly the ones that tend to be:

  • Antibiotic-resistant

  • Fast-replicating

  • Inflammatory

So instead of a balanced rainforest where many species share the environment, you end up with patches dominated by tougher, less friendly microbes that:

  • Ferment the wrong things

  • Produce more gas and toxins

  • Irritate the gut lining

...and generally make the whole system more reactive.

So… How Do You Support a Thriving Gut Rainforest?

If diversity is the heartbeat of a healthy microbiome, then the question becomes: How do we actually build it?

This is exactly what I focus on with clients in clinic - not quick fixes, not “magic” supplements, but rebuilding the ecosystem piece by piece.

Here’s where we start:

1. A More Diverse Diet:

  • Different fibres = different microbes.

  • Different colours = different polyphenols.

  • Different plant compounds = different metabolic pathways.

If you feed only one type of fibre, you’ll grow only one type of bacteria.

If you eat the same 10 foods on repeat, your rainforest becomes a row of identical trees.

Takeaway point: Widen your menu!

2. Smart, Targeted Prebiotics:

Prebiotics can be powerful tools when used correctly.

It rarely a good idea to throw 20g of inulin at someone with bloating and hope for the best.

We choose the right fibres for your microbiome, in the right amount, and build gradually.

PHGG (partially hydrolysed guar gum), GOS, resistant starch, polyphenol blends… each one has a different ecological impact.

Takeaway point: Start low and build up slow!

3. Stress Management (your microbes feel it too)

Cortisol alone can reshape the microbiome and shift diversity, slow motility, reduce stomach acid, and make the gut more reactive.

Supporting the gut–brain axis (breathwork, meditation, vagal tone work, Nerva, gentle movement) is often one of the most impactful steps my clients take.

Takeaway point: Check out the Nerva app

4. Adequate Sleep:

Microbes follow circadian rhythms too.

Night-time is repair time for you and your Rainforest. When sleep improves, digestion almost always follows.

Takeaway point: Re-read my blog - Why Sleep is the Unsung Hero of Hormonal Balance

Why This Rainforest Analogy Works:

Once you start viewing your gut as an ecosystem and not just an organ, everything becomes clearer:

  • Why stress triggers digestive symptoms.

  • Why restrictive diets help short-term but hurt long-term.

  • Why a single probiotic rarely moves the needle.

  • Why symptoms flare when diversity drops.

  • And why cultivating variety in food, lifestyle, sleep and movement always wins.

Your microbiome is not something to “fix.”

It’s something to restore, nurture, and diversify.

Want Help Rebuilding Your Gut Rainforest?

If you’re dealing with bloating, gas, constipation, loose stools, food sensitivities or that lingering sense that your digestion isn’t as resilient as it used to be, this is exactly the work I do with clients every day.

You can Book a free Discovery Call and we’ll explore what’s driving your symptoms and how to rebuild your gut ecosystem from the ground up.

Benjamin Cooper
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