7th December 2017|Blogs

New Year, new you: harnessing the microbiome for stress-free living

It’s New Year’s Day, pigs in blankets have been one of your major food groups for weeks and the month ahead is looking bleak. With the cheery glow of the Christmas decorations gone and nothing left but the few remaining Quality Streets that nobody really likes, you’re faced with the daunting January weight loss regime.

New Year’s resolutions to slim down are a shock to the system, popping you out of the festive December bubble – where we’re encouraged to seek out everything cosy and indulgent – with an icy bump. The second the clock strikes midnight on 31st December, the world is flipped upside down and pyjama-clad re-runs of Wallace and Gromit are exchanged for the bleary-eyed struggle to the gym, while Yule logs give way to gruelling diets.

But with recent developments in the way we understand the human body’s mechanisms of action, the traditional January weight loss narrative of Spartan austerity is changing. Where previous years have lauded harsh self-discipline as the key to losing the Christmas pounds, scientists have opened new doors to stress-free slimming by harnessing the microbiome.

The human microbiome is the collection of hundreds of microorganism species which reside in our bodies, mainly bacteria in the gut. The body works hand-in-hand with the gut microbiome, with our diet giving microbes the nutrients they need in order to grow while they reciprocate with essential nutrients such as short chain fatty acids and vitamins. The cross-talk between the two jointly effects a range of metabolic activities throughout the body, playing a crucial role in our physical wellbeing.

Research is rapidly unveiling the extent of the microbiome’s impact on our health and has revolutionised the way scientists are understanding and approaching disease, with conditions from obesity and digestive problems to heart disease linked with altered gut communities. By using targeted pre- and probiotics to modulate the microbiome and restore its normal balance, science is increasingly able to provide a natural, non-pharmaceutical approach to health management.

This is especially good news for those who overindulged a little this Christmas, as microbiome engineering has now delivered an effective solution to weight control that helps to accelerate and sustain slimming without the self-denial. Designed to set consumers up for success rather than failure, SlimBiome® from pioneering life sciences company OptiBiotix is transforming the way weight loss is traditionally approached with a unique formulation that offers tailored support.

This hunger-free system is backed by strong scientific principals rather than relying on willpower alone and is the ideal complement to a healthy diet and exercise lifestyle. Restoring the gut’s ideal balance to provide low-maintenance body confidence, SlimBiome® uses OptiBiotix’s unique microbiome modulation science as well as a patented formulation of natural ingredients to stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. This affects regulation of appetite, with an expert blend of prebiotics and dietary fibres assisting a longer-lasting feeling of fullness and trace minerals enhancing the body’s use of insulin to support metabolism. By carefully maintaining blood sugar levels, SlimBiome® helps to lessen food cravings and boosts calorie burning, reducing calorie intake by up to 20%.

Importantly, SlimBiome® not only aids consumers in losing weight but also in keeping it off by promoting a happy, healthy body and mind. Its fresh take on nutrition steers away from the traditional slimming regimes based on abstinence and restriction which, while they may achieve short-term results, are rarely sustainable and do little for individuals’ self-esteem. Whereas 30% of New Year slimming resolutions crumble by February under the pressure of self-discipline, SlimBiome® encourages a positive, non-combative relationship with food that’s vital for long-term weight control.

SlimBiome®’s progressive weight management support is commercially available through The Healthy Weight Loss Company’s delicious GoFigure™ range of meal replacement shakes and natural snack bars. Made from real, wholefood ingredients and packed with healthy nutrients from proteins, probiotics, green vegetables and fruit to spirulina, herbs, spices, seeds and MCT oils (which help to burn fat), these award-winning products are suitable for vegetarians, gluten-free and low in saturated fat.

The GoFigure™ range is scientifically proven to help users lose and keep off weight without hunger, with customer feedback showing that 100% of those who used the products over a continued period lost weight and 100% reported a reduce food intake. 93% of customers reported that using the GoFigure™ range led to reduced snacking and a further 83% reported feeling less hungry, showing how slimming really can be tasty and natural. Available online at www.gofigurediet.com and Amazon and from Wholefoods, Revital and selected pharmacies, it is the perfect accompaniment to your New Year weight management plan.

Advances in microbiome science are opening up new frontiers to health management and are already delivering natural, hassle-free solutions for body confidence. There is so much more to life than just burpees and kale, so make your 2018 resolution a revolution by harnessing your gut’s potential.