For decades, popular culture and advertising have taught us that bacteria are dangerous enemies. We bought antibacterial soap that “kills 99.9% of germs,” took antibiotics at the first sign of a cold, and strived for absolute sterility. However, the modern biomedical revolution and the 4Ps of medicine (personalized, predictive, preventive, patient-centered) have radically changed this view.

Most of us are familiar with this situation: from Monday to Friday you work at the limit of your capabilities, solve crisis issues, do not get enough sleep and drink liters of coffee. Your body keeps in good shape. But the long-awaited Saturday comes, you finally relax, and suddenly your body fails - there is a sharp pain, acute bloating, nausea or diarrhea. Instead of enjoying your vacation, you spend the weekend in bed with discomfort in your stomach.

Summer is traditionally associated with vacations, warm evenings on terraces and refreshing alcoholic cocktails with ice. When we talk about the harm of alcoholic beverages, most people immediately think of the liver or cardiovascular system.

Summer heat often brings with it not only a dream vacation, but also exhausting, sleepless nights. When the temperature in the bedroom does not allow us to relax, we toss and turn in bed, and in the morning we feel broken. However, fatigue and decreased concentration are only the visible tip of the iceberg. Modern 4P medicine proves that the real blow from lack of sleep is taken by our "superorgan" - the microbiome of the gastrointestinal tract.

A long-awaited trip, a change of scenery, new experiences and gastronomic discoveries - all this sounds like an ideal plan for a vacation. However, the statistics are inexorable: more than 40% of people during their vacation experience acute gastrointestinal disorders, heaviness, flatulence or diarrhea.

With the onset of summer, watermelon becomes an undisputed favorite on every table. It would seem that what could be safer and healthier than a product that is 92% water and rich in vitamins and antioxidants? However, gastroenterologists and nutritionists face an epidemic of complaints every summer: patients report acute pain, heaviness, cramps and severe bloating (flatulence) immediately after eating this berry.

Today, the topic of gut health and the microbiome is heard everywhere. We hear about the need to maintain microflora, drink kefir, buy supplements and eat more fiber. However, it is easy to get confused in this stream of information. On the shelves of pharmacies and supermarkets we are greeted by dozens of bright jars that promise instant improvement in digestion and immunity. But do all these products really work the same?

The modern world has imposed on us the illusion that to improve our health or lose weight, we need to suffer: go on strict diets, drink questionable detox juices, or starve. However, advanced 4P medicine (personalized, predictive, preventive, patient-centered) proves that such fanaticism is not only ineffective, but also extremely dangerous.

On June 27, World Microbiome Day, the scientific community and doctors around the world draw attention to the most important but invisible part of our body - the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit our bodies. For decades, we considered bacteria exclusively enemies that need to be destroyed with antiseptics and antibiotics. However, the modern biomedical revolution has proven the opposite: we are a complex "superorganism", and without our microbial helpers

Every person has a fundamental right to health. However, the paradigm of how we realize this right is changing dramatically today. Traditionally, people turn to medicine only when they are already ill, and demand that their doctor quickly eliminate their symptoms. However, modern science proves that true health is not formed in the doctor's office during acute pain, but long before that - through a deep understanding of how our unique body functions.

Modern science views humans not simply as a separate biological species, but as a complex "superorganism" consisting of human cells and trillions of microorganisms. Our bodies are inhabited by about 38 trillion bacterial cells, which even exceeds the number of our own cells (about 30 trillion). This vast microbial community - the microbiome - is our invisible inner world, which controls immunity, metabolism, mood and even eating habits.

Summer and early autumn are traditionally associated with fresh vegetables, fruits and various berries. It seems completely natural to change the heavy winter diet to light salads. However, modern science considers this change in diet not just as a way to get vitamins, but as the most important tool for nourishing our "superorgan" - the intestinal microbiome.

Summer is traditionally associated with relaxation, plenty of fresh fruit and outdoor activities. However, at the same time, it is a period of the highest stress on our body due to the impact of high temperatures and changes in drinking habits. We often encounter unexpected disorders: sudden bloating (flatulence), a feeling of heaviness, diarrhea or, conversely, persistent constipation.

Holiday feasts are a time of joy, socializing, and, inevitably, gastronomic excesses. Traditional holiday dishes are usually oversaturated with animal fats, simple carbohydrates, sugar, and alcohol, but at the same time critically low in fiber. For our body, such a sharp shift in diet is not just a burden on the liver or pancreas, but a real shock to our main "superorgan" - the intestinal microbiome

The arrival of summer is traditionally associated with a change in diet: heavy winter food is replaced by fresh vegetables, herbs, and the first berries. For our body, this is not just a change in menu, but a critically important stage in the renewal of the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and its main "superorgan" - the intestinal microbiome.

After the festive feasts are over, most of us face unpleasant consequences: a feeling of heaviness, flatulence (bloating), bowel disorders and the appearance of a few extra pounds. The traditional reaction to this condition is to try to abruptly go on a strict diet, organize a "detox" or start blindly counting calories.

For decades, conventional medicine focused on treating existing illnesses: if a symptom appeared, a pill was prescribed to eliminate it. But today, the medical community is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Doctors and scientists are increasingly saying that true health is not simply the absence of pain, but the maintenance of a complex internal balance.

The change of seasons is not only a change in the weather outside the window, but also a profound transformation within our bodies. Our gastrointestinal tract and the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit it (the microbiome) are evolutionarily adapted to seasonal changes in diet.

When we talk about family traditions, we most often recall shared holidays, values, and, of course, eating habits. However, modern science suggests looking at the family from a completely new angle - as a single microbial ecosystem. Studies prove that the composition of our intestinal microflora depends not so much on genetics as on the environment: the greatest influence on the formation of our microbiome is who we live with.

The thyroid gland is the main energy center of our body. It regulates the metabolic rate, body temperature, heart rate, and the overall level of our vital energy. When a person experiences chronic fatigue, apathy, weight gain, foggy head, and hair loss, doctors most often refer them to check thyroid hormones (TSH, T3, T4). And very often they detect hypothyroidism (decreased gland function) or autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT).