# @seed on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CEUqRp5le8E
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/34247088-seed-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/73ec9a5916.jpg
- **Posted:** 2020-08-25T18:50:20.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Seed (@seed) — https://gondola.cc/seed

## Caption

Back to "normal"? Not yet¹.⁠
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Our bodies house trillions of bacteria—and when we’re keeping at home, they are too. The interactions they’re accustomed to—with people, animals, nature, and other microbes outside our four walls—have dwindled. And in this time of (necessary) isolation, what happens to our microbial communities? ⁠
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Biologists have been studying the effects of isolation on species for years. On remote islands, for example, certain species thrive at the expense of others, gradually altering the biodiversity of their particular ecosystems². The same could be true of our own bacteria. Microbes rely on behaviors or environments that could be restricted during quarantine. Just like we benefit from a diversity of interactions and experiences, so too do our microbiomes. ⁠
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If you’re looking to broaden your microbial circle while isolated, you’ll be happy to know that there’s one simple, delicious solution: ⁠
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The #AmericanGutProject (a crowd-sourced, community science microbiome study) found that people who eat more than 30 different plant types per week have more diverse gut microbiomes than those who eat 10 or fewer³. Because different microbes feed on different plants, a diet rich in various types of fibers and starches likely supports a more diverse microbial community. From cassava to celeriac, plants make up about 80% of all biomass on Earth—that’s a lot of 🍏 🍋 🍌 🍉 🍓 🍈 🍒 🍑 🥭 🥥 🥝 🥑 🥦 🥒 🌶️ 🌽 🥕 🍠  for you to explore. ⁠
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Which is your favorite? Comment below. ⁠
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¹ As we continue to shelter in place, practice safe physical distancing, and adjust to our new normal, we recognize that not everyone has the privilege of working from home or access to diverse dietary options. We'll be posting more recommendations this week for caring for your microbiome while at home. 💛 — Seed⁠
² Smithsonian Magazine, “What Quarantine Is Doing to Your Body’s Wondrous World of Bacteria” July 13 2020 ⁠
³ “American Gut: an Open Platform for Citizen Science Microbiome Research” mSystems May 2018, 3 (3) e00031-18; DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.00031-18

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## Tags

americangutproject

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