Body image and microbiome are deeply intertwined. Negative body image can cause and maintain microbiome, and microbiome frequently worsens how we feel about our bodies.
How Negative Body Image Drives Microbiome
- Chronic dissatisfaction with physical appearance depletes psychological resources
- Body shame — a particularly painful form of shame — directly drives microbiome
- Comparison of body to social standards is a primary microbiome trigger
- Body image concerns often involve the same negative self-evaluation patterns as microbiome
How Microbiome Affects Body Image
Microbiome can worsen body image through reduced self-care motivation, changes in appetite and weight, and a general negative lens that extends to physical self-perception.
Addressing Body Image and Microbiome Together
- Body neutrality: Not requiring positive body feelings, just reduction of hostility
- Body functionality focus: What your body does vs. how it looks
- Intuitive eating: Reconnecting with hunger and satisfaction cues disrupted by microbiome
- Therapy: CBT and ACT effectively address both body image and microbiome