How to nourish your body’s friendly bacteria

Did you know that the crook of your elbow is home to six tribes of bacteria? And even after you wash, there are still a million bacteria thriving on every square centimeter of your elbow?

Sifting through all the various bacteria that live in people, a human microbiome project, only in its early stages, found that these bacteria collectively possess at least 100 times as many genes as the 20,000 or so in the human genome. Fact is, bacterial cells outnumber human cells by 10 to one.

Micro what again? We all depend on our microbiome for essential functions such as digestion, making biologists conclude that we really should be considered superorganisms.

Says an amused and amazed Dr. Joseph Mercola, “Isn’t it wonderful that your body is its own living ecosystem, teeming with beneficial bacteria?”

Now, the word bacteria is enough to give you the goose bumps, make you dash to the shower, grab a bar of antibacterial soap, and scrub-a-dub-dub.

But here’s the rub: According to Dr. Mercola, “you couldn’t wash all the bacteria off your body if you tried — nor would you want to.”

The good doctor adds, “Unfortunately, modern society is obsessed with being clean, despite the fact that ‘commensal’ or beneficial bacteria play a large role in keeping you alive.”

For instance, the bacteria on your inner elbow process the raw fats it produces and in turn moisturize your skin.

So, who’s counting? We are, because there are 70 known tribes of commensal (from the Latin term com mensa, meaning sharing a table) that could be living in our body right now.  There are about 100 trillion microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, etc.) living in and on our body. And science is now starting to unveil their impact on our health.

It’s a known fact that altering the balance of bacteria in our digestive tract can weaken our immune system, leading to digestive problems. Well, bacteria have a far greater impact than that.  The National Institutes of Health cites research that shows that “variations in the composition of microbial communities may contribute to chronic health conditions, including diabetes, asthma, obesity, and digestive disorders.”

Here’s more:

• The types of bacteria in the baby’s gut may determine their risk of being overweight or obese later in life.

• Gut bacteria play a role in fighting colon cancer.

• The disappearance of H. pylori, the bacterium responsible for peptic ulcers, may contribute to the obesity epidemic, because it regulates the production of leptin (that plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure) and ghrelin (a hormone that stimulates appetite).

• A daily dose of friendly bacteria, known as probiotics, might help treat autism, irritable bowel disease, acne, and premenstrual syndrome.

Yes, our healthy bacteria are under constant attack. And the biggest culprits are antibiotics, antibacterial soaps, and a diet high in sugar and processed foods. As we all know, when the bad bacteria overtake the good bacteria, disease results.

So, what can we do to keep our body’s ecosystem alive and well?

Take a few healthy tips:

• Avoid antibiotics, if at all possible. Only take them as a last resort or when absolutely necessary. If you must take antibiotics, be sure to take a high-quality probiotic supplement upon completing treatment to replenish your body’s good bacteria.

• Avoid antibacterial soaps. They produce resistant bacterial strains and are toxic. Plain soap and water are all you need.

• Avoid sugar which feed bad bacteria.

• Eat organic meat and dairy products. The conventional varieties contain high levels of antibiotic residues.

• Take a high-quality probiotic supplement, particularly while you get your diet on the right track.

Take this friendly advice from the experts: Nourish your body’s friendly bacteria.

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To eat or not to eat plants

Please plant these wise words of advice in your mind: Eat vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts because they are healthy.  How healthy?  Plant-based foods (such as those mentioned above) are loaded with vitamins and minerals, and contain substances or ingredients that may have an additional benefit to our health. Want proof? Numerous studies indicate that consuming more of these plant-based foods, as part of a healthy diet, reduces our susceptibility to a long list of chronic maladies such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, and many cancers. 

Plants are excellent sources of sterols, natural substances that help lower  cholesterol. As you probably know, cholesterol is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. A balanced diet is a key factor that influences human cardiovascular health.  Numerous dietary studies show the link between diet and cardiovascular health. Plant sterols can thus contribute to an increased life span.  The American Heart Association, British Heart Foundation, American Diabetes Association, and the Food and Drug Administration have endorsed the use of plant sterols in reducing heart disease risk. Likewise, the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) guidelines consider the addition of plant sterols in the diet to control high blood cholesterol. Plant sterols have been part of the human diet for thousands of years.  Experts prescribe that we consume five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to maintain plasma carotenoid levels during the consumption of plant sterols.

Now, this should be our mantra: No grain, no gain.

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