Thursday, June 08, 2017

10% Human by Alanna Cohen

  For every one of your cells there are nine other,
bacteria and fungi. Our physical and mental health is affected
by these residents.
A mouse has 23,000 genes, a worm 20,500. Humans
have less than 21,000. But we have the genes of all the
microbes in us which provide services. These microbes evolve
fast so can adapt much faster than if we waited for evolution
of our genes.
The appendix may be a sanctuary for microbes to help
repopulate after recovery from infection.
Rats would need 30 percent more to eat without
microbes.
Our digestive tract is an outside too, colonized by
bacteria.
Stools are mostly bacteria, some dead, some alive. 75%
by weight with fiber 17%. Bacterioids are the most common.
Microbes synthesize some vitamins.
Infectious diseases are being controlled by vaccines
and antibiotics but there other ailments like diabetes,
obesity, allergies, and autoimmune problems are much more
prevalent now.
A virus made chickens fat. Obese mice have more
Firmicutes and less Bacteroidetes with the reverse for lean
mice. Obese mice absorbed 2% more calories from food. Leptin
resistance plays a role. Leptin signals fullness. Obesity
could be an infectious disease. Lean people make more fat
cells to store energy. Obese people make bigger fat cells.
Microbes can change behavior. Antibiotics might kill
protective bacteria that allow C, Tetani to infect brain via
gut. Toxoplasma parasite implicated in schizophrenia, OCD and
ADHD. Microbes can produce hormones that increase happiness.
Clostridia species produce propionate which produces autism
symptoms including better memory.
Being too clean may leave immune cells underutilized
so they cause autoimmune problems. They might attack our
helpful microbes. The author sees herself and her microbes as
a team.
Antibiotics make cattle fatter and may do the same to
us.
Many soaps contain antibacterials which kill microbes.
Then allergies are more potent. Regular soap just washes the
bacteria off. Using antibacterials helps bacteria develop
resistance. Strep is more prevalent after washing as it
survives better than other bacteria.  

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