Beyond. Health and Wellness Magazine August 2016 | Page 10

Microbiome is the
word that we use to
describe the friendly
bacteria that help to
make us up. These
bacteria everywhere
in our body, with a
large percentage
of them in the
digestive system.
To help you understand how important the
bacteria are, it is important to realize that
they even outnumber the cells that make us
up. We are made up of 100 trillion bacteria
and 10 trillion cells. We are outnumbered
by bacteria by 10 to 1. These bacteria play
a vital role in health, wellness, and overall
physiology of the body.
And we have pushed in the past few
decades to live in a more sterilized world.
We overuse antibiotics (both prescription
and in our foods), chlorine, antibacterial
soaps, and harsh cleaners. These all kill the
harmful bacteria around us, but they also
wreck havoc on the good bacteria.
For children, there are other factors that
lead to lower levels of bacteria. One of
the first major ways that children are
exposed to bacteria is through the birth
canal. If a C-section delivery is needed
than that drastically decreases the levels

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of bacteria. Decreased breastfeeding,
antibiotic use during delivery and as an
infant, the mother’s microbiome status, and
diet all play a role in what helps to promote
optimal levels.
These bacteria are vital for optimal health
and wellness because of their role in our
body. They support the digestive system
and break down food and produce muchneeded enzymes and vitamins. There are
bacteria in our sinuses, skin, respiratory
tract and gut that are a first line of defense
against any invaders. And we are now
learning that it is the bacteria that truly
make us who we are and help for our
genes to express correctly and keep us
healthy throughout life.
Probiotics have been shown in research
to help the immune system. Since about
70% of the immune system is in the gut, it
is important to make sure to support the
bacteria in the gut as much as possible.
They have also been shown to help with
dental and sinus health. The benefits of
promoting the good bacteria is so diverse
that here is a list of conditions that research
has shown to help:
• Digestive disorders, especially
diarrhea, infections, and
inflammatory bowel disease
• Allergic conditions such as eczema,
atopic dermatitis, and allergies
• Tooth decay, dental health, sinus
problems, and ear infections
• Colic in infants
• Liver problems
• Common cold and infections