The Effect of Internal Bacteria On the Human Body 227
meckdevil writes with this excerpt from the Miller-McCune magazine:
"In a series of recent findings, researchers describe bacteria that communicate in sophisticated ways, take concerted action, influence human physiology, alter human thinking, bioengineer the environment and control their own evolution. ... The abilities of bacteria are interesting to understand in their own right, and knowing how bacteria function in the biosphere may lead to new sources of energy or ways to degrade toxic chemicals, for example. But emerging evidence on the role of bacteria in human physiology brings the wonder and promise — and the hazards of misunderstanding them — up close and personal. ... Because in a very real sense, bacteria are us. Recent research has shown that gut microbes control or influence nutrient supply to the human host, the development of mature intestinal cells and blood vessels, the stimulation and maturation of the immune system, and blood levels of lipids such as cholesterol. They are, therefore, intimately involved in the bodily functions that tend to be out of kilter in modern society: metabolism, cardiovascular processes and defense against disease. Many researchers are coming to view such diseases as manifestations of imbalance in the ecology of the microbes inhabiting the human body. If further evidence bears this out, medicine is about to undergo a profound paradigm shift, and medical treatment could regularly involve kindness to microbes."
the real overlords (Score:1, Insightful)
the real overlords
models (Score:5, Insightful)
In the 1800s, the world was focused on machinery: the industrial revolution. And when we looked at the human being, we saw a machine. Illness was a mechanical malfunction: fix it with surgery or other manual therapies -- massage and chiropractic also get going around this time. (Not an endorsement of chiropractic, just pointing out its the "the machine's out of whack!" ideology.)
In the 1900, the world became focused on chemistry -- it had little choice, as WWI, "the chemists war", forced awareness of it, and then we became aware of the pollution we were creating. "Mustard gas" and "DDT" became by-words. And when we looked at the human being, we saw a chemical reaction. Illness if a chemical imbalance: drugs! drugs! drugs! From antibiotics to antidepressants, drugs became the therapy of choice.
In the late 1900s and early 2000s, we've become focused on ecology. And now when we look at the human being, we start to see an ecology.
It's an interesting phenomenon, the way that how we see the world influences how we see ourselves. Classical Chinese medicine is based on a model of canals carrying nutrition between palaces and granaries -- the structure of the Chin empire. The ancient Greeks saw the classic four elements making up the world, and -- oddly enough -- found that the human being was composed of four corresponding humors.
Re:Anthropomorphic bacteria (Score:4, Insightful)
The first sentence is a bit hyperbolic. The second sentence is completely over the top and not at all supported by anything other than the author's enthusiasm. The third sentence reads like something from an old time chiropractic tome.
We'll see about the 'paradigm' shift. If this sort of thing were really as important as he makes it out, antibiotics would likely kill you routinely.
Yes, we will find some nutrient / immunomodulation functions that we are unaware of when we study the bugs more closely but I rather doubt you will be singing lullabies to your little colonic friends in hopes of their helping you get through the weekday better.
But (Score:1, Insightful)
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side.
Or, more concretely, these out-of-kilter things (metabolism, cardiovascular processes, defense against disease) wouldn't be so out-of-kilter if people hit the gym regularly, ate a balanced diet of fresh food, and went easy on the antibiotics.
Or is that already the essence of this new medical enlightenment?
Re:medicine about to undergo profound paradigm shi (Score:1, Insightful)
There are so many "alternative medicine" theories that whenever science finds proof for anything, some quack can point to vague assertions made years ago that seem true on the surface. Of course, when probed in depth, it usually becomes clear that there are as many wrong assertions as right. The proof, as always, is in the experiment. When you do the experiments and find truth, you get the credit as you should. When you make wild claims based on anecdotes then you get ignored.
Of course, any decent scientist or physician will also realize that using terms like proof and truth are covering up the way science actually works, but I'm using the colloquial meanings here. If you're using a treatment that hasn't undergone an experiment, you're probably doing more damage than benefit.
Re:Different bacteria in different parts of the wo (Score:5, Insightful)
They're overweight because they eat too much.
They've trained themselves to eat huge portion sizes "super size that". And as they waddle away from lunch, stomach distended, they don't say "Oh, that was a lesson. I'll just have a light salad next meal" they start thinking about snacks.
They're not starving, a starving human rapidly converts body fat into energy.
The "fat but starving" thing is bullshit from people with no grasp of biology, determined to foist their provably wrong ideas on vulnerable fatties. Sure, they'll get better by eating tofu and celery sticks - if you can stop them also munching a family-sized bucket of chicken every evening and a whole pizza for lunch.
When you live in a country surrounded by obese people, the signs saying "free if you can eat the whole thing" are a give away as to how you got there. The people buying a product labelled "three portions" and stuffing the entire thing into their mouths as a snack. The people who don't know how to watch a movie without an entire bucket of popcorn AND a sweet fizzy drink.
Re:But (Score:3, Insightful)
I eat a diet almost exclusively comprised of vegetarians.