Gut Health & Mental Health

There are so many things that influence our state of physical & mental being that are interrelated, yet we are relatively unaware of them.

One thing I've been interested in for awhile now is the relationship between the microbiome in the gut & it's effect on not just our physical well-being, but also our mind and emotions.

Science Focus: 

Psychobiotics: Your Microbiome Has the Potential to Improve Your Mental Health, Not Just Your Gut Heath

When you see the entire human body has a fully-integrated system of trillions of cells, bacteria and other microorganisms, this idea of seemingly separate parts influencing each other seems less far-fetched.

The gut-brain connection results from chemical signals being produced by the microbes in the intestines affecting the nerve endings in the digestive system, which travel up the vagus nerve into the brain. 

There is also speculation that gut bacteria digest fiber to produce fatty acids that travel through the blood stream & have an epigenetic effect on gene expression in brain cells.

Whatever the mechanism may be, there is a clear link between what we eat and both our physical & mental state. Getting proper nutrition is not the only dietary concern, but we should also be mindful of how the food we eat could possibly lead to inflammation or other effects that could influence our overall heath.

Symbiotic Life

I have been reading a lot of material lately about the effect of our microbiome on the body & mind. The microbiome is the collection of single-celled microorganisms throughout our living tissues.

In fact, the number of bacterial cells far outweighs the number of actual human cells. Physically, we are a biological vehicle for genes & also for other organisms.

We mostly live in a positive symbiosis with these tiny creatures living throughout our body.

NY Times:

 In Good Health? Thank Your 100 Trillion Bacteria

I've long suspected that these microorganisms have had a greater effect on us than we'd like to admit.

Now, it's being discovered that gut microbes affect our eating habits, and even our psychology.

Psychology Today:

Gut Feeling: How Bacteria Manipulates Your Brain

Even the act of intimate kissing is an exchange of billions of bacteria.

Science Daily:

Up to 80 million bacteria sealed with a kiss

This is why, despite liking cleanliness, I'm not really a germaphobe. I feel that we are surrounded by and infused with microorganisms, so it's nothing to fear.

However, reading this NatGeo article about the destructive symbiosis of invasive parasites & seeing the accompanying photos might make someone change their mind- if the parasites haven't already done it for them...

National Geographic:

Mindsuckers

Mindsuckers: Photo Gallery

George Lucas was ridiculed for including "Midichlorians" in the Star Wars prequel movies, as the microbiological source of the mystical energy field surrounding all living things- The Force.

Like so many things, Lucas was actually prescient in his recognition of the influence of symbiotic microbes on a living being.

Microbial Meditations

This weekend my friend who I've know all my life & who's going to med school in NY, was in town. We basically stayed in his pool & drank beers all afternoon on Saturday, when the temp was 100º+. We always have great conversations & now he's becoming even more knowledgeable about medicine & science, in general.

Some of our talking about physiology & also the microscopic world made me think of a few articles I've seen recently. They're about micro-organisms, the tiny lifeforms that make up most of our 'being'.

Wikipedia:

Composition of the Human Body

We "human beings" are more of an ecology of life, rather than 'individual' entities.

NYTimes:

In Good Health? Thank Your 100 Trillion Bacteria

Bacteria aren't the only symbiotic life forms within our skin...

Gizmodo: 

The Weird Fungus That Lives In Your Gut

Here is a clickable graphic, showing the various things throughout our body:

Scientific American:

 Explore the Human Microbiome [Interactive]

On a more disturbing note, there's evidence that micro-organisms may also be able to directly effect a more complex animal (like a human).

 Raw Story: 

Studies Suggest That Microbes Can Control Our Minds

People gave George Lucas alot of crap for adding the 'Midi-chlorian' concept to the Star Wars universe, but I thought it was an interesting angle. The idea of trillions of tiny, living things creating energy fields that can be sensed or manipulated is an explanation that mirrors the vital necessity of these unseen organisms in the real world.

One thing I love about modern computing is the ability to visualize the reality that lies beyond our immediate senses. There've been many animations created that make processes on the cosmic & microscopic scales able to be easily understood. 

This is a good video showing the life of the dreaded flu virus:

Finally, here's a remix of a Bjork song I came across while searching Google for things in this post. Leave it to her awesome craziness to write a song comparing love to a virus.