How Our Bodies Protect Us From The Internal And External Environments

Analysts have been concentrating among the dynamic parts of supportive microorganisms inside the human body, and they found out that: “In fact, most of the cells in the human body are not human at all. Bacteria cells in the human body outnumber human cells 10 to one.” (Jennifer Ackerman, 2012, p. 38) Ackerman also expresses that

Imagine the bacteria as robbers trying to invade a house, the body in this analogy. The immune system is the police officers in charge of the house, and the meninges are the alarms around the point of the house that the robbers want to come in through. The robbers trick the police officers into helping them rob the house. The robbers used the police officers, originally intended to do good.

The article “Some of My Best Friends are Germs,” by Michael Pollen was a very interesting and informative read. Pollen explains that our bodies house 100s of trillions of microbes. More than 99 percent of our genetic information is microbial. The large number of bacteria that inhabits us weighs many pounds, forming a massive, unexplored world that scientists are just starting to document. These bacteria affect our health as much as if not more than the genes we receive from our parents.

The human microbiome has received more attention in the last few years as scientists have begun to link health and mental wellbeing with these internal synergists. Murray and Manary (2015) define a microbiome as an “ecological community of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms living inside the body…100 trillion organisms, including anaerobic bacteria, archaea, yeast and parasites.” Humans are born and immediately exposed to these microbes, creating their own microbiome within hours. The natural birth baby inherits microbes of the mother and caesarian section babies receive microbiota of those who handle them first (Ley, 2006). Genes, and the environment from which they are born into, shape their future microbiome (Ley, Peterson,

Since our early childhood we have always kept that inner voice in the back of our minds telling us not to touch certain things or to follow certain rules so we don’t become infected with germs or become ill. Our mothers and fathers kept a watchful eye on us as children and especially as toddlers because of our very curious minds and our driven power to explore. We continue to set the same rules for our younger siblings and will probably act the same as our parents did when we were young to our offspring. Well one individual named Jack Gilbert a father of two that studies microbial ecosystems at the University of Chicago decided to put these assumptions to the test.

Three of the body’s physical and chemical barriers against infection are the skin, the respiratory tract and the immune system. The skin prevents microorganisms from entering the body. The respiratory tract is lined with mucous membranes and cells that sweep out foreign matter, while other particles may be eliminated through a cough. The immune system defends against infection through cells that distinguish foreign cells from the bodies own cells. The immune system is able to eliminate microorganisms from the body.

These diseases are more common in affluent, Western countries, and are also seen in immigrants to these countries. According to the hygiene hypothesis, many childhood diseases can be attributed to too clean of an environment. (Neu, 2011). The human body is made up of 100 trillion cells. There are 10 times this many intestinal microorganisms. Estimations project that there are 100 times as many genes in aggregate of intestinal flora than there are in the human genome. These bacteria are basically like a vital organ when considering their metabolic function. Gut bacteria promote the intestinal mucosal immune system. Microorganisms and humans have developed a co-dependence. Microorganisms react to the drastically changing environment with increased inflammatory responses such as psychological stress, inappropriate diet (specifically the exponential increase of processed food), toxins, and cesarean delivery. The extent of chronic inflammatory disorders is potentially far larger than previously assumed including allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmunity, vascular disease, depression, anxiety, cancer, and possibly type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. Children delivered by CD have a much higher chance to have celiac disease and gastroenteritis. Gut bacteria police their environment with toll-like receptors and pattern recognition. Gut flora influences oral

There are trillions of microorganisms living within us, greatly outnumbering our cells and genes. They are found in our skin, hair, membranes, mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tracts. Collectively these microorganisms are called our microbiota. Every individual has a unique microbiota, kind of like a fingerprint, but usually share similar metabolic functions. A vast majority of these are harmless and even beneficial to us, these are referred to as commensals. There are many bacterial commensals, that have co-evolved with us for centuries, making it possible for our bodies to properly function. Commensals benefit us by synthesizing vitamins and minerals, digest foods we alone cannot, regulate immunity, detox the body, protect against infections, and reduce inflammation. While there

Recent studies conducted with mice have shown that microbes in he stomach keep the immune system in check. If no microbes are detected, the immune system is weakened, increasing the risk of ailments. Rather than run from germs, society should embrace germs, as they are critical in the sustainability of our immune system.

It is surely not uncommon to see people carry around different kinds of disinfectant sprays and other chemical products in order to reduce the amount of bacteria and germs on their skin and in their body. However, the fact is that distal human intestine represents “an anaerobic bioreactor programmed with an enormous population of bacteria.” The study was conducted in order to assess the influence of microbiota on the energy storage in mice raised without exposure to any microorganisms compared to the control group that had acquired a microbiota since birth. The study showed that the control group of mice acquired 40% more total body fat than their germ free counterparts, despite the fact that the control group consumed less food per day. This came as a result of microbiota that provide us with genetic and metabolic attributes we have not acquired in our own evolutionary process, such as the ability to harvest otherwise inaccessible nutrients. Coming back to Elizabeth Willson’s contention, study of the microstructure, in this case the gut microbiota, has had a reorganizing effect on how we view our bodies and forced us put greater value to the role of microorganisms in our own survival.

This mechanism of defense is called colonization resistance (Sekirov et al. 2010). Resident microbiota and incoming pathogens compete for resources in the intestine. In a healthy intestine, normal microflora establishes mutually beneficial relations with intestinal mucosa and effectively eliminates pathogens. Inflammatory host responses triggered by virulence factors of S. Typhimurium can alter conditions in the intestine and shift the competition between protective microbiota and the incoming pathogen, which is able to survive in and profit from the altered niche (Stecher et al. 2007), whereas to intestinal microbiota host responses are unfavorable (Sekirov et al.

Is the key to disease prevention, treatment, and longevity found within us? For many illnesses pervading in American society today, our bodies may hold the answer. Each individual human has more than 100 trillion bacterial cells in their gastrointestinal tract. The commensal and mutualistic relationship between this multitude of bacteria and their host has been seen to prevent and treat disease, as well as provide insight to a long, healthy life (Koboziev, 2014). The diversity of these microorganisms and their relative abundance within the gastrointestinal tract provides protection against disease and metabolism of food (Nicholson, 2012). Due to the great diversity in gut microbiota, the composition can serve as a biological fingerprint (Sunagawa, 2013). Any significant change in an individual’s gut

The typical human has 100 trillion microorganisms living in his or her gut. Recent studies have shown that these microbes, primarily bacteria, play a vital role in promoting and protecting overall health. They can help your body stave off infections, expedite natural toxin removal processes and facilitate the breakdown of complex carbohydrates.

The following essay will provides an overview of the key elements of the skin’s structure and functions to provide an in-depth understanding on the skins biology and how to apply this knowledge to the beauty industry.

During exercise, the body goes through several changes. In order to maintain homeostasis when exercising, many mechanisms work together to ensure that the internal environment of the human body maintains a stable condition and is not altered too much. As one is exercising and putting their body through “stress,” the heart rate increases in order to provide oxygenated blood to the muscles, and also to increase the removal of CO2 out of the blood.