Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Guts!

These doctors and I suspect that you may not be taking your guts seriously. Guys, our guts are very important. Within your body lies an oxygen-less (an-oxic), alien world that contains ten times more citizens than you have cells in your body. These bacteria, yeasts, and fungi control the breakdown and processing of ALL of your food, an arrangement that's more akin to 'perpetually raging garbage-fire' than 'regulated digestive system'. 

As a newborn baby, you a have sparkling clean, sterile digestive tract. In the hours after birth, your system is ruthlessly colonized by bugs searching for the land of opportunity. Pioneering bacteria and fungi come from Mom, nurses and the air around you.

Jamie Lee, infuriated by constant irregularities, Botoxed her guts into submission
It's not as if you eat a container of yogurt and the composition of your gut-critters radically changes- you slowly add reinforcements to a growing population of "good" bacteria, yeasts and fungi. These guys live in fruit and veggies, honey and fermented foods like sauerkraut and miso. Good bugs steal intestine wall real-estate from bad ones. The presence of good bacteria and other flora can reduce allergy sensitivity and cushion the blow from any food poisoning or toxic foods. It's a symbiotic relationship that has prevailed despite millions of years of evolution, and continues every day in your guts.


Some bugs help break down molecules that you're unable to process, and others poop out vitamins that you need to live. Metabolism within metabolism- pretty meta right? The thing is, you need variety! So stop washing your produce, extend that 5-second rule to a 10-second rule, and kiss a stranger in the street. Bacteria are constantly invading and growing in your bod, so you'd better start taking care of them.