When you were developing in your mother’s womb, your gut was sterile. When you were born, you were covered with the bacteria and other microbes that were in your mother’s vagina – the same ones that were in her colon. (Told you it was scary!)
You were
put to the breast where you and your brand new gut microbes were nourished and
you all thrived. As you grew you were given a good diet of eggs, meat, healthy fats,
vegetables, fruit and quality dairy products. Playing was fun and you crawled
around the garden in the sunshine, tasting the worms and making mud pies. (Well
I did!)
Childhood illnesses were encountered and fought off and even when antibiotics were
necessary, you were quick to recover on your nutrient-dense diet. The status
quo is maintained and you continued your healthy lifestyle. As an adult, you are
healthy and wellness is easy.
Now
another – even more scary story which does not end so happily.
When you were developing in your mother’s womb, your gut was sterile. When you were born, it had to be by Caesarian section as your mother was in difficulties and you had to go straight into an incubator. You had not picked up your dose of mum’s gut microbes but you got a little of everyone else’s flora from being handled. As your mother was unwell for a while, you were fed formula milk and you and your new – but unbalanced - gut microbes were nourished.
When you were developing in your mother’s womb, your gut was sterile. When you were born, it had to be by Caesarian section as your mother was in difficulties and you had to go straight into an incubator. You had not picked up your dose of mum’s gut microbes but you got a little of everyone else’s flora from being handled. As your mother was unwell for a while, you were fed formula milk and you and your new – but unbalanced - gut microbes were nourished.
Your diet was mostly quick and easy foods as your mother went back to work and
you play time was mostly indoors at the nursery. You suffered all the
childhood illnesses going around at the time, and needed several courses of
antibiotics which upset your tummy. As an adolescent you settled on a high carbohydrate
diet as the government advised.
You had a holiday abroad, got a stomach bug from which you partially recovered
but ever since that holiday your stomach has not been the same. Foods you were able to eat become ones you now can’t tolerate. You get diarrhoea,
cramping, gas, gurgling and more. As an adult, you don’t really know what
wellness is.
I have
made these stories simple but there are lots of other factors that contribute
to how you will fare health-wise. Vaccinations, household cleaning, exposure to
sunlight, accessible good quality food etc. – if/how/when these are done will
all impact on your immunity. The
problems encountered in the second story can be overcome as long as the very
basics are observed – nurture of the immune system.
Next time I will give you a "close up" of what is happening in a gut suffering "dysbiosis" - microbial life at war!
