THE BIOME BUZZ
BUGS AND WORMS AND OTHER GREAT STUFF
Tag: health
Protection of Pathogenic Bacteria in the Gut? Mind your Taurine
I am on a good news roll! How’s this for cheering? Scientists from the National Institute of Health have discovered that the nutrient taurine – which is an amino acid found naturally in our bodies and also in foods like meat and fish –… Continue Reading “Protection of Pathogenic Bacteria in the Gut? Mind your Taurine”
Stress, Depression, the Microbiome: A Possible Mechanism of Action Revealed!
For years, I’ve covered the developing story about the relationship between the gut biome and depression and mood disorders. With a son diagnosed with autism, who has severe anxiety issues (like so many of my students with autism diagnoses), research into this is one… Continue Reading “Stress, Depression, the Microbiome: A Possible Mechanism of Action Revealed!”
The Gut’s Own Disinfectant
The human body is remarkable. Some days it hits me right between the eyes! Before I explain recent findings out of the University of California, Davis[i], some background first. As you may remember from previous posts, the mucus lining of the intestines protects the… Continue Reading “The Gut’s Own Disinfectant”
The Bacterial Microbiome and Your Defense Against Viruses
Over the years, I’ve talked about Bacteriodes fragilis (B. fragilis) several times. It is one of those bacterial species that has two faces: some strains are beyond good for us – and some not. The non-toxic B. fragilis (NTBF) makes up about 1-2% of… Continue Reading “The Bacterial Microbiome and Your Defense Against Viruses”
Gut Bacteria, Sleep and Alterations to Neurotransmitter Production
Researchers in Japan, at the University of Tsukuba, have just published an incredibly interesting study on the bacterial microbiome and sleep.[i] While it was conducted in mice, it undoubtedly has implications for humans as well. As you know from my previous posts on the… Continue Reading “Gut Bacteria, Sleep and Alterations to Neurotransmitter Production”
Biome Depletion in Both Humans and the Environment…Grim News in a Grim Time
Today I’m writing about two articles that are essentially about what we are doing to ourselves as a species. This post is not an op-ed piece: this is a simple statement of facts. The first article, out of Washington State University, is about the… Continue Reading “Biome Depletion in Both Humans and the Environment…Grim News in a Grim Time”
Probiotics and Autism: Another Clinical Trial
Several times before I have mentioned that the best studied probiotic in the world is Visbiome (the new name for the formulation that used to go by the name VSL#3). Look here and here, as just a couple of examples. Over 70 clinical studies… Continue Reading “Probiotics and Autism: Another Clinical Trial”
Baobab and Microbiome Diversity: Eat Like a Hazda!
A few days ago I received an email from a company (Dhow Nature Foods ) that is producing powdered baobab, asking if I’d consider writing a blog post about the product. I was pretty excited to hear from them. Baobab, you ask? What the… Continue Reading “Baobab and Microbiome Diversity: Eat Like a Hazda!”
Losing Weight – Gaining it Back…and the Microbiome
Today, for your reading pleasure, a kind of amazing 14 month long clinical trial out of Ben-Gurion University, in Israel![i] As I am sure you all know, after dieting and losing weight, it is incredibly difficult to keep it off. I read, not that… Continue Reading “Losing Weight – Gaining it Back…and the Microbiome”
The Macrobiome and Mycobiome in IBD: A Look at the Role of “Dirty Old Friends”
A very recent paper, published just this past May, caught my eye because of its title: “Inflammatory bowel diseases, the hygiene hypothesis and the other side of the microbiota: Parasites and fungi.”[i] How often on this blog have I talked about the incredible complexity… Continue Reading “The Macrobiome and Mycobiome in IBD: A Look at the Role of “Dirty Old Friends””
