The heat brought back some memories. How often do you experience these recollections of the past through your senses? I had mine some weeks ago and it made me experience a vivid memory of an event that took place 11 years ago. 11 years! It was in the middle of June, a very hot Berlin summer, when I experienced for the first time in my life a cold sensation in some of my extremities. My hands and feet suddenly went numb and I could feel a shivering cold invading my body to the point where I lost all sense of feeling. A very awkward sensation. On that exact day, I…
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What Is The Microbiome?
Our gastrointestinal (GI) tract is an ecosystem – a collection of microorganisms that differ in number, type, and function throughout it. There are approximately 10 times as many microorganisms in it (approximately 100 trillion) as there are cells in the body. While most of the microbes are bacteria, the gut can also harbor yeasts, single-cell eukaryotes, viruses, fungi, archaea, and small parasitic worms. The majority is found within the large bowel where they contribute to digesting food, fermentation of undigested food components, especially carbohydrates/fiber, absorbing and synthesizing nutrients like phytonutrients, and to fecal bulk. Some of the most commonly found or recognized genera of gut bacteria in adults are Bifidobacterium,…
