Childbirth, antibiotics & our bacterial buddies

There was a time a while back when formula milk was all the rage and people looked upon breastfeeding with disdain - as if it were too stark a reminder of our primitive ways & hey - who has time for breastfeeding? And yet we now know that breast-milk in an essential part of the developing infant. The milk changes over time to provide tailor-made, evolving nutrition, and cannot be matched by a milk formula that's been on a shelf for 8 months.

And the same is true of childbirth: Many couples opt for c-sections for no good reason other than 'the doctor suggested it'.

There is now growing evidence of the importance of the microbiome - that colony of bacteria with which we share a symbiotic relationship. Bacteria which benefit and affect us in ways we're only just discovering - from obesity, Alzheimers, autism. A bacterial community we routinely destroy with the over-prescription of antibiotics.



There are studies showing that the diversity of a child's microbiome in the first three years plays a major role in determining susceptibility to auto-immune diseases later in life. Studies of Amazonian peoples show almost zero occurrence of auto-immune diseases. Our exposure to an environment rich in microscopic life is so important - be it it playing in the garden getting covered with mud and rolling around with our pets...or even earlier - as we pass through the birth canal.

The vaginal wall is teeming with the mothers microbial communities and as the baby passes through the birth canal - these bacteria are introduced to the babies body - outside and into the mouth & nose. It is our first exposure to one of the most important communities we will ever know, and an opportunity that should not be missed.

The data just reviewed strongly suggests that further research on the relationships among the gut microbiome, the development and function of the nervous system, and behavior will be fruitful. The field is at a stage where more questions than answers are being generated.
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This is not a post about the dangers of antibiotics, c-sections or formula milk. These things, especially antibiotics - are hugely beneficial to society.

This is a post urging you to be aware of the microscopic life within us - life that is us - our relationship with it and the way's in which we destroy or impede it's development. If you've got a child on the way, or a cold for which your doc prescribes antibiotics - take the time to talk to them and raise your concerns.

Just found this video which is a trailer for a documentary. It's a bit alarmist, but I think it conveys the sentiment of an emerging field that we need to pay more attention to:

[video=youtube;SUcEr_R1NZo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUcEr_R1NZo&feature=youtu.be[/video]

[video=youtube;i-icXZ2tMRM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-icXZ2tMRM[/video]

I couldn't agree more.
And people eat to much factory processed junk thats all dead and pasteurized.

I love my pre-digested in bacteria and yeast infested foods like kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha and kimchi. And to a degree real sourdough bread ( although that all dead too )