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What are probiotics?

Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms similar to the “friendly” bacteria found naturally in the body's digestive system. Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) of Maryland states that we each house two to five pounds (1.0 to 2.26 kilograms) of live bacteria inside our bodies. On average, we have 10 bacteria cells for each single human cell. We are more bacteria than we are human – strange, but true. (Makes using all those antibacterial products sound like a bad idea, doesn't it?) [Read more…]

“The trend in bacterial development of antibiotic resistance is not unlike the increasing resistance of agricultural pests to pesticides. In 1938, scientists knew of just seven insect and mite species that had acquired resistance to pesticides. By 1984 that figure had climbed to 447 and included most of the world's major pests. In response to heavier pesticide use and a wider variety of pesticides, pests have evolved sophisticated mechanisms for resisting the action of chemicals designed to kill them. Pesticides also kill the pests' natural enemies, much like antibiotics kill the natural enemies of harmful bacteria in the body.”

– by Michael Schmidt, from Beyond Antibiotics

What if I told you weeds and bacteria we are trying so hard to kill could save your life? Would you think I was crazy? I've been doing a lot of reading and a lot of thinking lately, and I've come to realize that much of what we are told in our day to day lives is not only inaccurate, but flat out wrong. Here are my latest thoughts on our wild and tiny neighbors. [Read more…] about What if I Told You Weeds and Bacteria Could Save Your Life?