It is not just the gut where such useful micro-organisms are found, but also in the mouth, in the vagina and on the skin, where they play a crucial role in the health of that area, and the defence from harmful elements in the external environment. These ‘friendly’ organisms are so generous that they have donated DNA that forms the mitochondria that act as energy generators for each and every cell in the human body. We now have means of testing for every bacterial gene in the gut from a simple stool test and this will, in the near future, be able to help us to treat and prevent illness, and reverse the ageing process.
Lifestyle, learning and habits
Long-term studies looking at twins and people’s habits, lifestyles and even education (including the way they learn), have given insights into how these affect the way we age internally, how our brains regress and how we can reverse these changes. Some of these studies started over seventy years ago. We also have access to blood and DNA tests that can tell us what our physiological, or biological age is, and how we can reverse it.
To understand what happens with ageing, we can study what we see in nature. Every year we see the garden develop and grow; it then reaches maturity before dying out towards the end of the year. In the same way humans are born, then grow and develop, they then stop growing and start to grow old and die. Life is a cycle of growth and decay. The ‘Tipping Point’ is when we stop growing and start to age. For humans this occurs in our mid-thirties.
When we are young and in the growth and development state the master hormones are growth hormone and the sex hormones. These stimulate tissue growth and vitality and help cells to turn over, stimulating our systems to develop. We have an incredible resilience to the environment – we can eat what we want, to a degree, and our bodies just bounce back after any injury. There is a downside to this in that any tumours or diseases that develop in our younger years are also stimulated and accelerated by the effects of growth hormones. This is also seen during pregnancy, when there is a high level of growth hormones circulating. Fortunately, though, these conditions are very rare at a young age.
In our early years our bodies and systems resist the environmental effects so we appear to be able to get away with a less healthy lifestyle. Our bodies also have a requirement for a varied diet of meat, vegetables and fruits and nuts. These dietary elements appear to help us maintain a strong and healthy system during the regenerative and growth stage of our lives.
As we get closer to the ‘Tipping Point’ our growth hormone levels naturally decline as we enter the ageing phase of our lives. This is nature’s way of protecting us as high levels of growth hormones will accelerate the ageing process and we would burn out more quickly. Also, we produce more abnormal cells with age that can lead to cancer, and growth hormone will accelerate the development of cancer and any other disease condition. We also become more responsive to our environment and diet. This means that we need to change what and how we eat, and how we exercise as we get older. After the ‘Tipping Point’ we are more sensitive to insulin and cortisol, as our dominating hormones, and these have more of a metabolic effect.
Though the ‘Tipping Point’ for men and women is the same, women experience the symptoms of hormonal imbalances earlier than men do, from their mid-thirties, and men from their mid-forties. Symptoms of hormonal imbalance and system upset include:
• weight gain
• increase in abdominal fat
• loss of muscle and bone mass
• stiffness, aches and pains of the bones, muscles and joints
• low sex drive
• tiredness and sweating
• poor sleep
• irritability, anxiety and feelings of depression
• digestive problems, with heartburn, bloating and cravings
• acceleration of the signs of ageing in the face and body
There is a change in the hormonal balance, and so in the way the body works and interacts with the environment – what worked for us in our twenties will not necessarily work in our forties or fifties.
The above situation has always been so, however, we now have another problem to contend with, which has made things even harder. It has resulted in the increase in the incidence of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, dementia, diabetes, cancer and other diseases related to ageing, and leading to poor health, suffering and premature death. This new problem is the effect of how and what we eat, how we exercise and the changes we have seen in our environment.
Even in our early stages of life our systems are being damaged by our ‘toxic’ environment, including:
• pollution
• processed foods
• modern farming techniques in agriculture and livestock management
• high levels of stress
• the trends of yo-yo dieting and weight fluctuations
• repeated use of antibiotics, including the antibiotics we ingest in our food and those we are prescribed
• use of recreational drugs
• use of cigarettes and alcohol
• higher stress levels in our lives
• changes in our working environments
• less time for exercise and recreation; less time for people and social interaction
Interestingly, the word ‘recreation’ comes from the Latin word ‘recreare’, meaning ‘create again, renew’, via the old French Latin word ‘recreatio’, to mean ‘mental or spiritual consolation’ in late Middle English.
By understanding how the body works, and what and how things can go wrong, we can make lifestyle changes to prevent health deterioration and improve matters. Our body is an incredible vehicle that has developed and evolved over centuries to survive in the environment in which we live. We live in a delicate balance with millions of microorganisms that live in our guts, on our skins, in our mouths and in the vaginas of women; that work in harmony to create a healthy immune and healing system, protecting us from nasty (or pathogenic) infections and helping us to recognise and repair any damage or abnormal cells.
The evidence shows that we carry more than 2kg of microorganisms, with over 1,000 species in our guts. Similarly, there are over 1,000 species of microorganism that live on the skin. These account for over 3 million genes. We also know that over two-thirds of the microbes are unique and individual to the person, and they work with the host to modify the immune system and prevent autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Some of them have been shown to have a role in the production and absorption of certain vitamins that play a part in the immune system.
Research has also identified that the absence of certain microbes is associated with metabolic disease, such as type 2 diabetes and obesity. There is also a link with microbial upset and the development of certain cancers, anxiety and depression, and autism in children. There is also a strong link with microbial upset and immune conditions, such as eczema, thyroid disease, and other autoimmune conditions.
Our toxic environment is harming our tiny friends, which, in turn, is creating problems with our health. It is important to know how to look after our little allies while we are young, so they can look after us as we grow older. A good way to look at these microbes is as ‘guards’ that protect our bodies against external harmful factors.