I was thinking the other day…..an unusual occurrence, and I had an epiphany. Perhaps modern civilization predisposes us to disease because we are separated from our families by distance, and cannot ‘share’ the germs of our ancestors as readily, to replenish our ‘particular’ microbiome of germs that has evolved over the years to be suitable for our particular genetic makeup. Perhaps, I was postulating, the custom of the ‘peck on the cheek’ when you see your relatives is meant to share these germs and replenish your pool of helpful bacteria that are meant for you.
On that note, this fascinating video shows how a baby develops it’s bacterial microbiome. First….it starts with the bacterial flora of the birth mother, and it’s GI tract has only germs that are found in it’s mother vaginal area, but slowly, over time, it develops a more specific combination of microorganisms to populate it’s GI tract. Using the latest genetic techniques, they have mapped this out in detail, and it’s fascinating to watch in THIS VIDEO PRESENTATION.