askthedoctor Bacterial Truth M
Wait, How Many? Each of us has about 100 trillion bacteria — enough to weigh a couple of pounds, including perhaps 500 different species — in and on our bodies.
Most of us have read headlines im- plying the dangers of bacteria or have seen warnings about how many bacteria can be found on doorknobs and cellphones. Don’t be surprised. The reality is bacteria are all around us: They are in the air, in the soil, on tabletops and other surfaces, in our food, and in our bodies even when we are healthy. We have our fi rst real exposure to bacteria when we are born and pass through the birth canal. Bacteria are on our skin, in our mouths, and in our genital areas. But many of these bacteria contrib- ute to our lives in important ways. Bacteria play important roles in our gut. They help to break down food into usable nutrients and assist with the absorption of those nutrients. Each person has in their intestinal systems about 1 billion E. coli bacteria, which are very important to the synthesis of vitamin K. Our bodies form a “microbiome,” a balanced system of bacte- ria and other microbes. We also consume bacteria. The live cul-
tures in yogurt are bacteria. These often are called “probiotics” — bacteria help- ful to our systems — and they contribute to the balance between good and other bacteria. This balance can be disrupted in many ways; perhaps the most widespread is taking antibiotics. Antibiotics are in- discriminate in the bacteria they destroy, aff ecting both good bacteria as well as dis- ease-causing bacteria. This is one reason it is important to take antibiotics only when you have a serious bacterial infection.
48 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2015
Many of us have been conditioned to believe all germs are “icky,” disgraceful, and to be avoided. However, that’s not the whole story. By Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, D.O.
Outside the body, bacteria are used to
produce many fermented foods — includ- ing vinegar, sauerkraut, coff ee, some wines, and aged cheeses. They also are used in the development of vaccines and some medica- tions, such as insulin. Bacteria break down leaves and make compost and soil, which provides nutrition to plants. Bacteria in the roots of beans, peas, and clover take nitro- gen in the air and, through nitrogen fi xa- tion, convert it to ammonium, which plants need for optimal growth. Bacteria are also a key element in bioremediation; they can help break down pesticides and other pol- lutants and clean up oil spills. They also are used in the production of biofuels. Only a relative few bacteria cause dis- ease in humans, and with a little care, most bacterial infections can be prevent- ed. Handwashing and good personal hy- giene as well as basic food-safety practices — such as fully cooking animal products, keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold, and avoiding cross contamination between raw animal products and other uncooked products — can prevent many bacterial ill- nesses. Safe sexual practices also reduce the spread of disease. Vaccinations are available for some bacterial infections including tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and strep pneumonia.
MO
— Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, USPHS (Ret), D.O., M.A., is a health care consultant in Chevy Chase, Md. Find more health and wellness resources at
www.moaa.org/wellness. For sub- mission information, see page 6.
PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88