Interesting new research...on belly buttons....

[mom'sfolly]

I thought I had started this already, but it seems I messed up somehow.

I saw this while I was looking at science news. It is about the third place lately that I've come across talking about biodiversity on human skin. One I saw recently said that something like 90% of the DNA on the human body isn't human, it is from our little friends. This article amused me so I thought I would share..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/08/belly-button-bacteria-navel_n_2093501.html

I'm glad I'm not the one doing the sampling.

 

[KristyHall]

I have read about that before. Our body isn't a single organism. Even our mitochondria, the powerhouse of our cells, are practically individual organisms themselves. We form a symbiotic relationship with all these organisms that make up our physical body. Basically, carbon based machines. Because of this, places like our belly buttons harbor bacteria that produces natural antibiotics that fight infection. For some time my family and i have touched our bellybuttons then a wound that has begun to get infected. So far, I at least have not needed antibiotic ointment since we began this process of inoculating ourselves and waiting before trying antibiotics.

The over use of disinfectants, anti bacterial soaps, and so on, not only kill the good micro-organisims we need to protect us, but the antibacterial products encourage the formation of super bugs like MERSA

 

[punk-a-doodle]

I love that we are each a little ecosystem, full of different species that interact, communicate, and often cooperate. Just heard an interesting talk at our local University about the studies they are doing relating to our diverse flora. It has been known for a while that methods we use to cure infectious diseases disturbs our natural flora and creates a rise in autoimmune diseases. http://richmondhillchiropractic.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/autoimmune-disease1.jpg
We've been kind of slow to move on that science wise, but neat to see progress being made in treating diseases such as Chron's, and to see our limited views shift and expand.

 

[chickened]

I have always thought navel lint would make a good pillow but I had no idea it would have healing properties also.

 

[ChickenPeep]