Soil-Based Organisms and the Human Microbiata

Topics in this article:

Microbes From Nature

The Beneficial Role of Pathogenic Microbes

1,000 Different Species of Probiotics in the Human Body

Here are a few more articles which explain the health benefits & mood enhancements of soil:

Q: If the goal is to replenish the human gut microbe community, why would a probiotic consist of soil-based organisms? Soil-based organisms are for soil, are they not? Why not culture the beneficial human-based microbiata instead of soil-based organisms?

A: This is a valid question. It drives at the difference between the fundamentally scientific approach and the approach designed by Nature.

Microbes From Nature

Bottom line is, the body was originally made from the "clay" of the Earth. Clays commonly contain friendly bacteria and archaea, both of which are found in the human gut (archaea help digest fibrous material).

Normal bacteria & archaea populations in the gut resemble ratios also found in soils & oceans.

The organisms that exist in the body today were first derived from the soil, further derived from our mothers during birth and breast feeding, and replenished from the soil when walking barefoot, or when digging in the healthy garden earth, or when eating unwashed self-grown garden produce.

Science has tried to make us believe that only laboratories can design something safe for the human body. Common sense tells us differently.

The Beneficial Role of Pathogenic Microbes

The earth is, for humans, the primary source of biotics in general. Well-composted soils mean "already balanced by Nature" in a microbial sense.

Soil biology has beneficial microbes in it. It can also have non-beneficial microbes if the soil is polluted or out of balance. These are referred to as pathogenic microbes, although their real function is to consume the pollutants so balance can eventually be restored.

The health of a soil and the health of a human body is utterly dependent upon striking a proper balance between pathogenic and beneficial microbes.

Once brought back into balance the pathogenic microbes die off, or are consumed by the friendlies, until they achieve normal background levels. They both play a role in the health of the soil, one consuming harmful ingredients in the soil, the other beneficial food sources, so in that sense, there is only friendly bacteria.

This is the way of Nature in the soil. This is also the way of Nature in the body. When the human body gets out of balance from diet, or toxins, or worry, pathogenic microbes can get the upper hand simply because their natural food source is dominant in the body. The beneficial microbes regain the dominant role when the body is brought back into balance through correct diet, lifestyle, and attitude.

1,000 Different Species of Probiotics in the Human Body

The human body contains close to 1,000 different species of microbes. The most predominant ones in the intestines are the Lactobacillus, the Bifidobacterium, and the Bacillus genera. It is for this reason our Friendly Flora contains the following eight non-competing species of probiotics supplemented in a protective humate base with several prebiotic sources to activate rapid repopulation of natural gut flora balance (read The Secret to a Successful Probiotic Replenishment Program for a more thorough understanding of the importance of non-competing probiotics and prebiotic sources):

Lactobacillis Acidophilus,
Bifidobacterium Bifidum,
Bacillus Licheniformis,
Bacillus Subtilis,
Lactobacillus Lactis,
Lactobacillus Casei,
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus,
Lactobacillus Plantarum

Yet, not all human probiotic species can be cultivated in a laboratory. Thus the importance of contact with well composted soil. Several species found in the intestines can be easily found in Nature and cultured in a laboratory for probiotic supplements (thus the source of soil-based organisms, or SBOs).

Others found in the intestines do not culture well outside of their natural soil or biological environments, thus the importance of ingesting soil (like clay or humic/fulvic earth) or maintaining regular contact with quality, chemical-free soil to derive the benefits of a broad spectrum of soil-based organisms and their beneficial properties in human health, both physical and psychological.

Here are a few more articles which explain the health benefits & mood enhancements of soil:

The Surprising Healing Properties of – Dirt

This article is for the more technically oriented. It is on archaea, which is difficult to culture in a laboratory, but is present everywhere in the environment (and in our bodies):

Archaea are More Wonderful than You Know

The soil organism, mycobacterium vaccae, has been scientifically associated with decreasing anxiety and increasing serotonin. This helps explain the joy and serenity experienced by gardeners. Here are some links related to how soil microbes are better and safer at lifting moods than meds:

Is Dirt the New Prozac?

The Interconnectedness of Soil biodiversity, Plant Ecology, Gut Microbiology, and Human Health and Evolution

Gardening Can Help Beat Depression

Dirt Exposure 'Boosts Happiness'

For all of these reasons, and many more, you can see why we are proponents of deriving our microbes from soil sources, i.e. eating dirt :)

All the best of health & happiness, enjoy the simple gifts from Nature!
Michael
Vitality Herbs & Clay