Would you like your child to have a HAPPY, PEACEFUL, DISEASE-FREE, HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE, SUCCESSFUL, CREATIVE and LONG life? There’s no doubt that all parents would answer this question with “Yes, I would want that more than anything.” But immediately after, these questions will follow: “Is such a thing possible?” and “Is this within my control?” I can say that the answers to both these questions, in terms of eliminating MICROBIOTA-based risks, are “YES.” Let’s elaborate on this a bit more.
By paying attention to certain aspects during our children’s development period, achieving those concepts listed above, which may seem like a utopia, can be possible with a little attention, care, and some self-sacrifice.
One of the most important components in realizing these seemingly difficult-to-achieve concepts for our children that I mentioned above is the microbial flora (Microbiota) that we will help them develop.
What is Microbiota (FLORA)?
There are millions of varieties of single-celled microorganisms living on all multicellular organisms such as humans, animals, and plants, which do not harm them, and while living on them, they contribute to the vital functions of the organism they live on. These are mostly members of the bacterial, viral, yeast, etc. single-celled organism families, and their general name is FLORA. They are sub-named according to the host organism and which region they reside in (Human genital FLORA, human digestive system FLORA, etc.).
What is Digestive System Flora?
The entire collection of single-celled organisms residing in the area from the mouth to the anus, to which we act as hosts, that do not harm us, at the same time have indispensable and irreplaceable functions for us, form the first defense network against microbial attacks entering from outside in the region where they are located, contribute to the formation of acidity and humidity in the region, enable the digestion of food, contribute to the mucus production and selective permeability of the intestine, provide the synthesis of some biochemical compounds (vitamins, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc.), with thousands of varieties, mostly consisting of bacteria, viruses and yeasts, constantly renewing themselves throughout the day, increasing biodiversity by gaining new members under suitable conditions, where deformed and expired members are naturally progressed and expelled as feces, is called “Digestive System Flora” (Microbiota). 60-70% of fecal volume consists of dead and living flora waste.
In Which Parts of the Body Do Humans Harbor FLORA?
While some parts of our body are completely sterile (not harboring any harmful or beneficial microorganisms), some areas host flora colonizations. The areas where we host flora colonizations are the regions of our body that are in contact with the outside world. All areas with flora are covered with skin and mucosa (inner skin) layer. The regions in our body where flora is found are the digestive system, upper respiratory tract, external ear canal, urogenital region, skin, and eye socket. Flora lives on our skin or mucosa. Our bloodstream and tissues are sterile areas. The mucosa-covered area that lines our digestive system represents the largest surface area of our body. While the skin covering an average person’s entire body is about 2 m2, the total inner surface area of just our small intestines is approximately 20,000 m2, meaning the inner skin layer (mucosa) lining our small intestines has a surface area approximately 10,000 times that of the skin covering our body. Therefore, our digestive system is the largest reserve area for harboring flora. Our large intestines (colon) is the richest region in terms of flora elements per unit area. The FLORA we harbor throughout our entire digestive system weighs approximately 1.5-2 kg.
How Does Our Flora Form?
Our flora begins to form from the intrauterine (womb) period. During pregnancy, the mother’s flora, the mother’s diseases, nutritional adequacy and quality, radiation, use of medications, particularly chemotherapy and antibiotics, use of tobacco and alcohol, etc. – many factors influence the development of the child and the shaping of their flora while in the womb. Being born by cesarean section is a significant loss for the child’s flora development. Receiving breast milk for at least one year and in sufficient amounts, growing up in a family with high flora biodiversity is extremely important for flora acquisition. Especially in the first 7 years, the more contact they have with people (especially peers), cultures (food, drink, folklore, etc.), and geography that have high-quality flora, the better quality flora they will build.
How Can We Add New and Healthy Members to Our Flora?
By introducing new and especially natural probiotic-containing foods, being closer to nature, reducing stress factors, staying away from industry, industrial areas and metropolises, we both protect our existing reserve and gain new members.
Does Our Flora Remain the Same Throughout Life?
The lifespan of our flora elements is limited to hours, and they have a dynamic structure that constantly renews itself. In poor living conditions, its biodiversity decreases, while in suitable conditions, it tends to continuously increase its biodiversity. From birth, we acquire new flora members, and this process continues throughout life. We experience some flora changes during infancy, childhood, adolescence, youth, pregnancy, menopause, and old age. The period when we have optimal quality flora is between 20-30 years of age. With advancing age, a decrease in flora biodiversity and quality is observed. Losses in our flora have a direct or indirect effect on the onset or progression of many diseases.
To the extent that we can maintain rich flora biodiversity, we live longer, happier, disease-free, and healthier lives. In regional studies, the most fundamental characteristic of communities where long-lived people live is that they have very high-quality and biodiversity-rich flora both in youth and in advancing age. In people living in these regions, the rates of diseases we define as advanced age diseases, such as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Dementia, are extremely low. In addition to these diseases being very rare, even when they do occur, the average age of onset is extremely high. Thanks to our flora biodiversity, Selective Permeability, which is the most important feature of our intestines, is provided and maintained.
What Does Selective Permeability of Our Intestines Mean?
Our entire digestive system is covered with a single-row inner skin layer (Mucosa). Our intestines are the most important places where food digestion and absorption of digested foods take place. The length of our small intestines is approximately 7-8 meters. However, due to its convoluted structure (villi and microvilli), the inner surface area reaches approximately 20,000 m2, and in native tribes still living in Africa and Australia, this surface area can reach up to 35,000-45,000 m2. The extent of our small intestine surface area is one of our most important health criteria. The more small intestine surface area we have, the better quality digestion, absorption, and synthesis capability and reserve we have. Our intestines are the area where the Serotonin hormone, also known as the happiness hormone, is produced the most. Like our entire digestive system, the mucosal surface of our intestines is covered with a gelatinous structure we call MUCUS. Mucus is secreted by the mucosa. Thanks to mucus, direct contact of intestinal content with the mucosa is prevented. In this way, the mucosa layer is protected from the destructive effects of digestive secretions and foods. In each part of our digestive system, there are specialized FLORA colonizations, each with different special functions. Our Digestive System Flora is indispensable in the formation, protection, and maintenance of mucus.
Digested food elements that are necessary for us and will not harm us are absorbed through the cells that make up the MUCOSA layer covering the digestive system and enter the bloodstream. In this absorption, the mucosa layer has a Selectively Permeable feature. Not everything can be absorbed through the selectively permeable mucosal barrier and enter the bloodstream. The Selectively Permeable feature of our intestines is one of the most important insurance mechanisms in our protection from diseases and survival. This SELECTIVE PERMEABILITY of our intestines is protected thanks to our healthy mucosa, mucus, and flora. The selectively permeable feature is transferred from generation to generation thanks to our genetic memory.
What is the Role of Our Genetic Memory in Selective Permeability?
During their tens of thousands of years of life adventure, humans record the biochemical codes of the gains they have obtained as a result of analysis and synthesis at the chromosomal level, and they transfer this information, which is encoded in our genetic codes, from generation to generation thanks to our genetic memory. The selective permeability feature in our intestines is also a result of our genetic memory. To give an example; We find it quite difficult to understand whether wheat is GMO or not with the naked eye or through analysis, but when our intestines come into contact with a GMO product, they perceive whether it is original wheat or not within seconds and give the necessary response. Selective permeability in our intestines is provided thanks to our genetic memory and healthy mucosa.
What Happens If Our Intestines Don’t Have Selective Permeability?
Our intestines can partially or completely lose their selective permeability feature after absorption surface damage. If selective permeability is disrupted, undigested foods, poisons, microbes, allergens, foods we don’t need, deformed foods, etc., which normally should not be absorbed from the intestines and enter the bloodstream, begin to enter the bloodstream. As a result of the disruption of our intestines’ selective permeability, substances that should not enter the bloodstream but do, are tried to be eliminated by “T Lymphocytes” which have genetic and learned memory in our bloodstream. T Lymphocytes remove these foreign and harmful elements that enter the bloodstream from the bloodstream and tissues. If the disruption of the intestines’ selective permeability continues for a long time and increasingly, our defense system also gets tired after a while and begins to lose coordination. In this case, our body turns mucous areas that have lost their selective permeability feature into non-functional surface areas (FIBROSIS) for self-protection purposes and at the same time irreversibly loses these intestinal surface areas. After a certain level, the loss of intestinal surface area appears as irreversible functional losses. If surface area is lost from any part of our intestines, irreversible losses related to the functions of that region occur. Actually, our intestines have a very serious reserve. Therefore, no functional loss may be experienced until the inner surface area of our small intestines, which is approximately 20,000 m2, drops to 4,000 m2. After the surface area falls below a certain level, the clinical picture progresses both faster and follows a dramatic and noisy clinical course, and the response to treatment weakens.
As a result of the disruption of selective permeability, our defense system getting tired and partially or completely losing its coordination, our “Defense System Elements” perceiving our own tissues and cells as foreign and harmful, attack and damage them as well. This condition is called AUTOIMMUNITY, and diseases that occur in this way are called AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES. The occurrence of any autoimmune disease facilitates the occurrence of other autoimmune diseases.
The most critical stage in the formation of selective permeability in the intestines, intestinal surface area loss, and autoimmune diseases is FLORA DAMAGE and the reduction or disappearance of FLORA BIODIVERSITY.
Is It Possible for Us to Help Our Child Develop High-Quality and Biodiversity-Rich Flora?
YES, it is possible. What needs to be done for this can be examined under two periods. These can be divided into pre-birth and post-birth periods.
Things the mother should pay attention to in the pre-birth process:
- Regular exercise
- Natural and balanced nutrition
- Not using tobacco, alcohol, and drugs
- Not using medication except in mandatory situations
- Trying to stay away from environmental pollutants
- Preferring normal birth
Things to pay attention to in the post-birth period:
- Providing breast milk for at least one year
- Applying protective vaccines
- Not using unnecessary antibiotics
- Natural nutrition
- Staying away from ready-made and packaged foods
- Paying attention to agricultural chemicals
- Staying away from industrial pollutants
- Ensuring long-term contact with peers who have quality flora
The high-quality and biodiversity-rich flora that the child will acquire during the development period after birth will prevent the occurrence of many diseases. For example, a child with quality flora will experience much fewer upper respiratory tract infections. A healthy throat flora is the most important protective barrier for them. Similarly, a child with quality oral flora will have fewer oral infections and sores, as well as much fewer dental caries. Digestive system flora quality is also indispensable in their nutrition, digestion, and synthesis functions. Our digestive system is the gateway for the nutrients our body needs. When our digestive system flora is healthy, the digestion, synthesis, and absorption of the necessary nutrients for our body can be provided. Deficiencies of necessary nutrients are the basic factor in the occurrence of many diseases. Healthy flora is indispensable in the development of the child. Unhealthy flora, on the other hand, begins to invite diseases. For example, a child with an unhealthy throat flora will constantly experience throat infections, so their development will lag behind their healthy peers, and with it, lower quality of life and lower social and academic success will be observed.
As a final sentence, I must state that; The only thing needed for our child to lead a happy, peaceful, healthy, quality, productive, and long life is not that their FLORA (microbiota) is healthy and has high biodiversity. However, for a happy, peaceful, healthy, quality, productive, and long life, having a healthy and biodiversity-rich flora is definitely a prerequisite.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat KANLIÖZ
General Surgery Specialist