Ecosystems are Inside

By Muntasir du (Own work) [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

There is an ecosystem within.

Termed the "microbiome," this ecosystem consists of countless bacteria, most especially in the area of the gut.

According to this article, "The ecosystem inside you" on The Week, we are baptized in our mother's bacteria as we exit her womb. Those of us who were C-sectioned, unfortunately, miss out on this bacterial blessing and end up with a less diverse collection of gut flora.

As we've discussed previously on this blog, quality, diverse interconnections can be the wellspring of well-being.

In our Estadounidense culture, we seem to hold in high esteem that which is sterile, pure, and detached from the messy chaos that is most of our lives. We strive to wash our hands with the strongest antibacterial solution available. We bathe ourselves in stringent chemicals, stripping our hair and skin of their oils. We take antibiotics whenever our nose starts to run. Yet this very attempt at separation from the quotidian discomfort of germs and impurity may be a potential source of deeper discontent.

If we look to ecological principles, we could suggest that a healthy microbiome requires a well-tended circulation of diverse nutrients and an exposure to some volatility.

There is perhaps a kernel of truth to the old saying, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."