Smash Notes
Professor Sheena Cruickshank Immunologist & Microbiome Enthusiast
Subscribe : Spotify | TuneIn | Stitcher | Apple Episode 7 – Professor Sheena Cruickshank How do we manage to remain in good health (at least most of the time) in a world full of microorganisms that think our bodies are the equivalent of Magaluf? Does ‘imposter syndrome’ ever go away? And just what the heck is the microbiome!? All of these questions and…
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Notes
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Your body is evolved to deal with different germs, and the immune system is like the peacekeeper of the body because it filters which germs are good and which are bad for us.
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Allergies are formed when our bodies are reacting to something harmless that we should ignore. Allergies are partially genetic, and the environment is also accounted for a lot of reasons.
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It is the types of infections we are exposed to, or the microbes that inhabit us, that have changed, and they are important for educating our immune system and creating balance within it.
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It’s due to the balance and diversity of the microbial community. It's the distinctions that our immune system recognizes as a benefit or threat. Your immune system can detect microbial patterns and damage patterns. The combination of the two will trigger proinflammatory responses.
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We’re constantly transferring bacteria between us. Yes, when you drop something, it will pick up bacteria. The question is whether it is harmful. In most cases, the bacteria isn’t harmful for us, so go for it!
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Surprisingly, the clean seat may have more fecal matter on it than a dirty one. Over time as people sit on the seat, the fecal microbes-- which don't like oxygen-- will die off and be replaced by skin ones that are less damaging to us.
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During a Cesarean birth, you are more likely to have skin type microbes colonizing you. In a vaginal birth, you are more likely to have vaginal and fecal microbes colonizing you. Whether you are breast or bottle fed, that will change the types of microbes you acquire.
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On Pint of Science, Professor Sheena Cruickshank says changes in the microbiome have been linked to obesity, allergy, autoimmune disease, depression, and anxiety. She also describes fecal microbiota transplants for Clostridium difficile, the overgrowth that causes severe diarrhea and often does not respond to antibiotics. A screened donor's microbes, given under medical supervision, can restore the gut. She warns that this is not a home remedy. In one case she cites, a patient became obese after receiving a sibling's microbiome. That is why she is skeptical of anyone selling transplants off a single headline about gut health.
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Her older brother was fascinated by zoology, which inspired her. Later, he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away. Seeing her brother's experience with cancer and the treatments, it changed her focus of zoology. Sheena became curious to know why her brother’s body could not overcome the disease, and found her interest shift to immunology.
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It is a common parasitic infection that most of us have and will have for the rest of our lives. It can affect any mammal. The only animal it can sexually replicate in is the cat-- the cat's gut. It is also in most meats that we buy.
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