In order to understand why the intestinal flora is disrupted, we first need to briefly define the basic concepts. These are respectively:
*What is Flora?
*What is Flora Biodiversity and Why is it Important?
*How is our flora formed from birth?
*What is the Life Cycle of Our Flora?
*What are the factors that harm our flora?
*How Can We Protect and Enrich Our Flora?
*Our “Genetic Memory” in Increasing Flora Biodiversity
WHAT IS FLORA?
They live with us in certain parts of our body (skin, external ear canal, mouth, nose, intestines, etc.), where we host them, which contribute to the humidity, acid balance, biochemical and enzymatic functions of the region where they are located, and at the same time protect the areas where they are located from pathogenic microorganisms. The common name for all USEFUL MICROORGANISMS (Microbes) that protect against diseases is FLORA. Our flora in the area from the mouth to the anus is called DIGESTIVE SYSTEM FLORA.
WHAT IS FLORA BIODIVERSITY AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
More than 1000 different flora bacteria have been identified throughout the entire digestive system, from the mouth to the anus. The region where each flora bacteria settles and lives in the system is different. At the same time, the function of each flora element is unique and vital. Having more than 1000 species of biodiversity in a human digestive tract is wonderful, but not even utopianly possible. On average, in Türkiye’s geography, this biodiversity is 100-120 in rural areas, while it is around 50-60 in metropolises. Biodiversity should not be confused with the number of flora and bacteria. The number of flora bacteria we have throughout our entire digestive system is approximately 100 times greater than the number of all cells in our body. I think the importance of flora is better understood with these numbers. We contain millions of each type of flora in our intestines. We can think of our digestive system as a FACTORY and the flora as specialized WORKERS or ENGINEERS. There is no doubt that the more different specialized departments a factory has, the more quality products will come out of that factory. In other words, the better the quality and sufficient number of our flora biodiversity, the HEALTHIER, COMFORTABLE, HAPPY, PRODUCTIVE, SUCCESSFUL and LONGER we live.
HOW IS OUR FLORA FORMED FROM BIRTH?
Flora follows a process that begins before birth and enriches with birth. The mother’s health status, especially the medications used during pregnancy (antibiotics, corticosteroids, chemotherapeutic agents, etc.), nutritional status, radiation, existing diseases, habits (alcohol, drugs, smoking, etc.) are important factors that affect the baby’s flora before and after birth. The type of birth is an important factor in the acquisition of flora. Normal birth (vaginal birth) is an extremely important process in the baby’s flora acquisition. Birth takes approximately 2-8 hours, and the entire process allows the baby to come into contact with and gain new flora. Births by cesarean section do not benefit from this flora acquisition process, and this deficiency continues throughout life. In the postnatal period, the family in which he was born and lived, especially his mother, are the most important sources for him to gain flora. Being born into a family with a large and high-quality flora is an invaluable asset for acquiring flora. The diversity of flora we acquire, especially in the first two years after birth and until the age of seven, is extremely important in our lives. The people we come into contact with outside the family, the animals, nature, the quality of our diet, and the diversity of our diet help shape our flora.
WHAT IS THE LIFE CYCLE OF OUR FLORA?
Our flora goes through a dynamic process. It is alive, it constantly renews itself, and like us, it needs certain conditions to survive. During the day, old and dead members of our flora naturally pass through the digestive system and are excreted through feces. Approximately 60% of our stool volume consists of dead and living flora waste. Since Flora constantly renews itself, no deficiency is felt. This cycle continues throughout life and we wake up every day with new, vibrant and healthy flora. While almost all of our previous flora is excreted through the feces, we have a renewed flora every day, and this non-stop process continues throughout our lives. OUR FLORA is both protected and nourished by the secretions of the region where it is located. In addition, the foods we consume are also a source of nutrition for our flora.
WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT DAMAGE OUR FLORA?
The most important factor that harms our flora is our failure to provide adequate nutrition. Like us, our flora also has a limit to how it can withstand hunger. Other factors that harm our flora can be listed as poor nutrition, alcohol, smoking, food quality, etc.
Stopping oral feeding for a long time for some reasons may cause flora damage and sometimes this damage may be permanent. The most typical examples of this situation are chronic hunger due to inability to access food, inability to take oral nutrition during intensive care treatments, and long-term cessation of oral nutrition due to surgical procedures.
While the antibiotics we use for disease destroy the disease-causing microbes, they also harm our flora. Although many factors damage our flora, the greatest proportional damage is caused by the antibiotics used.
Drugs under the title CORTICOSTEROIDs, which are used for many diseases, also have a serious role in causing flora damage. In addition, this group of drugs is generally used for a long time and the damage to the flora is irreversible.
Chemotherapy drugs and radiation used in cancer treatment also cause irreversible damage to the flora.
Another topic is AGRICULTURAL DRUGS (Pesticides), which, although not brought to the agenda as much as the ones mentioned above, are at least as harmful and to which we are exposed most of the time without even realizing it.
Apart from this, water and air pollution, industrial pollution, smoking, ionizing radiation, biological and chemical pollution, which we can evaluate under the heading of environmental pollution, are also important factors in causing flora damage.
Another important factor in the deterioration of the intestinal flora is CHRONIC DIARRHEA.
HOW CAN WE PROTECT AND ENRICH OUR FLORA?
How We Protect:
- By not using antibiotics and corticosteroids without the supervision of a physician.
- By eating as natural as possible.
- By purifying the food we consume from pesticide residues
- By eating a balanced and quality diet.
- With less exposure to environmental pollution.
- By avoiding ionizing radiation.
- By exercising regularly.
- By staying away from cigarettes and alcohol.
- By taking protective measures in the environments where we work or live.
How can we enrich:
- By breastfeeding for at least one year from birth.
- By ensuring close contact with as many healthy peers as possible in the first seven years of age.
- By encouraging normal birth (vaginal).
- By traveling to many different geographies and getting acquainted with the nutrition culture.
- By consuming natural foods that will give us new flora (sourdough products, vinegar, pickles, kefir, yoghurt, cheese, tarhana, sausage, etc.)
- When necessary, by performing “FLORA TRANSPLANT” from healthy people.
“OUR GENETIC MEMORY” IN INCREASING FLORA BIODIVERSITY
Our genetic memory recognizes the FLORA BACTERIA, which has been identified in the digestive system to date but has never been hosted in our body before, and when it reaches a localization where it can survive, it clings to that region, multiplies and colonizes there, and enables it to function for life as a new flora member of the digestive system. As long as we come into contact with a new flora bacterium, our genetic memory somehow takes care of the rest and increases our flora biodiversity.
Assoc. Dr. Murat KANLIÖZ
Flora Transplantation Institute