14. Are you bacteria, or human? Part 1

The search for the ‘self’ has always been difficult. We spend our lives trying to find ourselves, to discover who we are inside. Noted psychiatrist, Sigmund Freud, had us narrowed down into three categories: the Id, the Ego, and the Superego. Descartes believed that “I think, therefore I am”. But as our concept of the human mind and body continues to change, there is a new way to look at who we really are (at least biologically). That is; we are 99.5% bacteria, and only 0.5% human DNA.

Welcome to The Shift, an investigative series that follows naturopath, nutritionist and author Katherine Maslen as she explores the dysfunctional nature of the health industry and provides people with the tools, knowledge and understanding to make the shift in their lives. Each episode of The Shift features interviews with industry experts in gut and general health from across the globe. They accompany Katherine in tackling the difficult questions surrounding global health. If you want to make the shift towards more informed decisions regarding better health, then this podcast is for you.

In episode #14 of The Shift, are you bacteria, or human? Part 2. Katherine takes us on a journey behind our own curtains, to uncover more about what we’re made of, joined by experts Dr Marvin Singh, Kale Brock, Eugenia Bone, Rodney Dietert, Dr Leo Galland, Dr David Perlmutter, Jenny Tschiesche and Dr William Davis. Katherine and her guests put their professional knowledge forth to explain more about our microbial makeup, and how that makeup responds to and communicates with the rest of our body.

They also discuss the following:

Different kinds of bacteria that can be found within the human body
Why the microbiome is one of the most important parts of our body
How much of our microbiome and overall health is influenced by our environment?
What microbiology actually is
The various aspects of our lives, such as nutrition, exercise and behaviour, that are mediated by the microbiome
Can you change your microbiome using just your thoughts?
What fad dieting can do to your gut health
Can humans that live together, alter each others microbiomes?
How our microbiome can detox chemicals from our environment
Can something as simple as the air we breath affect our gut health?
What can we do to change our unhealthy gut?
The one particular strain of bacteria that can lessen the appearance of wrinkles, help you get better sleep and even speed up the body’s healing process
The future potential to reverse autoimmune disease and neurological conditions while dramatically improving health, all through healing the microbiome
Probiotic supplements, yay or nay?