Good Germs

Many bacteria inside the human body are actually beneficial for us explains microbiologist, Mr. Binod Dhungel.

We all know that germs that cannot be even seen with naked eyes can make us sick. What however many people may not, explained Mr. Binod Dhungel, is the fact that our body contains over 100 billion bacterial cells. That’s 10 times the number of human cells! And many of these bacterial cells are responsible for protecting us from various infectious.

Normal microbial flora, a fancy phrase for the good bacteria that inhabit in the gastrointestinal track or under the skin, do not cause us any disease. Weighing at least 3 to 5 pounds per person, these bacteria help strengthen our immune system, and develop our ability to fight off cold virus. These bacteria found inside our body also do not let other infectious germs stay in our body for a long period of time. There are, however, some bacteria that are harmful and the chemicals physician use to kill such bacteria are know as antibiotics.

What is interesting is the fact that many bacteria work with our body to keep us healthy and balanced. For example, the good bacteria that live in our intestine help to make the best use of the nutrients in the food we eat. They help turn what’s leftover into waste. Some beneficial bacteria produce various chemicals to inhabit or kill other harmful bacteria.  Few types of other bacteria are responsible for synchronizing vitamins such as Vitamin A and K. Vaccines that are given to our children at a certain age are also derived from bacteria and so are many other medicines. Some researchers believe that good bacteria help to make the immune system function properly and also prevent infections.

Let your child fight germs because all germs are not bad.

It is now safe to say that many types of bacteria are actually good for your little ones. It is okay to let your kid take that short break outside the house and play with the nature. You cannot stop them from catching germs, but you can certainly develop their capacity to fight them by cultivating beneficial bacteria in the body.

Products such as yogurt, and some cereals and drinks contain probiotics, which are good bacteria that aid in digestion and which may also help fight harmful bacteria. Mr. Dhungel stated that many research have shown that probiotics help prevent colds, treat diarrhea, reduce certain types of cancer, and even prevent skin problems.