Gutbliss Weekly Review – October 26, 2015

1). “I don’t think we will survive another 1,000 years without escaping beyond our fragile planet.” (Steven Hawking) But will our microbes survive beyond earth? A NASA study hopes to shed light on this very important question CNET

 

2). A Fitbit for your digestive tract? Sensors that spend time in your digestive tract and gather information about the efficiency of your gut may be the next big thing in body trackers Inc.

 

3). Antibiotic exposure in childhood is linked to increased and lasting weight gain, and the effects are dose specific says recent study- the greater the exposure, the greater the weight gain and weight retention International Journal of Obesity

 

4). iCoulds aren’t the only clouds containing our life’s blueprint. Scientists discover that each of us has a microbial cloud that is as unique as our fingerprint PeerJ

 

5). Findings show that a single gut infection can lead to long-term, compromised immunity and could be the foundation of chronic inflammatory diseases, like IBD and asthma Cell

 

6). Business Insider offers a good look at the link between antibiotics and allergies and how antibiotic overuse, coupled with a lack of exposure to a wide variety of microbes, is an alarming combination Business Insider

 

7). The first study to look at using the relaxation response (triggered by activities like meditation & yoga) in IBS & IBD patients and its effects on genes finds that the relaxation response not only relieves IBS & IBD symptoms, but also affects the diseases’ gene expressions related to stress and inflammation PLoS One

 

8). It might be more valuable to sequence your microbiome than your genes says Rob Knight, leading computational biologist and founder of the American Gut Project, in this informative Q&A on the microbiome TheSanDiegoTribune

 

9). Give up soap, build your immunity. Gutbliss’ very own, Dr. Robynnne Chutkan, discusses the role of soap, when it’s necessary, and when it’s harmful. A great read this flu season! TIME

 

By: Leslie Ann Berg, MSPH