Have you heard of Blastocystis hominis? It has heard of you. In fact, it lives inside of many people – maybe even you! B. hominis is found in more stool samples than any other parasite. It exists in many strains, some of which are more virulent than others. It may infect and cause symptoms more easily in people with compromised immune systems.
Apparently, it congregates where the small intestine meets the colon. Then it burrows into the wall of the intestine, making it hard to eradicate.
In some healthy individuals, B. hominis does not cause symptoms. In others it may suppress the immune system. It may cause abdominal pain or cramps, nausea, vomiting, gas, diarrhea, fever, sleeplessness, dizziness, and/or fatigue.
Like many pathogenic gut bacteria, it translocates to other parts of the body and has been found in the fluid of inflamed knee joints. Other symptoms include weight loss, headaches, allergies, nervous disorders, itchiness, and muscle problems. The toxic byproducts from this parasite can lead to autoimmune reactions. When B. hominis exists with other weak pathogens it has been implicated in irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and some forms of arthritis.
B. hominis is just one of innumerable pathogenic bacteria that must be kept at bay by our immune systems. The challenge is to create a healthy environment in the gut and body’s whole microbiome to keep such bad guys from spreading.
You can use many strategies to improve your immune response. Clearly, improving the balance of good bacteria in the gut will be one of them. Whether probiotics alone can do this is questionable. While they may be very beneficial, they may also suppress good bacteria that perform vital functions. Oxalobacter formigenes, for example, degrades oxalates. If it is suppressed by probiotics, could oxalates become a health issue?
Integrating fermented foods into your lifestyle may be beneficial. As you work toward healthy gut microbiota whose beneficial bacteria keep pathogens suppressed, the broad spectrum of benefits provided by great fermented food choices, may be enough to tip the balance.
For more read:
Real Pickles Set the Standard for Fermented Foods
Fermented Foods and Calorie Restriction – For Better or for Worse
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