Effective Microorganisms

Microorganisms In and Around Us

Many of us are familiar with soap and detergent commercials that promise to eradicate germs and bacteria around us. However, we forget that our bodies are populated by microorganisms. More than 100 trillion microorganisms live in our gut, mouth, skin and elsewhere in and on our bodies. They support numerous beneficial functions relevant to our health such as breaking down our food to aid absorption (digestion), preventing diseasecausing bacteria from invading our body, and synthesizing essential nutrients and vitamins for absorption through the gut. This population of microorganisms inhabiting our body is collectively termed as Human Microbiome. We have recently learned that the Human Microbiome, also known as the “Second Genome”, can be harnessed to influence health and prevent illnesses. Did you know that there are 100 times more genes in the microorganisms inhabiting our body, than the genes in our body cells!

Communication of Microorganisms

In addition to their useful functions in our body, our human microbiome also communicates with microbes in the environment, such as the soil biome. Modern DNA sequencing techniques have led scientists to make the surprising discovery that gene swapping (also known as “lateral gene transfer”) takes place between our gut microbiome and the soil biome, as well as with microorganisms in our daily surroundings. It was found that the gut bacteria of some Japanese people acquire genes from ocean bacteria that enable them to digest seaweed more effectively. European researchers have also discovered that children raised on organic farms have far lower incidence of allergy and asthma, compared to those raised on conventional, industrialised farms or in the suburbs. They refer to this as “the farm effect.” These findings indicate that our body’s digestive and immune systems are closely tied to the gut microorganisms and are indirectly strengthened by soil or environmental microorganisms.

It is the cooperation between the microorganisms in the soil and the roots of plants that are ultimately responsible for allowing the plant to absorb nutrients from the soil in which it is grown. The root ball (rhizosphere) of the plant acts as the “gut” or intestinal tract of the plant. It houses microbes just like the human gut does, provided the soil system is healthy. Soil health then connects to everything in the food chain, from plant and insect health, all the way to animal and human health. Therefore, our health truly begins in the soil in which our food is grown.