Here’s a link to a fascinating article in the NYT, which you’ll need to register to see. Basically, it reports on the possibility that the microbes in our gut–which vary from person to person–may have an enormous impact on our propensity to store fat or not. Here’s one incredible paragraph that plays a part in the development of the argument:
"Of the trillions and trillions of cells in a typical human body ? at least 10 times as many cells in a single individual as there are stars in the Milky Way ? only about 1 in 10 is human. The other 90 percent are microbial. These microbes ? a term that encompasses all forms of microscopic organisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa and a form of life called archaea ? exist everywhere. They are found in the ears, nose, mouth, vagina, anus, as well as every inch of skin, especially the armpits, the groin and between the toes.
The vast majority are in the gut, which harbors 10 trillion to 100 trillion of them. ?Microbes colonize our body surfaces from the moment of our birth,? Gordon said. ?They are with us throughout our lives, and at the moment of our death they consume us.?"
I’d certainly be interested in people’s comments on this.
Interesting. I can see anti biotics being available in the future that will help this problem. Still no excuse to be fat though. Some people just have to eat less or exercise more.
[quote]T234 wrote:
Interesting. I can see anti biotics being available in the future that will help this problem. Still no excuse to be fat though. Some people just have to eat less or exercise more. [/quote]
Actually that this is the problem with antibiotics. Many of these organisms we want and need. Ned them to survive and live healthy live. Antibiotics wipe out good bacteria etc as well as bad leaving one sure cured of your ailment but now devoid of the good bacteria and in a state of being able to become ill easier.
like tose little fish that stick to sharks and clean the skin, may be a pesky lil guy but damn it he’s doing a job he’s helping the shark knows this and lets him be.
Also the over use and prescription of these leads to the evolution of strians of viruses making them immune to the medicines we have. etc etc thats a very simple dumbed down statement but…
Anyway, Be nice to your bacteria and the rest of us, dont over use / abuse antibiotics.
Sure, adipokines like leptin can cause us to gorge on food and accumulate fat. And I guess there are people out there who were dealt genes that will not allow them to lose fat no matter what they do. But I still say that things like this article are absolute cop-outs for the vast majority of obese people.
In fact, I think its deprimental. After all with any change in habits, motivation is the key. I don’t like running, but I will run if I have a lion running towards me. I don’t like eating right, but I will if I know it will improve my health and get me laid more. But if I am told its not up to me, and that there might be a quick fix right around the corner, and that any disease caused by a shitty diet can be fixed with medicine and that chatroom sex with a 50 year old man pretending to be an 18 year old cheerleader is almost good as the real thing, then why spit out the assortment of donuts I’m stuffing in my mouth?