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Tue 7 Nov, 2023 04:18 pm
Robert Lustig, a health and nutritional guru, has confirmed an idea that I have entertained for years, that the human body contains about 10 times the number of bacterial cells as actual human cells.
But before you change your identity from a human one to a microbial one, bear in mind that's the microbial bacteria cells are much smaller than our human cells. Roughly, very roughly, a bacterial cell is 1/10 the length of a human cell. Cubed, that means that 1,000 bacterial cells would fit into a human cell. So, in terms of mass or weight, we still dominate bacterial cells at the ratio of 100 to 1, if I calculate correctly.
Huzzah! If you weigh a hundred pounds, you have one pound of bacteria in and on your body, mostly in your large intestines, and that number varies greatly depending on your last visit to the bathroom.
But, the bacteria are very important to our health and well-being and they shall not be ignored, and it's important that you feed them the right food. The right food according to Robert Lustig is fiber. They're very content munching on fiber, and if they don't get it they get very temperamental and start eating the mucus that is secreted by the colon walls, which apparently is deleterious to our health. Bad things may happen, although I'm not sure what they are. Maybe a lot of inflammable gases are released increasing the risk of spontaneous combustion.
People used to spontaneously combust a lot. . It was a literary device Charles Dickens used in his novels when he couldn't think of a more creative way to dispose of his characters, a sort of deus ex machina. Murder was more popular, but spontaneous combustion was more dramatic and immediate.
Is spontaneous combustion really a thing? I don't know, but I'm not taking any chances, and I'm going to eat more fiber.
A lot of alleged spontanious combustion can be attributed to the wick effect.
There are journals on it.
@izzythepush,
Whew! That's a relief. What's the wick effect?
@coluber2001,
It's a term you can google.
That's a lot easier than me explaining.
In a nutshell, clothes act like a wick meaning a body could burn very slowly leaving remains ascribed to spontanious combustion.
There's a far more detailed explanation available online.
@coluber2001,
Absolutely, fiber is essential! Not only does it keep our microbial companions happy, it's great for overall health. And while the idea of spontaneous combustion is more fiction than fact, it's definitely a compelling reason to stick with a good diet rich in fiber! Stay healthy!
@mannomanek,
Who the heck would give a thumbs down to that?
@coluber2001,
I wonder why this morbid topics are on the head of some people. Are you going to eat more fiber just because there have been a handful of not 100% confirmed cases, over 6 billion people in this planet? You would better use a helmet 24/7 it's more likely something falls in your head and kills you.
@Stacyh,
Wow! That many. I thought spontaneous combustion was fictional.
@coluber2001,
A healthy diet works fro the body but not the brain. The brain is occupied with spiritual functions. Spirituality is health to the mind.
@Prycejosh2024,
What are spiritual functions?
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