We Need Dirt In Our Diet - Keys to Good Nutrition and Tips to Eating Healthy

"The best way to quickly replenish and stabilize friendly bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and develop a balanced immune system that reacts only as needed is the regular ingestion of live, fermented, probiotic-rich food and supplementation with homeostatic soil organisms. Homeostatic soil organisms (HSOs), in addition to a diet that includes liberal amounts of cultured or fermented foods including yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut, will create the proper balance your gut needs to be healthy." - Dr. Jordan Rubin

WE NEED DIRT

I would like to share with you another key to good nutrition and to eating healthy: dirt! Believe it or not, we all need some dirt in our diet. In 1989, Dr. David Strachan, an epidemiologist at Britain's London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, started a storm of debate with a complex theory of human immunology development and disease control by stating, "We need dirt." Dr. Strachan suggested that society's growing separation from dirt and germs may be the cause of weaker immune systems resulting in the growing incidence of a wide range of illnesses. A growing number of scientists and medical researchers agree with Dr. Strachan's theory that the microbes in the earth's soil may be some of our best friends.

America's soil used to be some of the richest in the world, but after World War II these natural soil organisms were displaced as a result of chemical farming and pesticide usage by commercial agribusiness. Today, America's soil is essentially sterile because pesticides and herbicides kill virtually every microorganism they touch, both bad and good. This is similar to the overuse of medical antibiotics that has reduced the human gut to a barren landscape because antibiotics kill the good bacteria along with the bad. For most of us, our overly sterile environment has practically severed our healthy relationship to the soil and has seriously weakened our immune system.

OUR BODIES NEED HOMEOSTATIC SOIL ORGANISMS (HSOs)

According to Dr. Jordan Rubin, "Regular ingestion of HSOs produce a significant reservoir of extra antibodies ready for targeted response, greatly increasing the effectiveness of an individual's immune system." This reservoir depends on regular ingestion of HSOs, and appears to diminish when HSO ingestion stops. In an important and healthy way, homeostatic soil organisms help to restore the lost link between the body and the earth.

BACTERIAL IMBALANCE IN THE GUT

Dysbiosis is the condition of bacterial imbalance in the gut, which results in abnormal fermentation in the small intestine. The growth of yeast, fungi, and fermenting pathogenic bacteria in the small intestine may damage the gut lining, cause toxic by-products to be absorbed, and impair the absorption of important nutrients. Eating junk food and other "comfort food" only feeds this vicious cycle. The best way to improve the microbial balance in the gut is by consuming nutrient-rich live whole foods and by taking supplemental HSOs.

One of the most challenging health problems that face doctors today is the prevention and treatment of dysbiosis and dysbacteriosis. According to Dr. Rubin, "When dysbiosis sets in, creating imbalance between the protective or 'friendly' bacteria and the 'unfriendly' bacteria, even normally harmless organisms encountered may produce illness." Studies implicate intestinal bacterial imbalances as an underlying root cause for conditions ranging from recurrent infections and immune breakdown to chronic fatigue. Dr. Rubin states that according to one study, dysbiosis may leave us predisposed to ailments such as diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, colon cancer, allergies, vaginitis, hypoglycemia, food cravings, lack of mental clarity, increased susceptibility to infection, and many other health conditions.

PROPER BACTERIAL BALANCE IN THE GUT

Your health depends on your body having a healthy balanced intestinal flora in your gut of approximately 85% "good" bacteria and 15% "bad" microorganisms. This is the proper proportion of good versus bad bacteria in a healthy gastrointestinal system. Unfortunately, most Americans have the exact opposite ratio of 85% "bad" and only 15% "good" bacteria in their gut.

STEPS TO RESTORING & MAINTAINING A HEALTHY GUT

Step 1 - Reconnect with the earth's soil. You can do this by doing some gardening, playing in the dirt with your kids, taking a hike in the mountains, going camping, etc. A growing number of nutritionists, medical doctors, and scientists believe this is the most effective way to enhance the healing response of the body.

Step 2 - Begin homeostatic soil organism (HSO) supplementation. Combining a live, whole food based diet with HSO supplementation can help improve bodily functions and build a stronger immunity system that is prepared to fight against infection and illnesses.

Soil based organisms produce bacteriocins, a substance which acts as a natural antibiotic that kills almost any kind of pathogenic microorganisms and sets up a protective shield in the gut. HSOs also seem to provide an offense against worms, protozoa, candida albicans, and other parasites in the intestines and related tissues and organs.

HSOs are also able to establish "good" colonies in the entire digestive system, where they attach themselves to the walls of the digestive tract and dig behind the putrefaction lining the intestine walls where they destroy "bad" bacteria. Also, unlike many traditional probiotics, HSOs seem to be much hardier and are better able to survive the harsh environment of the gut until they reach the place where they are most needed in the intestine.

According to an article in the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients (Feb/Mar 2001), entitled, "Medical Innovative Biologics: Homeostatic Soil Organisms Support Immune System Functions From the Ground Up," scientists attribute the following health benefits to the consumption of homeostatic soil organisms (HSOs):

A. HSOs quench free radicals by creating superoxide dismutase (SOD). Superoxide dismutase is a powerful antioxidant that is produced by HSOs. SOD works enzymatically as a first-line of defense against free radicals, stopping them before they can cause serious organ damage.

B. HSOs pool new RNA and DNA in the cells. HSOs provide a rich source of coded instructions for the cells to reactivate their own repair called DNA and RNA. HSOs seem to work in a mutually beneficial relationship with body tissues by creating a pool of extra DNA and RNA raw materials, which is available to help accelerate the healing process.

C. HSOs stimulate the production of polypeptide alpha interferon, a molecular protein and a key immune system regulator.

D. HSOs help stimulate the formation of human lactoferrin, one of the body's iron-carrying proteins.

CONCLUSION ABOUT HOMEOSTATIC SOIL ORGANISMS (HSOs)

We all need more dirt in our diet. We all need to be more closely connected to the soil of the earth because the soil has homeostatic soil organisms that our bodies need to help build a strong immune system. Remember, there are two important steps to a healthy gut. First, spend more time connecting to the soil through various outdoor activities. Second, start reaping the benefits of HSO supplementation and a live, whole food based diet.

By the way, if you would like to order a 90-day supply of homeostatic soil organisms from Uri International, please click on the following link. URI HSO Probiotics

This information was taken from chapter four of Dr. Jordan Rubin's book, "The Maker's Diet."