Have you ever wondered how many cells make up the human body? Well scientist have been wondering this for many years. Current estimates of the number of human cells in your body is approximately 37.2 trillion, while the number of non human cells is estimated approximately 100 trillion! Truth be told, scientists are debating the exact numbers of human cells and non human cells, but consensus seems to be in the trillions for both and that non human cells out number human cells. Mind blowing right? Likely you are wondering what kind of non human cells are on, or in, the human body? We find virus, fungus, bacteria, yeast, and parasites everywhere from in your digestive tract, to on your skin, in your sinuses, in your liver, even in your brain! As we study these non human cells we are discovering that some seem to be helpful, for example with digestion, while others can cause disease or illness. But, humans being host to non self cells isn’t the only place we find a species playing host to foreign invaders, which can result in disease, illness, or even sometimes some amount of control over the host.
Let’s highlight some of these lesser known non self invaders that have been shown to have some amount of control over its host:
- Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite best known for transferring from cats to humans through contact with cat feces; this is why pregnant women are normally advised to not clean the cat box and sometimes advised to get screened for T. gondii. T. gondii infection generally results in flu like symptoms, but can also cause further issues like seizures to severe lung problems. However, as scientists further study this parasite they have found some interesting correlations with T. gondii infections such as: fearlessness in rats, rats lost their typical fear of cats and cat urine, vision issues, Schizophrenia, bipolar, impulsivity, Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) which is verbal and physical aggression disproportionate to the situational trigger, and even suicide has been linked to T. gondii. Scientists estimate that between 16% to 40% of people world wide are infected depending on region; it is estimated that approximately 20% of Americans are infected while more than double that in Brazil.
- Nematomorph hairworm (Spinochordodes tellinii) lives and breeds in fresh water, but the first parts of its life cycle it eats away at the insides of grasshoppers and crickets. Once fully grown the hairworm causes the host insect to search for water and drown itself allowing the hairworm to mature and to seek out a mate in the water.
- Rabies virus makes animals rabid, causing them to bite others to further transmit the virus.
- A wasp in Costa Rica will parasitize a spider and cause the spider to build a different type of web than it will normally produce, which is more suitable for the wasp larva to begin life on.
- Ants in the rain forests of Thailand, Africa, and Brazil when infected with Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, a parasitic fungus, often called Zombie ants, will crawl away from the trail of other ants, go up a tree, and bite the under side of a leaf and die. This allows the fungus to mature and rain spores down onto the rain forest floor, where it can infect more ants.
- A barnacle called Sacculina can enter a host crab by finding a weak link in its claw joints, will then shed its hard shell and squeezes itself inside the crab where it feeds off the crab. Later it can even feminize a male crab, causing the male crab to care for the millions of barnacle larva.
- Some research has shown a more social behavior in humans after being exposed to the influenza virus, as a flu vaccine, postulating that the virus makes people more social in an attempt to further spread itself.
- Candida over growth in humans has been associated with people craving more sugar.
- The Leucochloridium parasitic worm invades snails, castrates the snail, and then mind controls the host snail to move out into open where birds will eat its eyes, which contain the parasite eggs. The birds then poop the eggs out, where other snails will be exposed to the worm eggs, and the cycle continues.
- Hookworm generally enters the human body by contact with a bare foot; which would then enter the blood stream and enter the lungs which triggers a dry cough. The larvae would then travel up into the throat and is then swallowed back down, ultimately living in the small intestine. Hookworm infection can be associated with iron deficiency and malnutrition, but it is also associated with lower IQ, brain fog, and exhaustion.
Common ways people get contact and infection with non self pathogens include: stress, lack of sleep, and sugar can all weaken the immune system, lack of HCL production in the stomach weakens the first line of defense in the digestive system, under cooked infected beef, pork, chicken, game animals, fish, and organ meat, ingestion of pathogenic eggs via host feces contamination of food, fruit, vegetables, and water, skin penetration from host feces via soil usually through the feet, skin contact with infected bodies of water, lakes, streams, and pools, some pathogens can even live in chlorinated pools or spas, contact with infected animals, wildlife, or pets, bites from contaminated insects, inhalation of airborne eggs or spores, physical skin contact with contaminated surfaces like bedding, tile, carpet etc.
Want to live in your own bio dome yet? But, as you likely already understand we have been living in a world with these bugs surrounding us for thousands of years, unknowingly for many of those years, without too much of a problem; except for the occasional historical outbreak which often was related to cleanliness. In fact, in recent years as we have tried to have anti-microbial everything, for example wipes, soaps, and medications, we have knowingly created what we now call supper bugs; such as C. diff and MRSA, which are resistant to medicinal treatments. Some of the newest understanding is now looking at how some of these bugs are actually helpful to our health in multiple ways from bacteria with digestion, to viruses in our mucus that can infect and kill bacteria. Our newest understanding leads us to believe instead of trying to kill everything, the good with the bad, how do we live in homeostasis with these bugs acquiring the good and decreasing exposure to the bad, while increasing our body’s defenses against the bad.
So what can you do to safe guard yourself as best as possible to both reduce your risks of exposure and increase your body’s defenses: dump out any standing water near your home, wear light colored clothing that covers exposed skin that could result in bug bites (depending on where you are consider tucking your pant legs into your socks for better protection), stay indoors during dusk and dawn as this is high time for mosquitoes, use essential oil bug repellents, avoid known tick or mosquito infested areas, check yourself and your family for ticks or bug bites, don’t kill ticks with your bare hands, drink clean bottled water while traveling, stay away from cat litter and feces, practice safe sex, wash hands often, don’t bite your finger nails, cook food to recommended temperatures, practice good hygiene, avoid swallowing water in lakes, streams, or ponds, cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, don’t share cups, drinks, dishes, or eating utensils, clean and bandage all cuts appropriately, wear a mask when exposed to inhaling dust, soil, mold, virus, bacteria, or fungus, understand that some medications will weaken your immune system and exposure can be even more risky, resolve chronic infection, resolve chronic wounds (especially for diabetics), avoid known contaminated bodies of water, reduce stress, reduce sugar intake, nourish your body to have a strong effective immune system, take every fever and sickness serious and get rest and consider staying home, be careful where you go bare foot, get good deep consistent sleep, eat traditional fermented foods, make sure your digestive system is functioning optimally, only eat at restaurants with an “A” rating, ask questions, learn, and seek the appropriate health care professionals both when sick and when looking for guidance to build up your defenses. Till next time, yours in health- Dr. B