January 14, 2013

Bacteria, For Better or Worse

By Logan Lafferty

Researchers are exploring whether a handful of those critters -- a few billion or so -- are making some of us fat. Even as preliminary clues emerge, however, a Mayo Clinic specialist has some reassuring news about those bugs: "Nearly all of them are friendlies," said Dr. Joseph Murray, a physician and researcher on the digestive system…Leaning on early research, some physicians and nutrition advisers say you can bring joy to the good bugs and discourage the bad ones by getting adequate sleep, controlling stress and eating such foods as unprocessed sugars and grains…."Some of that may be true -- or not true, or partly true -- but we just don't know yet," said Murray, whose musical Irish lilt and playful descriptions make you wonder if your stomach perhaps is a pleasant garden filled with happy little leprechauns who seize and boot out the nasty ogres of disease.

Star Tribune by Warren Wolfe

Tags: bacteria, digestive system, Dr. Joseph Murray, Mayo Clinic Rochester, Research, Star Tribune

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