There is more and more research going into the relationship we have with our gut flora. The numbers of gut flora we have are staggering. There are 100 trillion microorganisms in the average human gut - 10 times the number of cells in the entire body. These flora manufacture vitamins, digest nutrients that we can't and defend us from harmful pathogens. These flora are crucial to health and yet many patients with colitis end up having part or all of their bowels removed. This seems wrong to me. If something crucial is broken, better to attempt to fix it than to cut and throw it out. I'm so glad that I have not gone down this route - having a colostomy bag for the rest of my life!
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