One of the many reasons I am a member of the American Society for Microbiology is their dedication not only to excellent science, but science communication and public policy. “Microbes After Hours” is one of their fabulous science communication events. Since 2012, the ASM headquarters in Washington, DC has opened its doors to anyone interested in microbiology for talks, appetizers, and some microbially-fermented beverages. For those who can’t make it to DC, the talks are live streamed through ASM’s MicrobeWorld site. Speakers even take questions via email and twitter at the end of the talk. Fortunately, my mama-scientist, microbe-road trip friend, Robin Munroe, and I made it down in person to the January 28, 2016 Microbes After Hours that featured Dr. Marti Blaser talking about his research and book, Missing Microbes. Read more about his book in this previous post. I was thrilled to finally get my copy of his book signed! Below is our journey in photos compliments of Robin! She also live-tweeted our trip. For future adventures – follow me on Twitter @mostlymicrobes. Microbes After Hours Do you have questions about this or Dr. Blaser’s book? Anything else microbe related? Feel free to ask in the comments section below, fill out a
New Year’s Resolutions for Your Microbiome
Get dirty, sleep, eat a diversity of real food, avoid antibiotics The beginning of a new year is always a time for reflection and resolutions for lifestyle changes and New Year’s resolutions! I’d suggest if you want to improve your life and health, start with the very numerous, yet invisible portion of yourself – your microbiome. The digestive system microbiome is best understood of all the human microbiomes. The importance of these invisible organisms for human health is increasingly apparent. However, scientists are still unraveling what makes up a “healthy” and “unhealthy” gut microbiome. It’s too early in the science to offer exact prescriptives, such as specific probiotics to take at certain doses or how many grams of fiber to incorporate in your diet. However, recent observational and even experimental research, points to general suggestions to improve gut microbiome health. Interestingly many of these suggestions often align with age-old healthy habits, but some may seem initially counterintuitive.