Bio exam 2

Biological Normal

Variation (the raw material for adaptation and natural selection)

Lactose Intolerance

The biological norm for 75% of the world's adult population

Oral Microbiome Danger Zone

The 1-hour period after eating sugar where pH drops and acid damages teeth

H. Pylori

A gastric microbe that can either cause disease or co-exist depending on context

Skin Microbiome Paradox

Doctors washing hands 80x a day leading to eczema by destroying protective microbes

Gut-Lung Axis

The concept that gut health trains the immune response in the lungs

Amish vs. Hutterite Study

Amish kids had 4x less asthma due to early exposure to farm animals and soil

Prevotella

The 'Forager' microbe that thrives on plant variety and resistant starches

Akkermansia

The 'Gatekeeper' that eats mucin to stimulate a healthy gut lining

Butyrate

A Short Chain Fatty Acid (SCFA) that acts as the main fuel for colon cells

Keystone Species

A species (like wolves in Yellowstone) that holds an entire ecosystem together

Measles R0

12 to 18 (meaning one person infects 12-18 others)

T-regs

Regulatory immune cells trained by microbial signals to prevent overreaction (allergies)

HMOs (Human Milk Oligosaccharides)

Components of breast milk designed specifically to feed gut microbes like Bifidobacteria

The 30-Food Rule

The goal of eating 30 unique plant foods per week for maximum gut diversity

Resistant Starch Hack

Refrigerating cooked potatoes or rice to reform starch that feeds gut microbes