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What is a Microbiome?
What is a Microbiome?
"The microbiome is the collection of all microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and their genes, that naturally live on our bodies and inside us. Although microbes are so small that they require a microscope to see them, they contribute in big ways to human health and wellness. They protect us against pathogens, help our immune system develop, and enable us to digest food to produce energy.
Because the microbiome is a key interface between the body and the environment, these microbes can affect health in many ways and can even affect how we respond to certain environmental substances. Some microbes alter environmental substances in ways that make them more toxic, while others act as a buffer and make environmental substances less harmful."
Microbiome Role in Fighting Infection:
Microbiome Role in Fighting Infection:
"The critical role of the microbiome is not surprising when considering that there are as many microbes as there are human cells in the body. The human microbiome is diverse, and each body site – for example, the gut, skin, and oral and nasal cavities – has a different community of microbes.
A person’s core microbiome is formed in the first years of life but can change over time in response to different factors including diet, medications, and environmental exposures.
Differences in the microbiome may lead to different health effects from environmental exposures and may also help determine individual susceptibility to certain illnesses. Environmental exposures can also disrupt a person’s microbiome in ways that could increase the likelihood of developing conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease. For example, specific changes in the gut microbiome have been linked to liver health. NIEHS-funded researchers and collaborators developed a rapid, low-cost tool that uses stool samples to detect microbial changes that can accurately diagnose liver fibrosis and cirrhosis."
Understanding Microbes & Pathogens:
Understanding Microbes & Pathogens:
Microbes are tiny living things that are found all around us. Also known as microorganisms, they are too small to be seen by the naked eye. They live in water, soil, and in the air. The human body is home to millions of these microbes too.
Some microbes make us ill, others are important for our health. The most common types are bacteria, viruses and fungi. There are also microbes called protozoa. These are tiny living things that are responsible for diseases such as toxoplasmosis and malaria.
Prokaryote, any organism that lacks a distinct nucleus and other organelles due to the absence of internal membranes. Bacteria are among the best-known prokaryotic organisms. The lack of internal membranes in prokaryotes distinguishes them from eukaryotes. The prokaryotic cell membrane is made up of phospholipids and constitutes the cell’s primary osmotic barrier.
Eukaryote, any cell or organism that possesses a clearly defined nucleus. The eukaryotic cell has a nuclear membrane that surrounds the nucleus, in which the well-defined chromosomes (bodies containing the hereditary material) are located.
(Above photo of Streptococcus pyogenes)
"Unicellular organisms are living beings composed of just a single cell that performs all life functions independently.
These microscopic marvels (though some are visible to the naked eye) include all prokaryotes, most protists, and some fungi.
Notable examples highlighted in the video include Valonia ventricosa (one of the largest unicellular organisms), Euglena (which uses a flagellum to move), and paramecium (covered with tiny hairs called cilia for movement).
Although unicellular organisms may differ in appearance and habitat, they share the remarkable ability to complete all necessary life processes within their single-celled structure."
Unicellular organisms carry out all life processes within a single cell
They include diverse life forms like protazoa, prokaryotes, and fungi
(Above photo of plant cells aligned together)
"What does multicellular mean? A complete multicellular definition can be understood by breaking the word down into its component parts. The prefix "multi" means many and cellular means about or involving cells. So, a multicellular organism definition is: an organism that is made of many cells, such as plants, animals or fungi. Multicellular organisms are different from unicellular organisms, such as bacteria, which are only made of one cell. Multicellular organisms tend to be larger and more complex than unicellular organisms. This allows them to have more complex body processes, including nutrient storage, communication, and social interactions with other organisms."
Specialized Cell Designation for different processes, (Body Systems)
Four Types of Microbes:
Four Types of Microbes:
Viruses
Viruses
Unlike bacteria, viruses have no cells of their own. This means that they're not, strictly speaking, living organisms. Instead, they're made up of one or more molecules surrounded by a protein shell. The genetic information found inside this shell is needed for the viruses to reproduce.
Many viruses cause diseases. Some are harmless and only lead to a minor cold, while others can cause serious diseases like AIDS. Other diseases caused by viruses include COVID-19, influenza ("the flu"), measles and inflammation of the liver (viral hepatitis).
Viruses invade healthy cells and start to multiply from these cells. A virus can't reproduce without these host cells. Not all viruses cause symptoms, and in many cases the body successfully fights back against the attackers. This is the case with cold sore viruses, which many people become infected with at some point. These viruses lie inactive in certain nerve cells. In some people they lead to the typical lip sores when their immune system is weak or run-down.
It is quite difficult to fight viruses with medication. To protect against some viruses, the immune system can be “trained” by a vaccination so that the body is better prepared to fight the virus.
Bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are single-cell organisms. Some bacteria need oxygen to survive and others do not. Some love the heat, while others prefer a cold environment. Well-known examples of bacteria include salmonella and staphylococcus bacteria.
Most bacteria aren't dangerous for humans. Many of them even live on or in our body and help us to stay healthy. For instance, lactic acid bacteria in the bowel help us to digest food. Other bacteria help the immune system by fighting germs. Some bacteria are also needed in order to produce certain types of food, like yogurt, sauerkraut or cheese.
Less than 1% of all bacteria cause diseases – but this is just a rough estimate because there are no exact numbers. Tuberculosis, for instance, is caused by bacteria. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. These are medicines that kill the bacteria or at least stop them from multiplying.
Many other infections – including diarrhea, colds or tonsillitis – can also be caused by bacteria, but they are usually caused by viruses. Antibiotics aren't effective against viruses. So it's not a good idea to start using antibiotics too soon if you're not sure that it's a bacterial infection.
Fungi
Fungi
Fungi can live in lots of different environments. The best-known fungi include yeast, mold and edible fungi like mushrooms. Just like bacteria, some fungi occur naturally on the skin or in the body. But fungi can also cause diseases.
Diseases caused by fungi are called mycoses. Common examples include athlete’s foot or fungal infections of the nails. Fungal infections can sometimes also cause inflammations of the lungs, or of mucous membranes in the mouthor on the reproductive organs. These can become life-threatening in people who have a weakened immune system.
But some fungi can also help to fight diseases. For example, one type of mold naturally produces the antibiotic penicillin, which fights bacteria.
Protazoa
Protazoa
Protozoa are one-celled animals found worldwide in most habitats. Most species are free living, but all higher animals are infected with one or more species of protozoa. Infections range from asymptomatic to life threatening, depending on the species and strain of the parasite and the resistance of the host. Protozoa are microscopic unicellular eukaryotes that have a relatively complex internal structure and carry out complex metabolic activities. Some protozoa have structures for propulsion or other types of movement.
Microbes that are Harmful to Humans and their Microbiome are Considered Pathogens
Microbes that are Harmful to Humans and their Microbiome are Considered Pathogens
Three Types of Microbe Transmission:
Three Types of Microbe Transmission:
Airborne
Airborne
Airborne microbes spread through tiny particles or droplets that are expelled when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or even talks. These particles can remain suspended in the air for long periods and travel across distances, especially in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. Diseases like tuberculosis, measles, and COVID-19 can spread this way. Because these microbes are so small, they can be inhaled deep into the lungs, making airborne transmission especially dangerous and difficult to control without proper masks or ventilation.
Water-Droplet Borne
Water-Droplet Borne
This type of transmission occurs when microbes are carried in larger respiratory droplets, which are heavier and fall to the ground more quickly than airborne particles. These droplets are typically spread through coughing, sneezing, or talking at close range and can land in the mouths, noses, or eyes of nearby people. Some viruses, like the flu or RSV, primarily spread this way. Water-droplet transmission can also occur indirectly if droplets land on surfaces and someone touches that surface, then touches their face, even though its less common.
Blood Borne
Blood Borne
Bloodborne microbes are spread through direct contact with infected blood or other bodily fluids, often through needles, transfusions, or open wounds. This type of transmission is common with viruses like HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Because bloodborne pathogens need to enter the bloodstream to infect someone, they typically do not spread through casual contact. Preventing transmission involves using clean needles, safe medical practices, and personal protective equipment like gloves in healthcare settings.
Types of Pathogen Infections:
Types of Pathogen Infections:
Chronic Infections
Chronic Infections
Long-Term Viral Infections
Some viruses can remain in the body for life, either by hiding in cells or by continuously replicating at low levels. These include HIV, hepatitis B and C, (Blood Borne) and herpesviruses like EBV and CMV (Saliva transmission)&(both are responsible for the contraction of 'mono' or mononucleosis).
Chronic viral infections can cause ongoing immune system activation, which wears down the immune system over time. This can lead to “immune exhaustion,” where T cells become less effective at fighting infection.
In cases like HIV, the virus directly damages the immune system, destroying key cells (CD4+ T cells) and eventually leading to a severely weakened immune defense if untreated.
Viruses like EBV and CMV enter a "latent" state, where they remain dormant but can reactivate. Even while inactive, they can alter immune system function and contribute to aging of the immune system (a process called "inflammaging").
Chronic inflammation caused by these viruses may increase the risk of cancer or organ damage, especially in the liver (hepatitis viruses) or the immune system itself (HIV, EBV).
Acute Infections
Acute Infections
Short-Term Viral Infections
The immune system responds immediately by activating its first line of defense, known as the innate immune response. This includes the release of molecules like interferons and cytokines, which help fight the virus and alert the rest of the immune system.
Symptoms and inflammation is a common side effect of this early response, which is responsible for symptoms like fever, body aches, and fatigue.
Soon after, the adaptive immune system is activated, where specialized cells like T cells (which destroy infected cells) and B cells (which produce antibodies) are deployed to target and eliminate the virus.
In most cases, the infection is cleared and immune memory is formed, meaning your body "remembers" how to fight the virus if exposed again. The longer a person has been kept from viral exposure the higher the risk of immunity (memory) 'wearing off,' though often viral mutation is to blame for repeated contraction throughout life.
Nosocomial infections (also called healthcare-associated infections, hospital-acquired infections or HAIs) are illnesses you can get at a medical facility while you’re getting treatment for another condition. These infections can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening conditions. HAIs can occur in a variety of settings like hospitals, surgical centers, dialysis clinics and long-term care facilities.
By definition, HAIs are infections that happen within:
Forty-eight hours of arrival or hospital admission.
Three days after discharge from a hospital or surgical center.
Thirty days of a surgical procedure.
Viral Mutation:
Viral Mutation:
Mutation is a natural process for survival. By becoming more effective in moving from host to host and reproducing faster, a virus can extend its life. Other natural reasons for mutation include becoming more effective in adhering to host surfaces, such as the spike protein of COVID-19. Mutation also helps viruses to evade immune responses and vaccines. Sometimes viruses mutate as they make copies of themselves. Sometimes reproduction causes errors, and a gene reproduces incorrectly. Sometimes these errors have no impact at all. Often, however, these errors, or mutations, can be beneficial. If the changes are heritable, they’re passed down to future generations. All organisms mutate. Mutations are the basis for evolution and natural selection. Virus mutation is one of the most compelling arguments for viruses to be classed as living organisms. As with any mutation, some changes will provide a benefit that leads to more efficient reproduction. Others may be dead ends or even harmful, limiting an organism’s ability to thrive.
Mutation. Mutations are errors in the replication of the virus’s genetic code. Mutations can be beneficial to the virus, deleterious to the virus, or neutral.
Variants. Viruses with these mutations are called variants. The Delta and Omicron variants are examples of coronavirus mutations that cause different symptoms from the original infection.
Strains. Variants that have different physical properties are called strains. These strains may have different behaviors or mechanisms for infection or reproduction.
Mutations impact on disease control:
Mutations lead to more Variants, and Variants lead to more Re-Infections of people who had antibodies for a virus without this variant mutation. This allows the virus to re-infect a population for long periods of time, keeping it alive and spreadable for much longer.
How many microbes are in our bodies?
How many microbes are in our bodies?
Recent research suggests that there is a one to one ratio of microbes to human cells in our bodies. While that seems like an extremely large amount, the previously believed ratio was 10:1, microbes:human-cells (1977), so now that we understand so much more about the microbes and microbiome of the body, we are able to begin learning how much of an effect is has on the body's function and further our methods of medical treatments.
Our microbiome is an ongoing battle of sorts between all types of microbes, good and bad, often won by the microbes that live in and on our bodies. When we have an infection of any kind, it is often because a lack of hygiene or microbiome health was not strong enough to fight off the other microbe introduced to the body.
Normal Flora & Environmental Microbiomes:
Normal Flora & Environmental Microbiomes:
Normal Flora - Medical Microbiology - NCBI Bookshelf.pdf
Why is it important that we discuss the relationships we have with other people when it comes to the hygiene of our immune system and body? Well there are many reasons, but to start: we share our microbiome with our closest community members. When we share food, space, bodily fluids, etc. with our community, we are sharing our microbiomes. If you live with other people, you share dominant parts of your microbiome with them. We all share many of the same biometric make up in our microbiomes without directly sharing those microbes; however, the specific types or mutations can vary person-to-person.
When we are sharing our enviroment with others we have to ask ourselves if the environment were in is conducive to good hygiene practices. We are aware that many people don't have readily access to safe hygienic environments, due to the criminalization of homelessness and lack of access for most health conditions. We have people in our community who have to take their health very seriously, and for these individuals, thinking about their community support can be hard without us all having access to microbiome education. It's vitally important that we remember disability, and immunocompromisation is not someone's choice, they are forced to live their life under those regulations, because if they don't they are at a higher risk of death.
There are many good microbes, and as we've learned there is one microbe-cell for every human-cell in our bocies. We know that our personal, communal, and regional microbiomes are a big piece of our health and hygiene puzzle. When we are moving long distances, or changing our environment all together, we are more likely to experience exposure to microbes that could become pathogens for us.
Sharing space with community should be fun and without social pressure to risk your health, thats why having shared-community-values can help people feel better about sharing that space. We know that the more we lack strength in our community values, the more we are likely to be exposed to things we didn't consent to. Having a good sense of your community, through conversation and criticism, can make one feel a lot better about the potential risks of being in that shared space.
Passive Immunity:
Passive Immunity:
Passive Immunity, is something that we often don't discuss, because it's vital that we understand how important things like vaccinations and masking are for protecting our community from pathogens. However, understanding the formation of the human immune system and the vital roles that each body system and person has to play in the greater scheme of microbes allows us to make the decisions best for us and those around us. Having a good community standard for avoiding others when you believe you may be sick (of course seek medical attention), protecting our community when we do have to go into public spaces unwell, getting vaccinated when possible, and prioritizing the safety of your community, as we all hope to be prioritized by them.
"Antibodies are proteins that bind to and help attack pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. They are a key component of the human immune system.
Typically, antibodies are produced by white blood cells in response to infection. But scientists have also developed ways to use antibody treatment to prevent disease. Vaccines, for example, trigger the production of antibodies in order to "teach" the immune system to fight future illness. Passive immunization provides similar, typically temporary, protection by "donating" antibodies, derived from humans or animals, to a vulnerable individual.
Passive immunity can develop naturally, such as when a mother's antibodies are transferred to a growing fetus or nursing infant. It also can occur artificially when antibodies that protect against specific pathogens are transferred, often via blood or plasma transfusion. Antibodies obtained from a source such as blood will include a mixture of variations, which arise as part of a natural immune response. These are called polyclonal antibodies, and they target different areas of an infectious agent. Monoclonal antibodies can be made in the laboratory and will all have the same target."
"Antibodies are located in various areas of your body, including your skin, lungs, tears, saliva and even breast milk. In fact, high amounts of antibodies are present in colostrum (a thick fluid secreted by the breasts for a few days after giving birth). That’s why breastfeeding can boost your baby’s immune system."
How can we keep our Microbiome healthy?
How can we keep our Microbiome healthy?
Healthy Habits:
Healthy Habits:
Washing our Hands and Showering Frequently
Washing our Hands and Showering Frequently
Washing our skin regularly protects the microbiome living on our body from harmful microbes that come in contact. Using NON Antibacterial Soaps, to protect from drug resistance.
Wearing/using Proper Protection (PPE) when Engaging with Pathogens
Wearing/using Proper Protection (PPE) when Engaging with Pathogens
Wearing the correct protection can allow for a barrier that can protect you from exposure to harmful pathogens.
Self-Health-Awareness
Self-Health-Awareness
Purposely centering how we feel in our bodies and allowing us to assess our selves for any conditional changes. Staying aware of symptoms that may indicate you have been infected by contagious pathogens.
Getting Vaccinated
Getting Vaccinated
Vaccinations allow us to produce antibodies to fight off infection before it makes us symptomatic/contagious.
Proper Food Management
Proper Food Management
Using proper food prep and storage procedures, and maintaining a healthy diet (lots of fiber), allows for our bodies to build a strong microbiome.
Regulating Medications
Regulating Medications
Regulating our medications with our doctor and pharmacist, to make sure we are not impacting our bodies negatively.
Filtering Water
Filtering Water
Filtering your water can prevent microbes, heavy metals, and other contaminants that can causes someone to become sick or at greater risk for infection.
Monitoring Stress
Monitoring Stress
Stress can take a large tole on our immune system, so being aware of how our stress levels may put us at a higher risk is important.
Receiving Healthcare
Receiving Healthcare
Go to your doctor if you have any concerns or questions on how your body is feeling.
Colonization: When a germ or microbe is found on or in the body but does not cause symptoms or disease. Finding the microbe multiple times over time could represent persistent colonization.
Diversity: The variety and composition of microbes present in a microbial community. Diversity can be evaluated at different levels (e.g., genus, species, strain, operational taxonomic units). Diversity can be measured using an index, such as alpha (within a community) or beta (among two or more communities) diversity.
Dominance: When a particular microbe makes up a large portion of a microbial community (e.g., >30%). An increased portion of a particular microbe may be associated with development of infection, sepsis, or other adverse outcomes.
Ecological pressure: Any force(s) that impact living organisms (i.e., microbes) and/or their environment.
Endogenous infection: When a person gets an infection caused by a pathogen that is already colonizing a part of their body (e.g., S. aureus in their nose).
Exogenous infection: When a person gets an infection from a pathogen that recently spread to them from another person or from a contaminated surface.
Fitness: Any trait that allows a microbe at any taxonomic level (e.g., genus, species, strain) or a community of microbes to thrive in the environment.
Infection: When a microbe (e.g., bacteria, fungi) causes disease in a living organism (e.g., person, animal).
Microbes: Tiny living organisms, including bacteria and fungi, that can mostly only be seen with a microscope. Often referred to as germs.
Microbial ecology: The study of the relationships and interactions within microbial communities (e.g., environment-host-microbe) within a defined space.
Microbiome: A community of naturally occurring germs within a defined space, such as in and on our bodies. Microbial communities are found on our skin, and in our mouth, respiratory tract, urinary tract, and gut.
Microbiota: Microbes living in a microbiome. Microbiota in our bodies can work together to help keep us from getting sick.
Microbial strain: Germs with very similar genetics and one or more genetic traits that makes them different from other strains. These different genetic traits can sometimes help the germ survive and multiply in certain environments (i.e., fitness).
Strain selection: External pressure (e.g., antibiotic) applied to microbes. Microbes that withstand the pressure survive.
Virulence: A measure of the ability or likelihood to cause disease.
Virulence factor: A trait that allows a microbe to grow, multiply, and cause disease in a host (e.g., person, animal).
Antibiotic & Chemical Effects on the Microbiome:
Antibiotic & Chemical Effects on the Microbiome:
If you believe you have a bacterial infection, it's most likely that you need antibiotics to get better, which means you have to contact a healthcare professional for a proper understanding of which antibiotic is best for you.
There are some things that if you've never taken an antibiotic before, you may encounter things like tummy upset, bloating, fatigue, etc. When we take an Anti-biotic we are taking a drug that kills a specfic kind of microbe, bacteria. From there we have different anti-biotics for differnt types of bacteria. You may have heard Gram+/- bacteria before, that refers to the type of cell membrane the bacterium has. Often times our choices of antibiotics are based on factors like this so that we are attempting to specialize our drug for specific use. This doesn't stop the antibiotic from killing the good bacteria in our body's aswell. That's why keeping a probiotic-heavy diet while on antibiotics, can help ease the discomfort of the changes happenign to the gut's microbiome (often the most sympotmatic). There are a (few) people who can gain secondary infections because killing off one type of bacteria allows for another to flourish without restraint (becoming an unbalanced flora). It's important to keep in contact with your doctor if you have any questions about your symptoms or experiences while taking antibiotics. This is another reason why we NEVER take antibiotics for non-bacterial infections, they will not help during a viral infection. However, if someone has a viral infection, sometimes they can contract a bacterial infection as well (example: flu causing pneumonia), this is why we should monitor our symptoms and health even when we are sick to make sure we are treating our bodies with health as a priority.
If you are an AFAB (assigned female at birth) person, your reproductive system has its own microbiome! The microbiome of the vaginal canal and uterus is a very intentional design to keep our bodies safe from potential pathogens that could be introduced. While many people can have tummy/gut issues from taking antibiotics, AFAB people often face potential yeast (fungus) infections in their reproductive system because the antibiotics can throw the microbiome off balance. Aside from Antibiotics, introducing 'cleaners', 'fragrance', and other chemicals to your vaginal canal can be very detrimental for ones overall bodily health. There are many chemicals that effects the abilty for microbes to live in harmony, avoiding added chemicals to your body can help protect the good microbiome you have.
Antibiotic Resistance (Bacteria):
Antibiotic Resistance (Bacteria):
Antibiotics are a class of drugs that are known for their ability to kill or eradicate (overtime) BACTERIAL infections in the body, or on surfaces. Antibiotics are all around, they are in our Cleaning supplies, Meats (given to livestock), Soaps, First Aid Supplies, and more. Consequently, we have a large amount of antibiotics that make it into our water runoff/sewage. While some of these things are beneficial because they can protect us from pathogenic infection. However, we know that the more exposure these microbes have to antibiotics, the more they are able to become Antibiotic Resistance.
How do Bacteria become Antibiotic Resistant:
How do Bacteria become Antibiotic Resistant:
Since microbes are often prokaryotic, their DNA is free floating which means when they die from antibiotic use, the pieces of DNA that are antibiotic resistant may survive. These DNA strands are then able to be picked up by other microbes or (most often) the residual surviving cells of that initial infection pick the DNA up, causing a secondary infection that is often much worse than the original. No matter how much sanitization we are able to complete, the dead microbes, their DNA, and new Microbes will always be in an environment. The only things we know are perfectly clean are sterilized items, which often are found in hospitals that own a autoclave, and prepackaged sterile bandages etc.
This is also why when prescribed antibiotics, we should always finish the entire prescription regardless of if we are feeling better. Misuse of Antibiotics causes Antibiotic Resistance, which long-term and short-term is very dangerous and deadly for people around the world.
As a community, country, and greater global people, we have to be very cautious around how we fight off microbial infections, and make sure that we understand how antibiotic resistance can occur. To keep ourselves and other people safe, we should spread information about proper surface cleaning methods, beneficial diet changes, hygiene, and when to seek medical help.
If you believe you have a bacterial infection, it's most likely that you need antibiotics to get better, which means you have to contact a healthcare professional for a proper understanding of which antibiotic is best for you.
If you are an AFAB person, our reproductive system has it's own microbiome. While many people can have tummy/gut issues from taking antibiotics, AFAB people often face potential yeast (fungus) infections in their reproductive system because the antibiotics can throw the microbiome off balance.
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THIS IS ACTIVISM, recommends that people mask for the protection of their community and themselves. We personally use KN-95 Masks whenever we are in common public places, large events, and crowded outside areas; however, masking is beneficial in all environments where other people are present to share water-droplet and airborne pathogens. It's important that we know that people who mask in public, are not sick; often times these individuals are protecting themselves and their community from the further spread of germs. Just because a person is wearing a mask, does not mean that they have a precarious health condition. While that could be the case, it's never our place to ask why someone is wearing a mask. Often times people in community with immuocompromised individuals participate in masking to protect their loved-ones.
When you are around someone who is masking, and you want to make them feel more welcome the best thing for you to do, is to see if you can wear a mask as well and encourage it of other people at the event of in that group. This provides strength in numbers and can allow for greater protection of your community's health.
"Dysautonomia is an umbrella term used to describe several different medical conditions that cause a malfunction of the Autonomic Nervous System. The Autonomic Nervous System controls the "automatic" functions of the body that we do not consciously think about, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, dilation and constriction of the pupils of the eye, kidney function, and temperature control. People living with various forms of dysautonomia have trouble regulating these systems, which can result in lightheadedness, fainting, unstable blood pressure, abnormal heart rates, malnutrition, and in severe cases, death."
Wearing a mask is an additional prevention strategy that offers you an extra layer of protection from respiratory illness.
This action can be helpful in certain settings, like crowded spaces or when illnesses are increasing in your community, or if you or someone you spend time with is at higher risk of getting very sick.
Types of Masks & How They Work:
Types of Masks & How They Work:
"Generally, masks can help act as a filter to reduce the number of germs you breathe in or out. Their effectiveness can vary against different viruses, for example, based on the size of the virus. When worn by a person who has a virus, masks can reduce the chances they spread it to others. Masks can also protect wearers from inhaling germs; this type of protection typically comes from better fitting masks (for example, N95 or KN95 respirators).
There are many different types of masks, and how well they block viruses depends on their design and how well they fit against your face. Cloth masks generally offer lower levels of protection to wearers, surgical/disposable masks usually offer more protection, international filtering face-piece respirators (like KN95 respirators) offer even more, and the most protective respirators are NIOSH Approved® filtering face-piece respirators (like N95® respirators)."
Viral infections can have a wide range of impacts on the immune system over time, depending on the virus, the duration of infection (acute vs. chronic), host factors (like age and immune status), and whether the virus is cleared or persists in the body. For many people, these infections lead to chronic autoimmune diseases. Those who already face autoimmune diseases or chronic illness, have a higher chance of making things worse when infected with a virus. Even the common cold is able to do serious damage to people whose immune systems are already compromised.
Understanding the impacts of viral infection on the community is vital, as we know autoimmune and chronic illness conditions have been worsening and increasing overtime in our population. While we know that energy, stress, diet, and lots of things have an impact on someone's health, most of those things are out of our control. Those of us who have to work to live, do not always get to decide when to put less energy into work and more energy into our health. Disabililty and Chronic illness is apart of every person's life, whether or not they have been directly effected by it yet.
Drug Resistance is a rather unfortunate scenario, but with every type of life finds a way to persist.
Important Global Pathogen Information:
Important Global Pathogen Information:
Environmental Testing:
Environmental Testing:
Taking Our Hygiene More Seriously:
Taking Our Hygiene More Seriously:
Do you know how your body works?
Do you look at your body frequently? Is there anything that you feel that seems new?
Do you know if you have checked your skin recently for any irregularities?
Does anything seem different than it was in the past?
Brushing our Teeth Regularly
When it comes to brushing our teeth and keeping our dental hygiene good, know that you can start at any time! Many people struggle with good consistent dental hygiene, and many don’t have access to reasonably priced dental care.
Brushing our teeth, two times a day is the recommendation, but doing it as often as you remember (more or less) is the best practice when you struggle with a dental cleaning routine.
Flossing our teeth and using other tools than just our toothbrushes, to clean our teeth.
Washing our Bodies
Do you wash all the parts of your body regularly?
We know sometimes bathing ourselves can seem hard to do, especially when we have trouble with our mental health; however, it can also be relaxing and regulating for the body.
Do you know about the microbiome your body has, and how to keep it healthy?
We should not use anti-bacterial soaps to wash our bodies regularly; it can cause serious damage to our microbiome and cause other infections of the skin and body.
Discussing our Health with Others
Discussing our health with others, consensually and with consciousness for our health’s impact on one another during the viral season.
Checking for Breast Lumps
If you are concerned about any of the abnormalities you find you should reach out to your doctor, or make an appointment to a Planned Parenthood for a Breast Exam.
Food Consciousness
How can we be better about fueling our bodies with food and clean water, if we have access?
Are we using the proper food protocols when storing and cooking foods we plan to eat and/or share with others?
Are we protecting ourselves and others from pathogens when cooking and handling our foods?
How can we provide meals and clean water to those in our community that are struggling with access to them?
Hydration/ Electrolytes
When you drink liquids are you getting enough water into your body?
Are you making sure that when you are drinking liquids including water, that you take into account how they affect your body’s electrolyte system? Are you getting enough salt in your diet to match your water intake?
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There is always more research being done!
There is always more research being done!
If you would like to help us write about commonly silenced areas or personal experiences you may have with these topics, contact us at thisisactivism2023@gmail.com or fill out our Comments page. We want our website to be a continuous growth of knowledge to share with each other in a positive way. There are so many things we don't talk about and we should!
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