Rodney Dietert, an award-winning researcher and professor of immunotoxicology
at Cornell University, will be in Rochester
on Wednesday, August 3, to promote his new book, “The Human Superorganism: How
the Microbiome is Revolutionizing the Pursuit of a Healthy Life.”
“The Human Superorganism” delves into biological history,
urging its audience to reconsider the human being, and Dietert explores how our
ancestors’ health was supported by microorganisms, and cites other
superorganisms that survive through symbiosis, such as coral reefs.
It’s easy to forget in the commotion of daily life that our bodies are universes unto themselves. (Some may not want to dwell on that
thought.) The fact that we are crawling, inside and out, with microbes —
microscopic fungus, parasites, bacteria, and viruses — induces a knee-jerk
shudder in many, and germaphobia at the extreme end of things.
Science tells us that as much as 90 percent of the cells in our
bodies are not ours, but belong to these other creatures, some of which live in
symbiosis with our systems, others carefully kept in check by our bodies’
complex defenses.
Chatter about the microbiome has reached mainstream
culture by way of diet trends — with an emphasis on the gut biome — that
promote balance in our microbiology. We’ve heard that treating illness with
antibiotics has also disrupted the work of good bacteria, like Lactobacillus acidophilus. And recently,
the White House launched the National Microbiome Initiative, aiming to advance
our understanding of the field and develop useful applications in healthcare,
food production, and environmental restoration.
Confronting the 21st century medial landscape, Dietert acknowledges
that scientific discoveries have reduced infant mortality and lengthened
lifespans, but he also addresses “two fatefully
mistaken fundamental concepts” — that humans are better off as pure organisms
free of microbes, and that the human (mammalian genome) is the most important biological
factor in creating a better future for humans.
He argues that in reducing the microbes’ power, we have “sparked
an epidemic of noncommunicable diseases” including
asthma, autism, Alzheimer’s, allergies, autoimmune conditions, cancer, diabetes,
heart disease, obesity, and depression, “which now accounts for 63 percent of
all human deaths.”
In the book’s final section, “Caring for Yourself,” Dietert praises the complex biological wonders involved in
the smelly, imperfect human being, and asserts that integrated medical
therapies — a systems-biology, holistic approach to health — are the way
forward. The “Superorganism Makeover” segment takes on a FAQ format, giving
thorough answers to the many queries surrounding “rebiosis,”
which aims to bring our bodies back into balance. The end result, he says, can reduce
ailment and redirect our food cravings to healthier selections. It’s a cycle that keeps on giving.
Kirkus Reviews has called Dietert’s work “a book in which the author’s fascinating,
well-researched ideas regarding holistic health may presage a paradigm shift in
medicine.”
Dietert will discuss his book at the Pittsford
Barnes and Noble (3349 Monroe Avenue) on Wednesday, August 3, at 7 p.m. The event is free to attend. For
more information, visit rodneydietert.com or call 586-6020.
This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 2, 2016.
