Matthew Capowski

The Microbiome of the Lung

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I came across this research paper recently:

Maltz MR, Topacio TM, Lo DD, Zaza M, Freund L, Botthoff J, Swenson M, Cocker D, Biddle T, Yisrael K, del Castillo D, Drover RW, Aronson E.0. Lung microbiomes’ variable responses to dust exposure in mouse models of asthma.  mSphere0:e00209-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/msphere.00209-25

Of course, microbial ecology extends far beyond the digestive tract.  Researchers have identified distinct microbial communities throughout the human body (collectively known as the human microbiome). These include the oral microbiome, skin microbiome, respiratory microbiome, urogenital microbiome, and reproductive microbiomes, among others.

It’s not common, however, to hear the lung microbiome spoken about.  This was an animal study done on mice so we can’t go extrapolating the findings too quickly to humans, but it was concerning how quickly the inhalation of the dust from this area resulted in alterations in the microbiome and an immune responses.

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On Organic Gardening

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Dr. Bruce Bugbee makes some interesting points about organic gardening (not against the principals of it but in the difficulty of application and finding the right balance).  This is not a call to abandon organic agriculture but rather, we must always be sensitive to what we’re doing and if there are better ways to do it.

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Air Pollution Linked to Dementia

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Two studies that came out this year have linked air pollution to dementia.  We have listed these studies in the link to the forum below.  Given the increase in forest fires and general prevalence of air pollution, this is a concerning finding.  Air pollution effects us in a plethora of negative ways, and estimates, which may turn out to be underestimates, suggest it kills 7 million people per year.  According to the WHO, 99% of the earth’s population breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits.  This issue does not seem to be getting the attention it deserves.

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Concerns About Cannabis

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Cannabis has been used as a medicinal plant for thousands of years. But the cannabis of today is different from the cannabis of thousands of years ago. Selective breeding over centuries, and especially in the last 50 years, resulted in growers prioritizing psychoactive strength.

Like any medicine, the right type and quantity needs to be selected, it must be used with the correct frequency, and some people should not use it all on account of contraindications.

More concerning health effects are coming up that appear to be linked to this high potency and frequent recreational use. This doesn’t detract from any medical benefits the plant has, but it does make it clear that misuse comes with consequences.

E.g., see the recent papers listed at Science Daily. The ones making the news more recently were about the increased chance of a heart attack.

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