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Abby's Magazine - January/ February 2015 | Page 29 In addition to bacteria, gut microbiota may include fungi such as candida, saccharomyces, and aspergillus. Years ago, scientists believed that humans and the bacteria in their bodies had a commensal relationship — meaning that they existed together without harming each other. Advances in medicine have helped to clarify that this relationship is mutualistic, or beneficial to both you and the bacteria. e bacteria that populate your GI tract are known as gut microbiota or gut flora. Gut flora are unique to every individual — almost like fingerprints — beginning at birth and evolving through your life. e GI tract of a human fetus is sterile, or completely free of bacteria and fungi. During birth, babies swallow the bacteria present in the birth canal, and within days these bacteria colonize the newborn's intestine. (Babies born via C-section have delayed colonization and may acquire more organisms from the environment, rather than the mother's birth canal, compared to vaginally born infants.) Aer the flora fingerprint is established, the bacteria in your body are recognized as "normal" throughout your life. Essentially, these bacteria are your colonic warriors: ey recognize each other and work to prevent foreign invasion. Most bacteria in the digestive system live in the colon because many can't survive in the stomach, and the continual contractions in the small intestine tend to keep most gut flora out. e walls of your colon have billions of adherence sites. ese materials essentially practice population control over bad bacteria by crowding them out of these sites. Understanding gut flora's nutritional and immune functions Gut flora play a key role in nutrition and your immune system. Without these tiny helpers, your body wouldn't be able to absorb vital nutrients or carry out its regular maintenance functions. And when your body is under attack from toxins, harmful organisms, or infection, gut flora are like the U.S. Marines — first into the fray. Gut flora's nutritional functions include: ✓ Producing digestive enzymes that break down food into nutrients the body can use. ✓ Combining various compounds to generate essential vitamins (a process called synthesizing) such as thiamine, folic acid, and vitamin K, among others. ✓ Helping the body absorb nutrients like calcium, iron, and magnesium. Gut flora also help keep the lining of your GI tract intact and healthy. e cells that line your colon need energy to regenerate themselves; gut flora convert unabsorbed sugars into specific types of fatty acids that your cells use for energy. Gut flora also help support the immune system. In fact, 70–90 percent of your immune system is located in your GI tract, where gut flora work in several ways: ✓ Producing enzymes and proteins that can kill or inhib it harmful bacteria ✓ Crowding out the "bad" bacteria by giving them no space to grab on ✓ Stimulating the secretion of Immunoglobulin A, an antibody that fights infection