The majority of the bacteria found in the body live in the human gut. There are billions of bacteria living there (Figure 2). We call the group of all the microbes found in the body the human microbiota [1]. These microorganisms colonize the body, which means that they usually do not cause any harm.
But when compared to other parts of the body, nothing comes close to hosting more bacteria than the belly button.
The vast majority of the bacteria reside in the colon, with previous estimates of about 1014 bacteria [2], followed by the skin, which is estimated to harbor ~1012 bacteria [9].
Microbes occupy all of our body surfaces, including the skin, gut, and mucous membranes. In fact, our bodies contain at least 10 times more bacterial cells than human ones, blurring the line between where microbes end and humans begin.
What is the cleanest part of the human body? According to Reference, the eye is considered to be the cleanest part of the body due to its natural cleaning and protective functions. Each time you blink, you keep the eye moist, and tears help to protect the eye by washing away dirt and germs.
Many kinds of bacteria cause infections. You usually get bacterial infections when bacteria get into your body through your mouth, your nose, your eyes or a cut in your skin.
The mouth had the least bacterial variability of any tested region. The researchers also tested how well bacteria from one body region could survive on another.
Antibiotics are medicines that help stop infections caused by bacteria. They do this by killing the bacteria or by keeping them from copying themselves or reproducing. The word antibiotic means “against life.” Any drug that kills germs in your body is technically an antibiotic.
The bacteria live throughout your body, but the ones in your gut may have the biggest impact on your well-being. They line your entire digestive system. Most live in your intestines and colon. They affect everything from your metabolism to your mood to your immune system.
First, the number of bacteria in your gut is vast – 50 trillion or so, which equals about one for every human cell in our bodies. The makeup of this bacterial collection, or microbiome, is affected by many things, including diet, exercise and cultural influences.
The only way to kill bacteria by temperature is by cooking food at temperatures of 165 degrees or more. Bacteria also die in highly acidic environments like pickle juice.
The most deadly bacterial disease contracted by human beings is mycobacterium tuberculosis, the world's leading infectious disease with more than 1,700,000 deaths per year. As much as 13% of cases are resistant to most antibiotics, and about 6% are resistant or unresponsive to essentially all treatment.
On the other hand, areas of the body such as the brain, the circulatory system and the lungs are intended to remain sterile (microbe free).
In fact, probably the only place on Earth that we can be confident will always be entirely bacteria-free is the lava crater of an actively erupting volcano.
And because bacteria are much smaller, their total mass is only about 200g. So by weight, we are more than 99.7 per cent human. Even so, we shouldn't underestimate the contribution bacteria make to our body, nor feel threatened by it.
The cleanest part of the human body is often considered to be the eye because of its abilities to clean itself. The eyelid opens and shuts several times every minute in order to keep the eye clean and moist.
It is estimated that toilet seats have 3,200 bacteria per square inch, where as saliva has an estimated 100 million microbes of bacteria per mililitre with anywhere between 400 and 600 different species. Fact 5: Your mouth encounters more germs than the rectal area!
Kitchen rags, towels and sponges are notorious for bacterial contamination. The sink drain, sink and countertops are also frequently contaminated. Cutting boards, coffee filters, the dishwasher and fridge seals are also top locations for contamination.
Garlic, onion, allspice and oregano, for example, were found to be the best all-around bacteria killers (they kill everything), followed by thyme, cinnamon, tarragon and cumin (any of which kill up to 80 percent of bacteria).
An anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, good quality sleep, and probiotics are all strategies to put in place before trying antimicrobials or antibiotics to get rid of bad bacteria.