One intentional choice I make regarding my microbial communities is the consumption of the milk beverage kefir. However, now that I think about it, although it is touted as a probiotic, I am honestly not sure that the microbial communities present in kefir would actually impact the microbial state of my gut in a positive way. It seems like many companies are taking advantage of undereducated people by using buzzwords like ‘probiotic’. Even though something may be probiotic, it doesn’t mean that it will affect you in a positive way, or any way at all really. However, culturally, being from Serbia, I grew up consuming kefir, so even if I were to not drink it for the potentially effect on my microbial communities, I would drink it simply to enjoy.
Another intentional choice I make regarding my microbial communities is the decision to shower and maintain general hygiene using soaps and other cleansing products. As a child, I was quick prone to the fungus that causes jock itch, so I have personal experience with microbial communities affecting the health of my skin. Additionally, as an adult, I developed a case of pityriasis after long exposure to the sun on a daily basis. However, this decision can also negatively impact the health of my skin, as it could strip it of microbes that are actually beneficial to my skin. Despite this, the potentially detrimental affects of not cleaning the skin seem to far outweigh the potential negative effects of removing microbes that may be beneficial from my skin.
