Take Your Microbiome to a Savannah

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What is a microbiome and why do we have one?  What do you want to know about prebiotics, probiotics, and antibiotics?  What does life on a savannah have to do with your gut function?  Doctor Jonathan Terdiman informs us how important bacteria are in preventing stomach problems. Doctor Weisiger discusses brain stress pathways and how they relate to GI disorders.  Lathan Spaulding, carpenter, apprentice boat builder, former skateboarder, and dedicated meditator, generously shares with us some intimate details about the functioning of his GI system.

Lake Market, Kolkata 2006

Things My Grandmothers Used To Do

Both my grandmothers oiled their thin greying hairs.
one wore a pearl studded silver hair clip
at the nape of her neck
the other braided a clean plait down her back
one read several newspapers everyday
and got the women’s vote out
she learned to swim at the age of 66
her kids were latch key kids
before the term was invented
the other said her daily prayers
raised well-mannered children
and kept the tidiest house
until the day she passed
she also always waited
to eat breakfast
until her colon had emptied itself
they both did hot fresh chapatis
at every meal
one always put aside
the first morsel of her food
for the birds
they fed their families, and their guests, their fill
before satisfying their own hunger
they made plenty
and were sure there would be no leftovers
they never served, nor ate, leftovers
leftovers were fed to the cows
freely roaming the streets
or to the stray dogs in the alleys
or the pigeons on the rooftop patio
they both would never ever
dream of eating mangoes alone

-jaysi, 2009