Bacterial Biofilm - aka Mucoid Plaque: What it is and why you want to know about it
Bacterial Biofilm – Defining, Causes, Effects
Most people don't know much, if anything, about Biofilms. So, if you are not familiar with the subject, you’re not alone. Even top health and medical experts I know have no idea what biofilm is, much less that it's considered the NUMBER ONE reason why many known medical and natural protocols don't always help people overcome health imbalances and diseases. Sometimes medical or natural protocols temporarily ease symptoms, but fail to create a permanent solution and typically end in relapse. According to Mark Buse of the International Association of Colon Hydrotherapy, the reason for the relapse is...Biofilms!
So What Are Biofilms?
Biofilm is a colony and a barrier that insulates and protects infection, yeast, germs, harmful bacteria, fungus, parasites, and mold. Biofilm formation occurs when free-floating microorganisms attach themselves to a surface, such as the wall of the intestines, and create a colony. They secrete materials (extracellular polymers) that provide a structural matrix that adheres to surfaces. When housed within the biofilm, infections are often more resistant to traditional antimicrobial and antibiotic treatments, making these colonies a serious health risk. Biofilm bacteria can generally withstand an antibiotic and antifungal treatment because antibiotics cannot pass through the biofilm to reach the infection or overgrowth - it's like an armor protecting the bacteria [1].
Biofilms are known to be involved in the lungs, ears, heart, and nose, as well as many chronic infections and wounds [2]. Studies show that up to 59% of people with chronic sinus infections were found to have a bacterial biofilm, whereas none of the controls (people who did not have a sinus infection) had bacterial biofilm [3]. The most common biofilm you might be familiar with is the plaque on your teeth [4]. Biofilm is a toxic, sticky plaque that bacteria & yeast secrete, which acts as a blanket within the body where they can hide out and multiply. It’s like a mucous layer that can harden and dry and take on many consistencies depending on the unique location, environment, and bacteria.
Biofilm can be anywhere in the body, and especially likes to colonize the intestinal tract. As it continues to attach and protect itself, it multiplies and grows. In one study, medical researchers found that bacteria hidden underneath biofilms were up to 1,000 times more likely to survive even the most potent antibiotic treatments. Biofilm is a contributing reason we are suddenly seeing an exponential increase in drug-resistant bacteria around the world! Additionally, it is further being fueled by the overuse of increasingly potent antibiotics that are killing off the beneficial bacteria that keep our immune system in balance.
Holy Wow!!! This had my attention!!! I hope it has yours too.
Dr. Bernard Jensen, author of many books on bowel health including “A Tissue Cleanse Through Bowel Management,” addresses Biofilm, as mucoid plaque, describing it as a mucous protective barrier gone rogue. He shows many gruesome photos of this mucous or mucoid plaque taking on the shape of the digestive tract. When it’s successfully removed from the body using clay and fiber (it is often hardened and dried), he compares the consistency to the rubber of a car tire.
As some of you know, I have been using Dr. Bernard Jensen’s cleansing protocol since the beginning of my internal cleansing career in 2000, and modeled my “Seasonal Cleanse” after the information in “A Tissue Cleanse Through Bowel Management.” I was turned on to Jensen’s book by a lovely human, named Rod who became a client and friend during the first year of my professional practice. You can read his testimony on my former website here. This man had incredible results! He also generously invested in me as a young mother and a new healing arts practitioner by supplying me with a loaner copy of the book and all the ingredients necessary to complete Dr. Jensen’s “Tissue Cleanse.” Thank you, Rod!!!
You may also enjoy the 2 stories written by another enthusiastic mucoid plaque cleansing client named Robert Wolfe. These are especially entertaining, written with candid vulnerable humor that will grab your attention and make you laugh. You can read these stories here.
Yes, I too pooped out the “Black Snake” of dreaded mucoid plaque!!! Although my personal stories are not as dramatic, I can still gather a crowd when I get on my soapbox and shout out.
Innumerable clients have experiences with removing Biofilm from the body. One woman came to me for the first time in 2002, during my second year of practicing professional colon hydrotherapy, and told me wild stories of her experiences, asserting that “It was on the ninth session that the shit hit the proverbial fan.” This client friend is now 60 years old and has had over 350 colon hydrotherapy sessions in her life. Prior to her first colon hydrotherapy, at the age of 27, she was experiencing the beginning of a serious decline in her health that included chronic fatigue, constipation, allergies, and general malaise. Currently, she gets a colonic once a month and is thriving! She takes no pharmaceutical drugs or over the counter medications and believes her thriving health is a result of two things: colon hydrotherapy and eating organic food from her garden. She says these two things saved her life and helped her become free from all her prior health issues. Even at 60 years old, she is one of the most mentally sharp, radiant examples of vibrant health I know. She has completed 3 Biofilm cleanses, the most recent one in early 2021, with stellar results. See PHOTO below! What an amazing relief it was to pass that on day 4!
Many clients have asked about the re-colonization of healthy bacteria once completing a cleanse. Dr. Norman Walker describes the appendix as being perfectly capable of producing enough beneficial bacteria to keep colonies abundant and biodynamic. It is hypothesized, however, that glyphosate is a culprit in destroying a healthy gut microbiome, so detoxing from glyphosate regularly is a key to maintaining an optimal bacterial population profile in the gastrointestinal tract. Antibiotic consumption is another issue for the good guys. When avoiding antibiotics is not an option, consuming a biodiverse probiotic rich fermented food is my first choice, as well as an oral supplementation from a trusted source. I often recommend that my clients consider following up with a short regimen of probiotic rich foods to assist the re-colonization of healthy microbes in the gut.
Historically, biofilm was often referred to indirectly and has gone by many names such as mucoid plaque (according to Jensen) or the “black rope.” The following are places where biofilm is discussed, but often under a different name.
Gary Young, of the essential oil company I used to favor, discusses nasal polyps being hardened dried mucous (an indirect reference to biofilm in the nose).
Duke Wu, M.D., my favorite retired gastrointestinal doctor (GI Doc), explains how colon polyps are a precursor to colon cancer. Most GI doctors will remove polyps during colonoscopies to have them sent in a test tube to a laboratory to be analyzed and determined benign or considered cancer. This is another indirect reference to biofilm, housing something really scary and dangerous, potentially the “Big C.”
Once this biofilm or mucoid plaque becomes established in the body, potentially harmful bugs are free to multiply under the safe layer of protective plaque. The more these bugs populate beneath their biofilms, the more bio-waste ends up accumulating within the body, eventually reaching a critical mass. Once this mass is reached, a chain-reaction of events occurs in the body as it becomes increasingly compromised, resulting in a cascading decline in physical, emotional, and mental health.
We are all increasingly aware of the importance of a balanced immune system, but did you know that 70% of our immune system resides in our guts? While frequent hand washing, face masks and social distancing are considered crucial in preventing the spread of illnesses these days, it's actually the gut microbiota that resides in us that is most essential to our health. Even slight alteration of our gut microbial communities can cause immune dysregulation and lead to a host of issues including autoimmune disorders. Dysbiosis is the term used to describe imbalance in the gut microbiome or internal ecosystem.
Jensen and Dr. Norman Walker say, “Disease begins in the gut!” I prefer to say “Health begins in the gut!!!”
Want to learn how to create health in your gut? Of course you do!!! Contact me at Aloha@TaraAlder to schedule a consultation. Let's get started today!
The Role of The Gut Microbiome
The term “gut microbiome,”or, “microbiota,” refers specifically to the microorganisms living in your intestines. A person has hundreds of different species of bacteria in their digestive tract. While some gut microorganisms are harmful to our health, many are incredibly beneficial and necessary to a healthy body. Yes, we have the good, the bad and the ugly living within the depths of our guts!!!
This gut microbiome has quickly become the talk of the town now that modern science is catching up to historical research that’s been poo-pooed up until now! Most people are aware of beneficial microbes as “probiotics” in yogurt or other fermented foods or the expensive supplemental probiotics that are available at health food stores or drug stores.
Microorganisms in our bodies are bio-diverse, and we depend on them to stay alive. They protect us from the overgrowth of harmful bacteria, yeast, fungus, parasites, and germs. They also help play an important role in breaking down food to release energy. In addition, these probiotics produce specific vitamins like K and some B vitamins. Some say these beneficial bacteria, also known as friendly flora, fauna, or probiotics, that make up 70% of our immune system is lining the walls of our intestinal tract, as well as on the outside of our body on our skin.
The common practice of taking pharmaceutical antibiotics to kill unwanted bacteria has caused a lot of harm by also wiping out the good bacteria that develops via a healthy diet and our appendix. We have also become accustomed to putting antibiotic ointments on cuts and scrapes to keep those bad bacteria from infecting our skin, but that also takes good bacteria we need with it. So think twice before you overuse that hand sanitizer and consume oral antibiotics!
Simply put, probiotics are the good bacteria that play a significant role in a healthy immune system, and the not so good bacteria can wreak havoc on our immune system if allowed to over grow.
Never before has there been more research pouring into this subject than there is right now. Experts agree that, "after all, if our bodies are more microorganisms than human, wouldn't it make sense to pay close attention to our microbiome for answers?” My dear friend Jonathan Kemp loved to use “play on words.” He would say, “micro-bio-me” – as in, “me” or “I” am mostly made up of nano sized bio bacteria.
Currently, there is concerning evidence that over 80% of individuals dealing with a chronic condition are actually experiencing some form of microbial or yeast overgrowth as the underlying cause. [5] According to many who speak on this topic, the four main "bugs," or health-depleting microbes, most people suffer from are bacteria, yeast, parasites & molds.
One of the most challenging factors with microbial overgrowth is that they are often responsible for long-term health symptoms including, but not limited to: body aches, mood and sleep disorders, poor digestion, blood sugar disorders, chronic migraines, kidney disorders, compromised immunity, brain-fog, and extreme lethargy. Often the extended symptoms of these health issues, such as diseases resulting from immune dysfunction, are treated indirectly by managing the symptoms rather than the root cause.
I have personal experience with parasites causing me autoimmune health issues as well as yeast or fungus overgrowth causing itching and discomfort. Also, in the more than 2 decades I have worked practicing professional colon hydrotherapy, I have heard countless stories of health issues being diagnosed as diseases with no known cause or cure. Despite suggestions that these conditions could only be treated with pharmaceutical drugs, surgery, chemo or radiation, success was often found through cleansing after an accurate diagnosis of parasites, fungus, toxic mold, chemical poisoning, heavy metals, or other issues.
General cleansing of the source of the issue and changing the environment in which these invaders thrive can address these particular sources of illness. This essentially means removing the protective biofilm and detoxing the body creating an environment that is only habitable for the healthy microbiomes. Brilliant, yet not acknowledged by conventional medical practices most of the time, thus those people figure it out via their own sources and relay their findings to practitioners like me who are curious and willing to listen to their interesting stories.
BioFilm's Innate Growth Path
As the Biofilms survive and grow, and populations mature, they become more resistant to even the toughest treatment protocols. This is evident as more and more recurrences emerge after the initial condition is either under control or eradicated via dietary modifications and supplementation and/or antifungal or antibiotic medications. When biofilms form in the body they create a protective layer by which bacteria evade the immune system and antimicrobials in order to continue their toxic cycle. Bacteria become tolerant to antibiotics and most other antimicrobial agents. So, if you have a fungal or bacterial infection that is coated with a biofilm, one theory suggests that normal antibiotics and antifungal treatments will not kill off the infection. In the event that you have a bacterial infection that persists despite antifungal or antibiotic therapy and you have an excess level of pro-inflammatory cytokines (an immune secretion that signals and regulates immune response), some scientists and doctors believe this implies that you either have a biofilm hiding what is really going on, or a non-bacterial infection.
In addition to this, the biofilm populations appear to have a networking agenda of their own, causing things like unhealthy lifestyle impulses, food cravings, etc. They are able to create signals in the body and brain that trigger us into behaviors that support their continued growth (That’s right! The unhealthy bacteria in your body has its own lifestyle and food preferences that are affecting your biochemistry!). So next time you think you are craving sugar, remember it might be the pathogenic bacteria in your body asking to be fed.
Another theory is that when we have certain cravings for junk food, candy and such, it is a nutrient deficiency that is causing this craving. For example, some believe that if your body craves chocolate what you really need is magnesium, therefore you would want to eat things like nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. Sweet, sugary food cravings mean we are deficient in carbon, chromium, phosphorus, sulphur and tryptophan, therefore we would want to eat more broccoli, grapes, fresh fruits, nuts, veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and spinach. Bread and pasta cravings might mean we need nitrogen rich foods like dark leafy greens including kale, collards and arugula, in addition to nuts and seeds. Oily foods may mean we need calcium and will benefit from broccoli, asparagus, kale, mustard greens, bok choy, figs, dates and plums. Salty food cravings may be that we are low in chloride and silicon and can increase these by eating more celery, tomatoes, lettuce, seaweeds, cashews, other nuts and seeds. Certainly it makes sense to me that a gut lined with biofilm and opportunistic organisms can contribute to malabsorption, and no doubt our standard American diet (SAD) is lacking in adequate nutrition, therefore interesting cravings can be yet another sign of gut dysbiosis. With all that in mind, and our inner organisms preferring specific foods, it’s no wonder we crave SAD food and suffer from poor health. Right!?
All this considered, I think it wise we put more effort into understanding the relationship of all of this to our health and disease prevention. I feel that learning more about Biofilm, including how it accumulates and how to reduce unhealthy build-up, as well as how to optimize a healthy microbiome of balanced beneficial organisms could be the key to a massive shift in personal and global health. Don’t you agree???!!! Learn more by reading my next blog on preventing and reducing biofilm.
It has been my experience that a considerable amount of biofilm is expelled as part of colon hydrotherapy sessions, and is usually mixed with excess mucous often seen as large chunks or blobs of gelatinous waste. Although I cannot make claims and honestly I do not really know what I see in the poop viewing tube, I often see what I guess are parasite “nests” with tentacled clusters floating by. This can all be quite alarming to clients who see it for the first time, but it’s very exciting to me as it means that it’s beginning to break down and soften enough to be released from the body. Then a healthy new protective gut lining can form as a part of a balanced immune system. The Seasonal Cleanse Protocol in combination with Colon Hydrotherapy has further shown to assist in the removal of biofilm from the intestinal tract. Due to the potent ability of the Seasonal Cleanse to compromise the biofilm barrier and encourage the release, I like to personally use this formula every time the season changes. It’s like a fresh start or a new beginning. As always, seek medical advice regarding your health, and trust your gut. If you are interested in exploring colon hydrotherapy or the Seasonal Cleanse, please reach out to me!
Thank you to the International Association of Colon Hydrotherapy (I-ACT) and Marc Buse for sharing much of their research on biofilm and for giving me permission to share it with you. If you would like to support our profession and the future growth of our industry, please consider becoming a supporting member or donating today at www.i-act.org
Tara Alder
Internal Cleansing Specialist and Health Educator
Aloha@TaraAlder
This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
References
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3585461/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4287182/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21739098
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4486441/
[5] Linking the microbiota, health conditions and the immune system.
Timothy W. Hand* 1. Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin, 2016
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3302586/