What if everything we've been taught about cleanliness, bacteria, and health has been steering us in the wrong direction? Katie Worth, MD of Microbz (www.microbz.co.uk), a UK-based probiotic company, challenges our fundamental assumptions about microorganisms and offers a revolutionary perspective on how we might work with nature rather than against it.
The conversation reveals how modern society has waged a counterproductive war against microbes that has led to two concerning outcomes: the rise of antimicrobial resistance (potentially threatening hundreds of thousands of lives in coming years) and dramatically depleted nutrient density in our foods. "You need to eat 20 carrots today to get the nutrition from one carrot 20 years ago," Katie explains, highlighting how our chemical-dependent agricultural system has stripped soils of the microbial diversity necessary for transferring minerals into plants.
Unlike conventional probiotics that isolate specific strains, Microbes harvests diverse microbial communities directly from soil and ferments them to create products teeming with beneficial organisms. This approach acknowledges the vast complexity of microbial ecosystems—what Katie calls "inner space"—and trusts in nature's inherent intelligence to restore balance. The results speak for themselves as customers experience improvements not just in gut health but in seemingly unrelated conditions from skin problems to ear infections, demonstrating how the body directs beneficial microbes where they're needed most.
Though their soil-based probiotics help address immediate health concerns, Katie's vision extends much further—toward revitalizing soil health across the UK to create a food system that naturally provides the nutrients and microbial diversity humans need, eliminating the supplement dependency cycle entirely. This regenerative approach offers powerful insights not just for personal health but for business leadership, suggesting that organizations might benefit from being viewed as living systems rather than machines with parts to be fixed or replaced.
Discover how connecting with the intelligence of nature might transform your understanding of health and provide sustainable solutions to some of our most pressing challenges. Ready to rethink everything you know about microbes and your relationship with them?
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