Bacteria -The Good - The Bad - And The Ugly
 Perhaps you grew up thinking that "the only good bacteria is a dead bacteria". Many people automatically associate bacteria with disease. You might be surprised to find out that only 10% of bacteria are pathogenic, or cause disease. The other 90% are "good" or "friendly" bacteria and they are necessary for a healthy life.
Just like in an old western movie, the "good" bacteria and the "bad" bacteria will battle with each other for resources. Competition among bacteria is very important. This rivalry among bacteria is how your body keeps the pathogens in check.
When you take an antibiotic or use an antibacterial cleanser the "good" bacteria are killed as well as the "bad". Unfortunately, this sterile environment is not a positive thing. Bad bacteria can gain a foothold.
Gut flora are intestinal microorganisms that constantly struggle with pathogenic bacteria picked up in our environment. The "good" bacteria alter the environment in the gut making it unsuitable for colonies of pathogenic bacteria.
You skin is home to more than 180 species of bacteria. Scientists have found that people with beautiful healthy skin have higher percentages of "good" bacteria on their skin. There is an acne-causing bacteria called Propionibacteria acnes that can thrive when there are not enough "good" bacteria on the skin.
Scientists also think that exposure to bacteria in early life may be linked to allergies. Children who work on farms (exposing themselves to many animal bacteria) are less likely to develop allergies than children not living on farms. Allergies are caused by the body's immune system reacting excessively to foreign matter, such as pollen or dust mites.
The truth of the matter is that we need a balance of "good" and "bad" bacteria in our lives. It is when there is an imbalance between the two types of bacteria that problems arise.
When exposed to high levels of antibiotics, most bacteria die. However, sometimes "ugly" strains of bacteria carry on growing and dividing in the presence of the antibiotic. A bacteria that "mutates" to withstand antibiotics can pass DNA to other bacteria in a process known as conjugation. Currently, antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria have truly gotten "ugly". When new antibiotics are produced and used, the "ugly" resistant bacteria quickly develop mechanisms that can resist their killing effects.
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