What does the appendix do - the answer is NOT nothing

What does your appendix do – the answer is NOT nothing

It helps maintain the “right” microflora. You can get by without one, but you’re better off with one, especially when you need to take an antibiotic or two

Here is a recap of this video

00:08 A serious tummy upset

00:42 The hazards of an appendectomy

01:31 Clostridium difficile infection

01:56 Antibiotics the cause

02:21 Antibiotics decimate bacteria

03:01 C.difficile the survivor

03:36 C.difficile makes you sick

04:10 The appendix to the rescue

04:44 Antibiotic problem

05:03 The appendix is not vestigial

05:31 Keeping your bacteria safe

05:46 The position of the appendix

06:25 Reseeding your gut

06:42 The appendix is needed

07:17 Diarrhoea can be deadly

07:39 Safe haven from antibiotics

07:57 Surviving a C.difficile infections

08:35 Cultivate the “right” microflora

09:17 An appendectomy

10:37 Scientific reference

Enjoy !

Leave your questions or comments below

=======================================
**Click below to SUBSCRIBE for More Videos
=======================================

Dr Sandy Evans
Scientist turned gremlin buster, helping your create BETTER BODY CHEMISTRY

=======================================

Enjoyed this video ?

Then you might enjoy this video, which looks who is living in your appendix, influences whether you are insulin resistant, or not.

[petertownsend]

Great video that hits close to home. I will keep this in mind for the future. I had my appendix removed at age 14 in 1979 by traditional surgery which was then the standard of care. My case presented with the sudden onset of characteristic abdominal pain that was diagnosed in hospital by abdominal palpation and a blood test showing a highly elevated white cell count. Urgent, but non-emergency surgery was scheduled within a matter of hours. I distinctly recall the appendix being then described as an unnecessary vestigial organ. The surgery was uneventful without any complications, confirmed the appendix was inflamed, and my recovery was an uneventful two nights in the hospital with some serious pain meds for the first day after surgery. A followup visit to the doctor about a week later to remove seven stitches.

I understand modern laparoscopic surgical techniques have greatly improved the surgical removal and recovery to a minimally invasive outpatient procedure with a somewhat quick and painless recovery. However, I am now wondering if the current "standard of care" for appendicitis is part of the problem? The procedure has become almost too simple, easy, routine, and quick. Patient is out of pain and quickly recovers, doctor gets paid, surgical center gets paid. It is nice steady reliable cash flow that keeps the lights on with little to no financial risk for doctors, surgical centers, and medical malpractice insurers. I would imagine an enormous push back for anything that might be better for the patient but otherwise threatens the current "standard of care" and associated financial business model for diagnosing and treating appendicitis. The influence and lobbying power of the medical, insurance, and pharma industries will ensure that no clinical studies will ever be funded or approved that might threaten to upend the standard of care and/or threaten the business financial business model for the treatment of appendicitis.

It seems the challenge is how and when to get this type of appendix information to an uninformed patients who are being actively buffered and insulated by the medical industry from ever receiving this information. The burden is upon the uninformed patient in pain to reject the current standard of care and decline the doctors advice to have an appendectomy in favor of a more passive wait and see approach with antibiotics.

[davidharris]

Regular probiotics - and a few occasional doses of digestive enzymes - are BOTH ESSENTIAL for me to keep a healthy gut flora... especially now that I'm older, and my metabolism is not what it used to be...

[tnijoo]

Is there a way to prevent appendicitis from occurring in the first place?

[kikifrancis]

Are there ways to reverse symptoms of an appendicitis? I’m presently feeling sever symptoms... is it to late at this point?

[EuropeanQoheleth]

There is such a thing as right. I have had it with people putting it in scare quotes.