A rather interesting new piece of information has recently come to the forefront on the apparent, and positive purposes, of having an appendix, and what that supposedly useless body organ actually does for you. The appendix, of course, has long mystified doctors in what necessity it ever actually played inside the human body. It has long been touted, by medical health care professionals, to have no good reason to be there. But recently, surgeons and immunologists at 'Duke University Medical School' believes that the appendix, does indeed, serve an important function inside the human body after all.

These researchers at the 'Duke University Medical School' believe they have sufficient evidence to back up their theory, in that the appendix appears to help produce and protect the good bacteria in the intestines. The appendix, they say, acts like a "good bacteria factory" that "cultivates and preserves" good bacteria nutrition to help keep your body healthy. There is much more bacteria (or germs) inside your body than cells. Most of this bacteria that resides inside your body is needed to help you digest, absorb, and eliminate your food. These friendly microbes also provide your skin with a protective barrier.

Of course, if your appendix becomes inflamed and infected it could lead to your death, it then becomes necessary to have it removed it to save your life. According to the 'Centers for Disease Control and Prevention', 300 to 400 Americans die, and about 321,000 are hospitalized, for appendicitis attacks each year.

However, be aware that the notion of their uselessness has been widely perpetrated and used as the main reason to remove this healthy organ in the past. And, a doctor may decide to remove your appendix, gallbladder, or any other healthy body organ, without your permission because of this long held belief.

But, would you want to have your appendix voluntarily removed just because an abdominal surgery was being performed for some other reason, in light of this new piece of information?

The researchers of this study concluded that, the appendix is really an unnecessary organ in today's modern world. They theorize that repopulating your gut with good bacteria is not that hard to do. This recolonizing can be simply be accomplished with getting good germs from other people A rather simplistic solution don't.you think?

However, this may be harder to do than these researchers have led us to believe. Probiotics, or fermented foods can be the most helpful to those who have just recently, or not so recently, taken antibiotics, by re-establishing colonies of good bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract which, sometimes, can be quite difficult to do if you do not understand why it is necessary, or how to do it.

The widespread overuse of antibiotics has recently been questioned over the last decade, by many concerned health care experts, due to their apparent, and oftentimes, ineffectiveness. And, many health care scientists are also beginning to recognize the fact that, unfortunately, not all the bacteria that dwells inside our bodies intent is to harm us. Antibiotics do perform a sometimes useful function in killing off large numbers of harmful bacteria in our bodies that can lead to life threatening infections. It is a self sacrificing trade-off, however, as there is no discrimination between the chemotherapeutic killing off of all bacteria, whether it be good or bad germs, in the gastrointestinal tract.

Also, we are constantly putting what little, of a very fragile ecosystem, of friendly bacteria most of us may have under constant daily attack, in ingesting a poor diet. Over refined foods such as white sugar, white flour, polyunsaturated fats, and alcohol contributes to abundant populations of harmful bacteria by feeding them what they need to survive and reproduce.

Here is the kicker, though, the good bacteria in your gut is a very fragile ecosystem. In other words, this highly beneficial gut flora can easily be destroyed, or seriously compromised by common communicable, and contagious, illnesses such as the flu. The severe vomiting and diarrhea that are often accompanying symptoms of the flu can purge the digestive tract of good, and highly beneficial, bacteria.

The appendix appears to act in rebooting your digestive system with beneficial germs. It also stores and protects them until they are needed..

Do not fret, however, if you have had to have your appendix removed because of an appendicitis attack. Repopulating your gut with beneficial bacterial flora is relatively easy to do, if you understand the importance of why you should, and how.

A very popular way to get friendly bacteria into one's daily diet is to make kombucha tea at home. It is a very tasty drink, and quite easy to make. It is, also, a very energizing drink, and once you start drinking it regularly, you will notice many positive healthy benefits.

The amazing thing is, this drink has many health testimonials associated with it. Your results will be, of course, individualistic to you. Try drinking two to three 8 ounce cups a day, along with the most preferred beverage of choice for health, water.