The gut microbiome consists of a diverse ecosystem of bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses that significantly influences our health and metabolic responses.

The gut microbiome consists of trillions of microorganisms throughout the entire digestive tract, not just the stomach, and includes communities in the nose and on the skin, which are beneficial for our hormonal health, brain health, and immune system function.

The gut microbiome is so diverse that a large sample size is needed to determine what is healthy or unhealthy in it.

Microbiota are not only present in the gut but also in the mouth, nose, and skin, and they play a crucial role in our overall health by forming a dense and complex ecosystem that interacts with our body.

The microbiome, an ecosystem of healthy bacteria in the gut, governs the gut-brain connection and plays a crucial role in mental health.

A healthy microbiome supports the immune system, metabolism, and gut-brain axis, but defining what constitutes a healthy versus unhealthy microbiome is complex and varies between individuals and populations.

The gut microbiome is critical for modulating our immune status, and changes in diet can fundamentally alter how the immune system operates, potentially reducing inflammation and disease risk.

The Human Microbiome Project aimed to define healthy versus diseased microbiomes by studying diverse populations, revealing significant individuality in gut microbiomes and the challenges in establishing universal health standards. Additionally, the microbiomes of traditional populations represent the closest approximation to how our ancestors lived, suggesting that our current industrialized microbiome may be deteriorating due to factors like antibiotic use and a Western diet.

A diverse diet rich in various plants and fibers is likely more beneficial for gut microbiota diversity than relying solely on purified fibers.