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

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

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 incredibly dense, with estimates suggesting that 30% to 50% of fecal matter is made up of microbes, comprising hundreds to thousands of species, primarily bacteria, but also archaea, eukaryotes, and viruses.

The human microbiome plays a crucial role in how individuals respond to nutrition, and it can be altered, unlike genetics, which opens up possibilities for improving health through dietary changes.

There are trillions of healthy bacteria in the gut that are very active and have many roles beyond digestion, including regulating blood glucose.

A high diversity of the microbiome is associated with a healthy host, suggesting that exposure to various environments, like letting children eat dirt or having pets, can contribute to a healthy microbiome.

The microbiome is linked to mental health and cognition, suggesting it may influence decision-making, although more research is needed to understand this relationship.