how do we acquire our microbiome?
It's long been known that the microbiome - the trillions of bacteria that live in and on our bodies - plays an important role in human health. But how do we acquire our microbiome? And what happens if it's not healthy?
The answer to the first question is still largely unknown, but research suggests that the microbiome is acquired during birth, from contact with our mothers' skin and from being breastfed. The bacteria that make up our microbiome come from a variety of sources, including the food we eat, the environment we live in and the people with whom we interact.
If the microbiome is not healthy, it can lead to a number of problems, including gastrointestinal issues, autoimmune diseases and even mental health disorders. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to improve our microbiome, including eating probiotic foods, taking probiotic supplements and living in a clean environment.