Introduction
Did you know that more than half of your body is not human? Human cells make up only 43% of the body's total cell count—the rest are inhabited by trillions of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This vast microbial city within us plays a crucial role in everything from digesting food to influencing our mood. Understanding this hidden half of ourselves, our microbiome, is rapidly transforming our approach to health and disease.
Microbes and Microbiomes:
Microbes are tiny organisms, like bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that live all over (and inside) your body. Imagine your body as a large city filled with countless tiny people—these people are microbes. These tiny citizens live everywhere in and on your body—in your gut, on your skin, in your mouth, inside your nose, and even in places you might not expect, like your lungs and your eyes! |
