October 23, 2019
Bacteria – vital for your health and well-being
There are more bacteria on this planet than grains of sand – billions more! Some bacteria can even survive under extreme conditions such as living in boiling water. Despite their bad reputation, most bacteria are not harmful creatures that will make us sick unless we get rid of them. These small microbes are in fact the most powerful life form on earth.
Especially your gut is inhabited by a complex microbial army – and that is actually good news! They help us both digest food and fight invasive bad bacteria. A growing body of research suggests that we would have a hard time without them as they influence our appetite, digestion, metabolism, immune system and, to a degree, our physical and mental well-being.
More than a gut feeling
The human gut is home to trillions of bacteria that live in our digestive tract, which is commonly referred to as the gut microbiota. Fascinatingly, not two gut microbiotas look the same – we are all unique.
You may already have heard scientists talk about how the gut is actually our second brain, which is something that has grown to be widely accepted in scientific communities in recent years. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is indeed complex and is evolving throughout life to make it even more complicated to understand. But let’s take a closer look at what we know now.