Your Microbiome Explained
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What is the Microbiome?
The gut microbiome is the collection of all microorganisms living in your digestive tract.
Composition:
- Bacteria: 99% of microbiome (1000+ species)
- Archaea: Ancient microbes
- Fungi: Including yeasts
- Viruses: Bacteriophages (infect bacteria)
- Protozoa: Single-celled organisms
Bacterial diversity:
- Firmicutes (60-80%) - energy harvest
- Bacteroidetes (20-40%) - fiber breakdown
- Actinobacteria - includes beneficial Bifidobacterium
- Proteobacteria - when abundant, often inflammatory
Where they live:
- Small intestine: Lower density, faster transit
- Colon: Highest density (100 billion per gram!)
- Each section has distinct bacterial populations
Key concept: Diversity = health. Higher species diversity correlates with better health outcomes.
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