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Much new research is now emerging on the importance of bacteria – intestinal bacteria, to be more exact. These are commonly referred to as probiotics, and are the antithesis to antibiotics, both of which I’ll discuss below.

These microscopic critters are also known as your microbiome.

Around 100 trillion of these beneficial bacterial cells populate your body, particularly your intestines and other parts of your digestive system. In fact, 90 percent of the genetic material in your body is not yours, but rather that of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms that compose your microflora.

We’re now discovering that the composition of this microflora has a profound impact on your health. For example, we now know that your intestinal bacteria influence your:

    *Genetic expression
    *Immune system
    *Brain development, mental health, and memory
    *Weight, and
    *Risk of numerous chronic and acute diseases, from diabetes to cancer