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The gut microbiome is the collective term used to refer to all the microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and viruses in the intestines\u2014affectionately known as the \u201cgut<\/em>.\u201d In healthy digestive systems, all the microbes live in harmony, a pretty impressive feat considering there are over 100 trillion types of bacteria in the gut.<\/p>\n However, any disruption to this delicate balance of good and bad bacteria can cause several harmful conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, atherosclerosis, obesity, and metabolic disorders.<\/p>\n Extensive studies show that a healthy microbiome looks different for everyone. Michael Njunge, a health and performance enthusiast and medical doctor in the U.K., compares the gut microbiome to your unique fingerprint.<\/p>\n Each person\u2019s microbiome will have different components to accommodate regional diversity. Further, your unique dynamic gut flora demands will be based on specific environmental forces. What is considered a healthy gut one year may change the next. Njunge encourages consumers to think of the gut microbiome as a pivotal piece of your health, adding that, \u201cIf you take care of it, it will take care of you.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n