Most people may not be aware of this but the human body contains more microorganisms than human cells. In fact, microorganisms outnumber human cells by a ratio of about 10:1.

It has been observed that good and bad microorganisms harmoniously coexist in our bodies. When this is disrupted, a shift in the population of microorganisms can be triggered. Consequently, this can create a biochemical imbalance that manifests as pain, discomfort, or sickness. 

There are a number of areas in the body where certain symbiotic microbial colonies have been found to reside. Among them, the microbial colony in our gut is the largest and most diverse. It has been observed that this microbial colony in our gut contributes significantly to essential bodily processes (e.g. digestion, metabolism, and immune system functions). As such, a healthy gut has commonly been associated with general health.

Although there is no consensus regarding what constitutes a healthy gut, it has been suggested that general gut health may possibly be a factor of 3 things.

• diversity of microbial species (and diversity of genes)

• stability (resistance to disruption)

• resilience (quick to return to balance)