10% Human: How Your Body's Microbes Hold the Key to Health and Happiness

Evolutionary biologist Alanna Collen examines the largely overlooked significance of gut microbes in human health and well-being. The human body contains roughly nine microbial cells for every human cell, making us part bacteria and fungi as well as flesh and bone. Over a lifetime, a person carries the equivalent weight of five African elephants in microbes, functioning as a colony rather than an individual organism. Recent scientific research reveals that microbes play a central role in bodily function, and maintaining health depends on their presence. Collen draws on current studies to demonstrate how our microbial colonies influence weight, immune function, mental health, and even partner selection. She contends that many modern conditions—obesity, autism, mental illness, digestive disorders, allergies, autoimmune diseases, and cancer—stem from neglecting our relationship with our microbes. Unlike human cells, microbes can be altered for the better, offering potential for change and improvement in health outcomes.