Gut Microbes

Everywhere you go, the trillions of microbes in your gut go too. And that's a [comforting:confirming] thought. Because according to a new study, a more diverse population of intestinal bacteria is linked to better health. The work is in the journal Nature. Danish researchers gathered gut microbes from almost 300 [obese:obsolete] and non-obese adults. The intestines of roughly one in four participants contained fewer and less diverse bacteria than [average:minimum] . And members of this group were more likely to be obese and to suffer from gut inflammation. By looking for only a few specific bacteria, researchers could predict whether a subject fell into the low-diversity group. Certain species could even indicate whether an individual was [slim:skip] or overweight. And these microbial markers [might:may] also serve as signs of future health risks because low-diversity participants who were obese were more likely to gain additional [weight:right] over time. But a low-diversity gut won't necessarily doom your health. According to another study in the same journal, it's possible to increase microbial diversity by developing a decent diet. Remember, you're eating for trillions.