Over the last decade, we’ve seen the shift from “anti” to “pro” where it concerns the bacteria that make our bodies home. And a healthy microbiome, as it’s called, is being linked to everything from improving cholesterol to reducing dementia risk to extending lifespan in general (a robust and diverse microbiome happens to be another common trait among people living in Blue Zones).
Especially important is the discovery that, after age 65, this collection of microbes “goes off a cliff in terms of composition,” says co-author and Canadian microbiologist Brett Finlay. Considered one of the foremost experts on the subject (and co-author of 2016’s Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Our Children From an Oversanitized World), he spoke to Zoomer about his second book about tending to our microbiome. The good news? No matter your age, beneficial bacteria love healthy lifestyle choices like exercising and eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables. With his finger on the latest findings, Finlay has more on these and other tips for being a five-star host.
