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Learn the secret to whole-body, lifelong health: the teeming world of microbes inside and all around you.
Hand sanitizer. Social distancing. Antibiotics. Fending off germs has long been considered one of the cornerstones of good health. But what if better health and more graceful aging actually went hand-in-hand with embracing microbes?
Your body is teeming with microbes—not just in the gut, but also on your skin, in your lungs, and beyond. And they impact everything from your sleep, cognition, mood, heart health, and energy to your likelihood of developing many diseases. As groundbreaking new studies are showing, taking care of your microbiome—inside and out—can help you improve your day-to-day health and even help prevent or reverse some of the most common age-related diseases.
This eye-opening book breaks down what the latest research says about how the microbiome affects all aspects of physical and mental health—and what you can do about it.
- Potentially change the trajectory of 9 out of 10 leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes
- Increase your resistance to pathogens like the flu and COVID-19
- Keep your skin soft, healthy, supple, and less wrinkled
- Stabilize your weight and control blood sugar
- Improve your physical fitness and strength
- Fight “inflammaging”—low-grade inflammation that hastens the aging process
- Get a more restful and rejuvenating night’s sleep
- Reduce stress and improve mental health—and your long-term quality of life
The Microbiome Master Key is an updated and expanded new edition of The Whole-Body Microbiome.
“Brett and Jessica Finlay offer extraordinary new insight into the significance of the microbiome in any number of age-related conditions—from cancer to oral health, Alzheimer’s to heart and lung function. The takeaway is that we need to look beyond gut bacteria.”—Foreword Reviews
“Chapters address the function of microbes in various conditions and body systems, with health strategies and lifestyle tips intended to be widely applicable to adults of all ages. . . . Recommended for readers seeking scientifically accurate consumer health information on the microbiome’s relationship to adult health and aging.”—Library Journal
“[An] excitedly optimistic and research-grounded look at the microbiome’s implications for the health of the aging body. . . . [The Finlays] make a strong case for the microbiome as an exciting new frontier in health research, with myriad possibilities for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.”—Publishers Weekly
“With its upbeat approach and valuable diet and lifestyle recommendations, [The Microbiome Masterkey] will empower readers to invest in the lifelong process of aging well.”—Shelf Awareness
“According to the authors, the beneficial and diverse residents of the human microbiome—the trillions of specific microbes that are associated with different parts of the body, including but not limited to the mouth, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and lungs—may eventually be harnessed to delay aging and to prevent and treat disease. . . . Recommended. All levels.”—Choice
“Whether you are seeking to address a specific health concern, such as IBS, or just want to decelerate the aging process, this book is filled with tips and actionable lifestyle advice. The fountain of youth, it turns out, may actually be burbling with microbes.”—Spirituality & Health
“A fascinating must-read, this well-researched book presents a groundbreaking new perspective to living long and living well through our microbes. Trailblazing microbiology and gerontology researchers Brett and Jessica Finlay insightfully present the latest science on microbes behind health and longevity, and offer easy-to-follow principles and strategies to age better. Who knew, the fountain of youth is full of microbes!”—Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, National Geographic fellow, and founder of Blue Zones
“Revolutionary . . . The Finlays offer practical, thorough, and sometimes shocking solutions that all of us can implement today, no matter what our age. . . . By helping our microbes flourish inside our bodies and in our environments, we can find preventative and curative care all in one.”—Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The UltraMind Solution and Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?
“An excellent, expert guide to how your microbes can prevent common diseases.”—Tim Spector, best-selling author of Food for Life
