The Whole-Body Microbiome: How to Harness Microbes - Inside and Out - for Lifelong Health

by B. Brett Finlay, Jessica M. Finlay

Overview

Learn the secret to total, lifelong health: the teeming world of microbes inside and all around us

Modern-day science has allowed us to prolong and improve life in astonishing ways, often by fending off germs and other invisible foes. But there’s no “immunity” to the inevitable signs of aging . . . or is there?

In The Whole-Body Microbiome, the father-daughter team of Dr. Brett Finlay (a microbiologist) and Dr. Jessica Finlay (a specialist on aging) offers a different—and truly revolutionary—solution to the quest for the fountain of youth. While much has been written about bacteria in the gut, exciting new research shows that there are millions of microbes both inside our bodies—supporting our brain, teeth, heart, lungs, bones, immune system, and more; plus the microbes on our bodies, coming from the air we breathe and the things we touch all day long—cell phones and kitchen sponges, pets and doorknobs, and even other humans. These microbial “lifelong companions” have an immense impact on our daily health—and, as groundbreaking research is showing, they have the power to help prevent and reverse the most common age-related diseases.

In this eye-opening new take on the significance of the microbiome, the Finlays offer empowering knowledge, surprising myth-busters, and simple yet effective daily tips that prove “dirty” is the new clean. Whether it’s by changing your diet, enjoying a glass of wine, getting more exercise, trading your antibacterial gel for good old soap and water, or spending more time outdoors, you can change your life today; so that you and your microbes live long—and prosper.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615194810
Publisher:	The Experiment, LLC
Publication date:	01/22/2019
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	521,564
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

B. Brett Finlay, PhD studies how microbes cause disease in people and how we can fight infections, as well as the role the microbiota plays in human health and disease, including asthma, Parkinson’s, and malnutrition. He is the coauthor of the book Let Them Eat Dirt and the author of over 600 publications in peer-reviewed journals. He is also an Officer of the Order of Canada, and a jazz sax player, skier, and beekeeper in his spare time.

Jessica Finlay, PhD is a University of Colorado Boulder assistant professor who specializes in environmental gerontology and health geography. With degrees from Queen's University and the University of Minnesota, she has won awards for her work and authored publications in leading health, geography, and gerontology journals.

Table of Contents

Preface 1

1 The Fountain of Youth Is Full of … Microbes? 5

2 Your Microbes Are Glowing: The Skin Microbiome 17

3 Mind Your Microbes: Microbes and the Brain 35

4 Healthy Smile, Healthy You: The Oral Microbiome 63

5 Take a Deep Breath: The Lung Microbiome 79

6 Belly Bugs: The Stomach Microbiome 96

7 Microbe Mecca: The Gut Microbiome 108

8 Love Bugs: The Heart and the Microbiome 144

9 Females Are Not Small Males: Menopause and the Vaginal Microbiome 158

10 Microbes Meet Cancer 176

11 Microbe Tug-of-War: The Immune System 195

12 Flex Your Microbes: The Musculoskeletal System 220

13 Too Clean, Or Not Too Clean: Environmental Microbes 238

14 The Fountain of Youth Is Full of Microbes: The Future of the Whole-Body Microbiome 261

Acknowledgments 287

Selected References 289

Index 303

About the Authors 314

Editorial Reviews

12/03/2018
Father-daughter duo Brett (Let Them Eat Dirt), a microbiologist, and Jessica, a gerontologist, combine their specialties for this excitedly optimistic and research-grounded look at the microbiome’s implications for the health of the aging body. Cheerfully stating that “the Fountain of Youth is full of microbes,” the Finlays make their way through different bodily systems, both those obviously susceptible to interactions with outside microbes, such as the mouth, skin, and gut, and those less obviously so, such as the lungs and brain. Throughout, they point to data showing that healthier people maintain more microbial diversity as they age, even though diversity inevitably declines over time. Health tips largely consist of commonsense hygiene, diet, and exercise advice, but do include some pointers on limiting use of antibacterials and antibiotics, and on using more probiotics and prebiotics. The authors focus particularly on topics of interest to older people, such as possible microbiological involvement in Alzheimer’s and menopause, and the detrimental effects of oversterilized but isolated places like nursing facilities. The Finlays are up front about the fact that much information available on this topic is still speculative, but they 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. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"With its upbeat approach and valuable diet and lifestyle recommendations, The Whole-Body Microbiome will empower readers to invest in the lifelong process of aging well."

Shelf Awareness

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

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 Whole-Body Microbiome 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? 

From the Publisher