The Microbiome Master Key: Unlock Whole-Body Health and Lifelong Vitality by Harnessing the Microbes Living In, On, and All Around You

The key to promoting longer, healthier lives lies within the teeming world of microbes inside and all around us.

Hand sanitizer. Social distancing. Antibiotics. Even before the COVID pandemic, fending off germs has long been considered one of the cornerstones of good health. But what if better health actually went hand-in-hand with embracing the invisible microbes living on, in, and all around us?

Our bodies are teeming with microbes. They impact everything from sleep, cognition, mood, heart health, and energy to likelihood of developing dementia, diabetes and some cancers. As groundbreaking new studies are showing, taking care of the microbiome—inside and out—can help improve day-to-day health and even help prevent or reverse some of the most common age-related diseases.

Among scores of insights and highly practical tips, discover:

• How diet, hygiene, exercise habits, stress, environment, and even social life all influence the microbiome and, in turn, your health.

• How microbe-friendly diets have been clinically shown to delay the onset of Parkinson’s disease and lower the risk of developing dementia.

• Why women should be especially wary of being over-prescribed antibiotics.

• How to pick a good probiotic—and why many of the brands you see influencers promoting on social media simply don't work.

• How COVID underscored the need for healthy exposure to microbes, what that means in reality, and how to re-embrace microbes in the wake of the pandemic.

In this eye-opening and evidence-based book, father-daughter team Dr. Brett Finlay (a microbiologist) and Dr. Jessica Finlay (a specialist in aging) break down what the latest research says about how the microbiome affects not just gut health, but all aspects of physical and mental well-being—and what readers can do about it.

“In this timely book, father and daughter Brett and Jessica Finlay distill a wealth of cutting-edge research on aging, health, and the microbiome into an important story on why the trillions of microbes in and on our body (our microbiome) matter for health and longevity. The Whole-Body Microbiome is a highly readable perspective on preventing and treating disease, making this a must-read for healthcare providers and everyone who cares about healthy living and aging.”

“A fascinating must-read, this well-researched book presents a groundbreaking new perspective to living long and living well. . . . Who knew, the fountain of youth is full of microbes!”

“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 preventive and curative care all in one.”

“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, Shahina Piyarali, January 8, 2019

“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.” ~ Publishers Weekly, January 2019