The importance of the microbiome in the gut is paramount to a person’s health and staving off disease through its far-reaching effects via systemic crosstalk and regulatory actions on the Immune system.  Some of the important functional roles it plays in our body include:

• Inhibition of pathogens
• Regulating immune function
• Digestive health
• Metabolism (supply of nutrients & energy)
• Biosynthesis and production of nutrients and vitamins
• Normal gut motility
• Psychological and emotional well-being
• Cancer prevention

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​Amazingly true, some researchers have placed it at somewhere between 60 – 80%.  These high concentrations of immune cells are located along the intestinal tract (mainly the colon), in fact, you could consider this as one of the major battle fronts where the immune system is constantly trying to keep your body healthy. 

​The intestinal immune system encounters the greatest number of antigens (any substance that can evoke an immune response) compared to any other part of the body.  These antigens come in the form of resident and non-resident bacteria, bacteria from diet and pathogens that find their way into the body.
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​In order for the immune system to work properly, it’s crucial to keep the gut healthy, which means having a healthy diet and a balanced microbiome.  As mentioned above, one of the functions of the microbiome is to regulate the immune system.  It does this by:

• Preventing pathogens from infiltrating our bodies (directly & indirectly).
• Managing inflammatory responses.
• Communicating and interacting with the intestinal mucosal barrier (this is especially important for those with autoimmune diseases).
• Influencing the adaptive immune system.

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Most Westerners have poor gut health and compromised immune systems due to their diet and lifestyle.  If there isn’t enough beneficial bacteria in the gut to perform the necessary functions to maintain the immune system, disease can take hold.  This is why, in addition to changing one's diet and lifestyle, it’s important to take a high quality Probiotic .   
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"I have always been a huge proponent of probiotic use for my patients, not only for their therapeutic use to restore balance in various diseased states, including autoimmune disease, but also as a maintenance regime after a patient’s health has been restored to a balanced state."
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​​Below are a couple of well researched and reputable probiotic formulas from
​Thorne Research.  ​