Modern lifestyles reduce gut bug diversity

Western societies are missing important gut bacteria due to modern sanitation practices.
22 April 2015
Presented by Chris Smith, Georgia Mills

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Microbes inside you outnumber your cells, maybe by ten to one.

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You are not alone! Your body is home to a whole host of bacteria that live in and on you: your microbiome. You might be slightly repulsed by this idea, but these tiny organisms are really important for our health. There is now growing evidence that our microbes at risk from our modern lifestyles? Comparing samples of human bowel bugs from America with remote populations in Papua New Guinea, a research team have identified significant differences between the two microbiomes, and what's more, they think they know why. Georgia Mills spoke to Jens Walter from the University of Alberta.

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