The microbiome is a vast and diverse ecosystem of micro-organisms that provide nature’s critical capacity for energy metabolism and communication between the cells of all species, including humans. This integrated community of bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and even parasites exists around, on, and within each of us. It constitutes our unique microbiome that determines our genetics, energy production, and even our mental health by facilitating communication and connection between us and the natural world. In fact, we are mostly microbes, with some estimates showing we have at least 10 times as many microbial cells as human cells within our bodies. Our microbiome assists in the digestion of food, regulates immune function, and produces essential nutrients for the production of over 200,000 unique proteins ranging from detox enzymes to neurotransmitters. In essence, our wellbeing is dependent on a well-functioning, balanced, and diverse microbiome. A balanced microbiome communicates with the intestinal cells to maintain a strong gut barrier as a first line of defense for the immune system, and prevents monoculture overgrowth of bacteria or other organisms. On the other hand, a dysfunctional, unbalanced microbiome may contribute to impaired immune health, digestive issues, brain fog, and a long list of the chronic disorders and diseases that have become pandemic in recent decades. For our microbiome to thrive, it needs a healthy space to live, with the gut lining functioning at the foundation. Two tennis courts of surface area from nose to rectum, it is the largest barrier system between our bodies and the outside world. This barrier, called the epithelial layer, is only one cell layer thick (half the width of a human hair) and is delicately held together by cellular seals called tight junctions. Coated in what is best described as a mucosal “terrain,” this is where our gut microbiome lives.