You are never alone. Every second of every day, you’re accompanied by billions of other organisms that live within you, flourishing based upon the choices you make.

This is a good thing.

I’m talking primarily about your digestive tract. Specifically the beneficial bacteria, frequently referred to as the normal flora, that exist in the intestines. While other parts of your body are also populated by friendly bugs, the gut is where their impact is most frequently noticed.

We have a symbiotic relationship with the bacteria in our gut, because humans and the bacteria living inside us both benefit from each other.

The bacteria get a nice, warm, moist, and dark place through which food passes on a regular basis. Compared to trying to survive on a countertop or a random doorknob, our guts are a bacterium’s playground.

In return, these bacteria help us by breaking down food for easy absorption, producing vitamins, and protecting us from unwanted invaders. The unwanted invaders are usually other bacteria or parasites that are pathogenic.