Taking care of your gut is one of the most important things you can do for your health—bar none. That’s because your gut contains your microbiome. The microbiome, located in your gastrointestinal tract, consists of trillions of microbes that outnumber our cells roughly 10 to one—and they play a key role in how well your immune system, digestion and brain all function.

People with low levels of good bacteria (the microbes that help fight disease) in their microbiome are likely to suffer from conditions that have been linked to poor gut health, like autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and inflammatory bowel disease, which can lead to colorectal cancer.