Bacteria Checkup

For years we’ve been hearing that keeping the bacteria in your gut at healthy levels is important for long-term health. Study after study has illustrated the link between gut inflammation and a variety of health problems, including autoimmune disorders, depression, hormone imbalance and neurological diseases. So how do you know whether your gut bacteria are “healthy”? And if not, what can you do about it?

A new start-up company was recently founded with the mission of wiping out chronic disease, and the road to get there includes kits for regular screening of the microorganisms in your intestinal tract. For $59 per month or $599 per year, you can submit stool samples and receive semiannual reports on the health of your digestive system, including the composition of your microbiome (the bacteria and yeast that live in your gut). The technology utilizes artificial intelligence to analyze the effects of these bacteria on the immune and metabolic systems in the body and includes nutritional recommendations to keep and maintain a healthy gut based on your personal results – since there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all diet.

The company hopes to expand its diagnostic test kits to include heart disease and obesity.