Science has made huge leaps in prolonging life through disease prevention and treatment, but microbiologist Brett Finlay and gerontologist Jessica Finlay offer a different—and truly revolutionary—approach to the quest for the fountain of youth.

Microbes are the oldest and smallest forms of life on earth, and encompass bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi and other microscopic organisms. While some bacteria and viruses can make us sick, normally we coexist peacefully with microbes. In fact, they are essential to our everyday health. Microbes help break down food in the digestive tract, support immune function and protect us from the pathogens we come into contact with on a daily basis. Our well-being is intimately tied to the microbes that surround us—on our cellphones, kitchen sponges, houseplants, pets and desks.

In this groundbreaking volume, the authors present current and emerging research on microbial interventions for the full gamut of age-related conditions, from sun spots and wrinkles to Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, osteoporosis, menopause, chronic inflammation and more. The good news is that simple changes to nutrition and lifestyle can promote the right kind of microbial exposure, to improve health whether we’re eighteen or eighty.

Incorporating interviews with leading microbiologists, scientific researchers and medical professionals, and with a compelling and proactive approach to cutting-edge science, The Whole-Body Microbiome will appeal to anyone looking to grow old as healthfully and gracefully as possible.

B. Brett Finlay, PhD, is a professor in the Michael Smith Laboratories and at the University of British Columbia. He has been at the forefront of the emerging field of cellular microbiology and is well recognized internationally for his work, having won prestigious awards including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and Order of Canada. He is a senior fellow and the program director at Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR). He co-wrote Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Our Children from an Oversanitized World (Greystone Books, 2016) and lives in Vancouver, BC.

B. Brett Finlay's profile page

Jessica M. Finlay, PhD, specializes in health geography and environmental gerontology as an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado. She has won national and international awards for her innovative research with older adults, and authored publications in leading health, geography and gerontology journals. She lives in Boulder, CO.

Jessica M. Finlay's profile page

Publishers Weekly

“Revolutionary . . . The Finlays offer practical, thorough, and sometimes shocking solutions that all of us can implement today, no matter what our age. . . . By helping our microbes flourish inside our bodies and in our environments, we can find preventive and curative care all in one.”

Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The UltraMind Solution and Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?

“In this timely book, father and daughter Brett and Jessica Finlay distill a wealth of cutting-edge research on aging, health, and the microbiome into an important story on why the trillions of microbes in and on our body (our microbiome) matter for health and longevity. The Whole-Body Microbiome is a highly readable perspective on preventing and treating disease, making this a must-read for healthcare providers and everyone who cares about healthy living and aging.”

Alan Bernstein, OC, OOnt, PhD, FRSC, President & CEO of CIFAR

Shelf Awareness

“A fascinating must-read, this well-researched book presents a groundbreaking new perspective to living long and living well. . . . Who knew, the fountain of youth is full of microbes!”

Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones, founder of Blue Zones Project, and National Geographic Fellow