“Inflammation is the cornerstone of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis—all of the neurodegenerative diseases are really predicated on inflammation.” –David Perlmutter

The immune system is an extraordinary collection of cells designed to fight the disease-causing pathogens that relentlessly stalk us.

The world is lousy with pathogens, from viruses to bacteria and parasites. They see humans as a tasty morsel. Our skin is tough and repels them easily until we get a cut. Then a world of microbes swarms in, leading to the familiar swelling, pain, and redness of an infection. That is a clear sign that your immune system is fighting the intruders. The dead combatants from both sides pile up, creating pus, a visible residue of the sacrifices made by the immune system.

Today, with the magic of antibiotics, we can just dab some ointment on the wound and help our immune system coast to a win.

Skin is great for the outside, but inside our intestines, the story is different. Our gut is lined with a ridiculously delicate layer of cells constantly battered by the pathogens that hitch a ride with each bite of food. Unlike our skin, gut tissue must be thin enough to let nutrients in while still keeping bacteria out. It’s a tricky job.

Most of the heavy lifting here is done by mucus, which coats the entire intestine from stem to stern. Mucus provides a physical barrier against pathogens but also offers a sugary buffet for our own home-grown probiotics. Lest they eat all your mucus, you would be wise to feed them their preferred food, fiber.

Probiotic microbes get a free pass from our immune system, which underwent training to tolerate them when we were babies. If that initial training went awry, the rest of your life could be consumed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel........

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