So, where do your #microbes come from?⠀ ⠀ You probably remember from sixth grade #biology that you #inherit your #genes from your #parents. But did you know that your #mother passes you your #microbiome as well? The process of receiving these #foundational microbes is called ‘#seeding’. (Ahem, hint. 😉)⠀ ⠀ It’s generally regarded to start at #birth 👶🏼 (though new research is starting to propose that microbial transmission could occur in the #womb via the #placenta), through the #vaginal canal and skin-to-skin contact, #breastfeeding, and eventually, the surrounding #environment—other #moms, #dads, #siblings, #dogs 🐶, the ground, #nature 🌿. In the first few years, a young microbiome shifts from being fairly malleable to what is called a ‘steady-state’—largely resembling that of an #adult.⠀ ⠀ So, say hello to your #world within. Like a #coral reef or a #rainforest, you are now a living #ecosystem. Your #bacteria within #evolved over many #millennia, passed down from your mother, her ...