Our bodies are comprised of about ten trillion cells. But only half those cells are human. The remainder comprise our microbiome—a vast and complex ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in or on our bodies. Only now is science beginning to understand the profound impact of these microbes on human health.We choose to believe that we are fully sentient and self-governing, wholly responsible for our health, moods and decisions. But the truth is far different. In fact, to a large extent, our emotional state, propensity for disease, the nature of our cravings, and even some of our decision making can be traced back to the nature of our gut ecology.Most of these microorganisms are symbiotic. Maintaining a healthy culture of the right microorganisms is fundamental to good health. But should the quality of your microbiome go awry, health havoc ensues.To better understand the vital role these microorganisms play in our health and lives, today’s show is a veritable microbiome masterclass courtesy of the gastroenterologists, scientific researchers, and gut experts that have graced the show over the years.After 8+ years and 500+ conversations, I’ve compiled a vast library of bankable, timeless information and advice. As a steward of this archive, I feel a responsibility to convert the best of it into a more helpful, productive, accessible, and practical resource.As an initial step toward this goal, I will be periodically offering curated wisdom focused on a specific theme or subject (as opposed to a guest). This episode is an embryonic experiment in doing just that—the first in what will be an evolving series of deep dives, commencing with this microbiome intensive courtesy of the following collection of past podcast gut health expert guests (all hyperlinked to their respective full episodes):Robynne Chutkan, M.D.Ara Katz and Raja DhirZach Bush, M.D.Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D.Will Bulsiewicz, M.D.The visually inclined can watch it unfold on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.I sincerely hope you find this experiment helpful and instructive.Peace + Plants,Listen, Watch & SubscribeApple Podcasts | YouTube | Spotify | Stitcher | Google PodcastsThanks to this week’s sponsors:Calm: The app designed to help you ease stress and get the best sleep of your life with guided meditations, sleep stories, and more. Right now, my listeners can get a special limited-time promotion of 40% off a Calm Premium subscription at calm.com/richroll. It includes unlimited access to ALL of Calm’s amazing content. Get started today!Four Sigmatic: Nutritious and delicious mushroom brews and elixirs made with only the highest quality adaptogens and easy to take on the go. To try ‘em out visit foursigmatic.com/roll and use the discount code ROLL to get 10% off your order.Public Goods: One version of every essential in one place. Healthy, high quality, sustainable and affordable home goods, personal care products, and premium pantry staples. Everything is ethically sourced and free of harmful additives. The folks at Public Goods are generously giving listeners of the show $15 to spend on their first purchase — just go to publicgoods.com/RICHROLL or use code RICHROLL at checkout.Outerknown: Founded by pro-surfer Kelly Slater, Outerknown creates high quality, sustainably produced, and great looking men’s and women’s clothes, ethically manufactured in the world’s cleanest solar-powered factory. When you’re ready to amp up your wardrobe with awesome sustainable duds, go to outerknown.com and enter my code ROLL at checkout to get 25% off your full-price order.SHOW NOTES:Guests featured in this episode (all hyperlinked to their respective episodes) include:Robynne Chutkan, M.D.Ara Katz and Raja DhirZach Bush, M.D.Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D.Will Bulsiewicz, M.D.I'm proud to announce my new book 'Voicing Change'. To learn more & pre-order now, visit, richroll.com/vcThere are a few simple ways you can support the show a