Hand sanitizer. Social distancing. Antibiotics. Fending off germs has long been considered one of the cornerstones of good health. But what if better health and more graceful aging actually went hand-in-hand with embracing microbes?Your body is teeming with microbes--not just in the gut, but also on your skin, in your lungs, and beyond. And they impact everything from your sleep, cognition, mood, heart health, and energy to your likelihood of developing many diseases. As groundbreaking new studies are showing, taking care of your microbiome--inside and out--can help you improve your day-to-day health and even help prevent or reverse some of the most common age-related diseases.This eye-opening book breaks down what the latest research says about how the microbiome affects all aspects of physical and mental health--and what you can do about it. Potentially change the trajectory of 9 out of 10 leading causes of death, including heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes Increase your resistance to pathogens like the flu and COVID-19 Keep your skin soft, healthy, supple, and less wrinkled Stabilize your weight and control blood sugar Improve your physical fitness and strength Fight "inflammaging"--low-grade inflammation that hastens the aging process Get a more restful and rejuvenating night's sleep Reduce stress and improve mental health--and your long-term quality of life The Microbiome Master Key is an updated and expanded new edition of The Whole-Body Microbiome.