Meet the Microbiome, A Fascinating World Within Your Body

Inside each of us exists an entire world – a vibrant colony of microbes, including bacteria, yeast and many other microorganisms. Collectively, these are called the microbiome.

Being a nature immersive wellbeing retreat, we know that humans have a deep inherent connection to nature. Microbes are a common thread linking us with the natural world: they live submerged in the depths of the Indian Ocean, at the top of the highest mountain, and symbiotically on and inside our bodies.

In isolation, microbes don’t make much of an impact. But by working together, they can have a profound effect. We often think of microbes as germs that need to be destroyed, but the microbes that live within us play a vital role in building our immunity and protecting our health.

One of the first gifts we receive from our mothers is a collection of beneficial microbes. Some are obtained through breastfeeding and skin contact, but most are received on our journey through the birth canal.

In the early years of our life, our microbes fluctuate and work together to establish our gut composition, which stabilises by adulthood. However, our microbiome continues to be influenced by factors like diet, age, environment and medication as we journey through life.

Think of the human body as an archipelago. While the mouth, gut and skin are all interconnected, each has its own unique microbial fauna – just like different island reefs here in the Maldives have their own distinct marine life.

Centred around the Four Pillars of JOALI BEING, our wellbeing philosophy recognises the gut microbiome as the core of wellbeing. The gut refers to our gastrointestinal tract, including the oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine.

The microbes in our gut ecosystem are vital. They help to digest food, break down toxins, release certain nutrients, and produce vitamins and minerals that we cannot obtain from our diet.

We each have our own unique microbiome. Which is why we at JOALI BEING take a tailored approach to nurturing each individual’s microbiome. We encourage guests to become the gardener of their own microbiome, working together to cultivate a thriving microbial fauna through dietary and lifestyle choices.