Hippocrates (460-370BC) believed that all diseases begin in the gut. He was closer to the truth than he has been given credit for. It is reasonable to assume that gastro-intestinal disorders or metabolic diseases may start in the gut. But research over the last 15 years into the nature and role of the gut microbiome – the trillions of microorganisms that reside in our intestine – has uncovered its far wider influence, including across many auto-immune conditions, cardiovascular disease and even cancer.
Even then, few would have linked gut health to Parkinson’s, autism or Alzheimer’s. Yet gut and brain health are far...






