Mobile Nature Reserves

A recent ground-breaking study found that about 1 to 3% of our body mass consists of bacteria and other microscopic organisms!  In fact, these researchers discovered about 10,000 different species, with a total number in the trillions.  This equates to about 2 to 3 kg for each person!  While most of us think "sickness" and "disease" when we hear the word 'bacteria,' these tiny organisms actually help to keep us healthy and fight disease, alongside our own defences.  So in many ways, we are like mobile nature reserves.  As one of the principal researchers said, "You can think of our ecosystems like you do rain forests and oceans, very different environments with communities of organisms that possess incredible, rich diversity."  Preserving this nature within us keeps us functioning optimally and it seems that the war on germs may do us more harm than good.  

http://www.livescience.com/20929-microbes-healthy-humans-microbiome.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2159087/Healthy-people-share-bodies-10-000-species-germs.html