Except that, for every single cell in your body, there are roughly ten more microscopic organisms that are essential to your life.

此外，每個細胞中，都有至少大約十個生存必須的微生物。

Seriously, there’s a unique collage of 100 trillion microorganisms living on and in you right now,

你體內正生存著百萬億個獨特排列的微生物，

which you’ve picked up through your mouth, ears, and other access points throughout your life.

你的一生中，它們透過嘴巴、耳朵和其他部位進入你的體內。

Meaning, what you consider you, is only a tiny fraction of the things that truly make you up.

也就是說，你所想的你，其實只是組成你的一小部分。

We call this the microbiome, and these little critters contain around 22 million genes of their own DNA,

我們稱之為微生物群落，這些小生物有著約二千二百萬個 DNA 基因，

which not only allow them to survive, but control hundreds of processes in your body.

不僅讓它們得以生存，更控制著身體中數百個程序。

They help digest your food, they keep your immune system healthy, and they even regulate hunger and make you feel full.

它們能協助消化食物、維持免疫系統健康，甚至能調節飢餓感，讓你有吃飽的感覺。

Feeling stressed? They produce chemicals for that too.

覺得有壓力？微生物也能製造化學物質來幫助你。

In fact, mice raised in sterile environments which don’t pick up these microorganisms are less effective at responding to stress stimuli than normal mice.

事實上，比起普通老鼠，在無菌（沒有這些微生物）環境中生活的老鼠抗壓性較差。

Ever heard of a poop transplant? It’s a real thing!

聽過糞便移植嗎？這真的存在！

Some diseases are actually caused by a microbiome which lacks diversity, making the individual susceptible to infections.

有些疾病是因缺乏多樣性的微生物群落引起的，這使個體容易受到感染。

And it’s been found that transplanting the cultures from a healthy persons poo to a sick persons gut can treat these diseases more effectively than any antibiotics.

人們發現，比起使用任何種類的抗生素，把健康人類的糞便培養物移植到病人腸道更有療效。

Scientists have even found that when obese mice are transplanted with the microbiome of lean mice, they, astonishingly, lost weight much more effectively, even when their diet is kept the exact same.

科學家甚至發現，把瘦老鼠的微生物群落移植到肥老鼠身上，即使牠們的飲食維持不變，胖老鼠也能更能驚人的有效地減重。

These organisms are so significant and so much a part of you that in the future doctors may actually diagnose your microbiome instead of you.

這些微生物至關重要，在將來，醫生甚至可能會診斷你的微生物群系，而不是你。

But here’s the crazy part — even though your own cells represent a small proportion of you, you can actually change the other 90%.

更瘋狂的是，即使你的細胞只是佔你的一小部分，剩下的百份之九十是可以被改變的。

Unlike the genetics passed down from your parents, everything you eat actually affects the microbiome.

不像從父母那遺傳的基因，你吃下肚的食物會影響你的微生物群落。

Foods which contain pre and probiotics, for example, introduce new and healthy bacteria which can help the old ones thrive.

比如，含有益生元和益生菌的的食物，會引入新的、健康的細菌，有助舊細菌健康成長。

On the other hand, those chicken nuggets you’re eating, or other processed foods, are treated with chemicals to kill bad bacteria,

反過來説，你吃的雞塊或其他加工食品是用化學物質殺死不好的細菌，

which has the unfortunate side effect of killing some of your good bacteria too.

但不幸地，卻會同時殺死有些對你有益的細菌。

In fact, the western world has much less diversity in their microbiomes than other cultures, who eat primarily whole foods.

事實上，比其他吃天然食品的人，西方人更缺少微生物群落多樣性。

This is because of a diet higher in processed food along with the use of antibacterial soap and antibiotics.

這是因為西方人飲食中加工食品含量較高，還更常使用抗菌肥皂和抗生素。

It may also explain why there are much higher incidences of allergies and autoimmune diseases in western cultures.

這也解釋了為何西方人過敏及自身免疫疾病發病率較高。

So, while you may be having an existential crisis over who or what you really are, just remember that you are in control of this superorganism of cells.

所以在憂慮自己究竟是誰時，記住你「能」控制這些超級生物細胞。

And if you treat your microscopic life partners well, with a good diet, they’ll take care of you.

如果你善待這些微生物小夥伴，有好好飲食，它們也會好好照顧你的。

Or at least... the 10% of you that’s actually you...

至少…那百分之十真正的你…

Special thanks to LittleBits for supporting this episode of AsapSCIENCE.

特別感謝 LittleBits 贊助本集 AsapSCIENCE。

LittleBits are these cool modular building blocks, which are the easiest way to prototype and learn with electronics.

LittleBits 是這些酷炫的模塊積木，是做模型和學習電子的最佳方法。

From simple sensors and LEDs, to more complex wireless and programmable pieces,

從簡單感應器到發光二極管，再到更複雜的無線及可編程式的部分，

they have something for everyone this holiday season whether you’re a musician, a programmer, a gadget geek, or a home project enthusiast.

都能在放假時為所有人帶來樂趣，無論你是個音樂家、程式設計員、小工具愛好者，還是家居改造狂。

You can check it out at littlebits.com and enter the promo code "ASAP" to receive $20 off of any order over $80.

上 littlebits.com 了解更多，輸入代碼「ASAP」獲取滿 $80 折 $20 的折扣。

And when you get it, be sure to send us your designs and projects on Twitter and Instagram!

完成作品後，記得要在 Twitter 或 Instagram 上傳你的設計！

And subscribe for more weekly science videos!

別忘了訂閱收看更多每週科學影片！