Seed Health

Your commute to work is teeming with microbial life—especially if you take public transportation. (It’s worth noting: this is often a good thing!) Researchers have studied subway microbiomes from around the world—Boston, Mexico City, Oslo, Hong Kong, and New York. They’ve found that every touchpoint, from handrails to seats to ticket machines, carries a unique microbiome shaped by passengers, seasons, time of day, and even events years in the past.¹᠈² For example, a 2015 study uncovered marine-associated bacteria in a NYC subway station that had flooded during Hurricane Sandy 3 years prior.³ When you interact with surfaces on public transportation, you deposit and acquire microbes, enabling indirect exchange with the other people around you. The good news is that most of these bacteria are harmless, and some may even benefit your health. For instance, after a subway ride, commuters’ skin microbiomes tend to have more microbial diversity and species richness (which can be positives for skin and immune function).⁴ So, instead of taking your commute for granted, remember it’s not just about getting from A to B—it’s a shared microbial experience with fellow passengers and the environment around you. 𑇐 ¹ Gohli, J., Bøifot, K. O., Moen, L. V., Pastuszek, P., Skogan, G., Udekwu, K. I., & Dybwad, M. (2019). The subway microbiome: Seasonal dynamics and direct comparison of air and surface bacterial communities. Microbiome, 7(1). https://lnkd.in/ehhAdR9y ² Kang, K., Ni, Y., Li, J., Imamovic, L., Sarkar, C., Kobler, M. D., Heshiki, Y., Zheng, T., Kumari, S., Wong, J. C. Y., Archna, A., Wong, C. W. M., Dingle, C., Denizen, S., Baker, D. M., Sommer, M. O. A., Webster, C. J., & Panagiotou, G. (2018). The environmental exposures and inner- and intercity traffic flows of the metro system may contribute to the skin microbiome and resistome. Cell Reports, 24(5), 1190-1202.e5. https://lnkd.in/eRYyjgkJ ³ Afshinnekoo, E., Meydan, C., Chowdhury, S., Jaroudi, D., Boyer, C., Bernstein, N., Maritz, J. M., Reeves, D., Gandara, J., Chhangawala, S., Ahsanuddin, S., Simmons, A., Nessel, T., Sundaresh, B., Pereira, E., Jorgensen, E., Kolokotronis, S., Kirchberger, N., Garcia, I., . . . Mason, C. E. (2015). Geospatial resolution of human and bacterial diversity with city-scale metagenomics. Cell Systems, 1(1), 72–87. https://lnkd.in/eUDSFUdM ⁴ Vargas-Robles, D., Gonzalez-Cedillo, C., Hernandez, A. M., Alcaraz, L. D., & Peimbert, M. (2020). Passenger-surface microbiome interactions in the subway of Mexico City. PLoS ONE, 15(8), e0237272. https://lnkd.in/eSZQ5hTY

Dark days, cold commutes, and the pressure of Q1 goals can make this time of year feel especially draining. The good news: Your gut microbiome could help ease the winter blues. Learn more about how gut health impacts your stress responses and what this means for symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD): https://lnkd.in/exti7C4G

This one’s for the work wives, coworker besties, and professional partners-in-crime… Yesterday may have been about romantic relationships, but the platonic partnerships we share with our coworkers—and their microbes—deserve some recognition, too. Every desk drive-by, meeting, coffee run, and water cooler chat isn’t just an exchange of ideas—it’s also an exchange of microbes (aw 🫶). The more time you spend together, the more you share. So, if you’re a 5-day-a-week-er, you and your coworkers’ microbes are well acquainted. Most often, this is a good¹ thing: Microbial transfer from your skin, saliva, gut, and other ecosystems enhances microbiome diversity, which is linked with better digestion and immune system function. In other words, sharing microbes is caring. Tag your work bestie(s) and thank them below. • ¹ Of course, not all microbial transfer is beneficial. Poor hygiene can spread infection-causing microbes, so remember to prioritize appropriate sanitization practices like washing your hands, disinfecting at-risk surfaces (think: your kitchen counter after handling raw meat), and keeping your distance when sick.

Roses are red, violets are blue, we made a box of Bristol Stool Chart chocolates just for you. 💝💩 The Bristol Stool Chart is a universal classification system that can help you track and decode your stool. Ideally, bowel movements should look like types 3 or 4—not too watery, not too dry, and easily expelled in a snake-like shape. If your stool resembles 1s or 2s, you’re likely dealing with constipation, while 6s and 7s indicate diarrhea. Paying attention to your bowel movements can help you identify your patterns and what’s “normal” for you. To learn more about how to decode stool and the insights it offers about your diet, stress levels, and digestive functioning, head to our knowledge hub Cultured: https://lnkd.in/eBGjKxta

If you’re used to sitting inside an office all week, might we suggest getting a little dirty this Valentine’s Day? 🫦 Research suggests that spending time in biodiverse environments—especially those in nature—exposes you to beneficial microbes that can help enhance your microbiome and promote immune balance.¹ Here are a few ways you can get down and dirty over the long weekend: 🧑🌾 Take up gardening. The gut microbiomes of gardeners are more diverse than those of non-gardeners.² 🌹Stop and *touch* the roses. One study found that touching soil or plants temporarily increases the diversity of the skin microbiome.³ 🪴 Adopt a few houseplants. Indoor plants contribute to the microbial abundance and diversity of indoor spaces.⁴ • ¹ Haahtela, T. (2019). A biodiversity hypothesis. Allergy, 74(8), 1445–1456. https://lnkd.in/ef5sNQHX ² Brown, M. D., Shinn, L. M., Reeser, G., Browning, M., Schwingel, A., Khan, N. A., & Holscher, H. D. (2022). Fecal and soil microbiota composition of gardening and non-gardening families. Scientific Reports, 12(1). https://lnkd.in/ei35qVuQ ³ Grönroos, M., Parajuli, A., Laitinen, O. H., Roslund, M. I., Vari, H. K., Hyöty, H., Puhakka, R., & Sinkkonen, A. (2018). Short‐term direct contact with soil and plant materials leads to an immediate increase in diversity of skin microbiota. MicrobiologyOpen, 8(3). https://lnkd.in/ezrJRYGv ⁴ Mahnert, A., Moissl-Eichinger, C., & Berg, G. (2015). Microbiome interplay: Plants alter microbial abundance and diversity within the built environment. Frontiers in Microbiology, 6. https://lnkd.in/em-KQM3Z

Roughly 22.6 million employees are expected to call in sick today, thanks to a phenomenon dubbed “Super Sick Monday." This comes as no surprise—yesterday was arguably one of the most indulgent days of the year in the U.S., with an estimated 88 million pounds of cheese, 235.5 million gallons of beer, 32 million pounds of potato chips, 1.45 billion chicken wings, and 12.5 million pizzas consumed. Overloading on fatty, processed, and rich foods can throw the gut microbiome and digestive system out of balance. While you can’t turn back time, there is a simple way to reset, recover, and restore your gut: DS-01® 14 Day Gut Reset, clinically validated to rapidly restore healthy gut function by replenishing beneficial bacteria and strengthening the gut barrier within 14 days. Get started (and back to work 😉): https://lnkd.in/eaKwi9UX

Don’t settle for the same sh*t this year. ⁠ ⁠ January might be coming to an end, but your commitment to better health doesn’t have to. What are you prioritizing in 2025?

How many times do you furrow your brow during a typical work day? Stress has a way of showing up on your face—from crinkled eyebrows and clenched jaws to dulled skin and breakouts. The good news? DS-01® can help. Your skin health is deeply connected to your gut microbiome via a pathway called the gut-skin axis. This means nurturing your gut can help support radiant skin. DS-01® is formulated with probiotic strains and a novel non-fermenting prebiotic clinically validated to: • Support and maintain healthy, clear, glowing skin • Smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles  • Help maintain beneficial skin microbiota Explore more benefits of DS-01®: https://lnkd.in/gHS8hwHB

Deadlines, performance reviews, OOO auto-responses, oh my! With all the end-of-year work stress—not to mention holiday potlucks and happy hours—you might be experiencing some testy situations in the office bathroom. 💩 It doesn’t have to be this way. Support regular digestive rhythm with DS-01®, our 2-in-1 probiotic and prebiotic formulated with strains that: ✅ Ease occasional constipation ✅ Promote digestive health ✅ Reinforce easy evacuations ✅ Provide relief from occasional gas and bloating Learn more about DS-01®: https://lnkd.in/eTYBBcD5

Could the slime in your dishwasher unlock a solution to global warming? In a recent interview for CNN with Issy Ronald, our co-founder and co-CEO Ara Katz and Braden Tierney, Executive Director of The Two Frontiers Project, discuss how the microbes living all around us—yes, even under our noses—could hold the same carbon-absorbing powers as those found in nature, offering exciting possibilities for tackling the climate crisis. Read the feature: https://lnkd.in/eGRd3SHB Want to get involved? Enter The Extremophiles Campaign: In Your Home. Link in the comments.