I’d like to thank my mother, Maria, who introduced me to the village and all its beauty. The summers in our horio inspired so much of what I’m doing today. Thank you for driving me to swim practice at 4:30 am; thank you for making me get right back on the horse after the first buck; thank you for making me the best fish soup.
To my literary agent, Chris Tomasino, thank you for your dedication and support throughout the entire journey. To my publisher, Pam Krauss, and the team at Pam Krauss Books and Avery—thank you!
To all my family and friends for your support. There are no words to describe the love and gratitude I have for you all! Thank you. Thank you . . .
I’m also extremely grateful to all my mentors and teachers along the way—you laid the groundwork for connecting the past to modern science.
To all my clients who were willing to explore the microbiome during a time when it might have been perceived as “experimental.”
And finally, to Apollo, who’s always inspired me throughout our time in nature.