The Gut-Brain Axis & You
Scientists have recently figured out that under stress, our gut biome, the ecosystem of bacteria that live in our guts, actually protects us from stressing out too much. Experiments have been done to show that we experience exaggerated levels of stress when our gut biome is not doing well. Obviously this has some implications for how we should feed our guts and also how taking antibiotics may be affecting our mental, emotional, and physical health. This connection between our guts and our brains is now known as the Gut Brain Axis.
What does your gut microbiome do?
It turns out that a healthy gut microbiome helps us to relax and feel happier. It relaxes the vagus nerve and can help to down regulate our nervous system, making us less anxious. Our gut microbiome actually releases GABA (Gama Aminobutyric Acid) which has a calming effect on our nerve cells, making them less likely to send constant signals of terror to our brains. The more diverse and balanced our “gut ecosystem” the less likely we will experience depression, OCD, and anxiety.
You Are What You Eat
How does a person get or maintain a healthy gut ecosystem? The foods that you eat support the bacteria in your gut. The amount of “good” bacteria versus “bad” bacteria in your gut highly depends on what you are feeding them. Each bacteria has a certain type of food and nutrients that will make it thrive. Some grow and reproduce rapidly when fed sugars, processed foods, and “unhealthy” food items. Others thrive on fruits, fiber, vegetables, lean meats etc. If one set of bad bacteria begins to take over then you may begin to feel the side effects in your brain and body.
Conversely, people who begin eating more healthy often experience feeling more energized and usually have clearer thoughts. This is not by accident. The bacteria which thrive on healthy foods also release healthy chemicals in our bodies and work with us as a team. The bacteria which thrive on junk often secrete junk back into us.
I like to think of my gut as a farm and garden combo. When I am deciding what to eat I like to visualize that I am slopping my pigs, feeding my chickens, and fertilizing my crops. This is essentially what I am doing. If I ran around throwing chocolates and hard candies to my pigs and chickens I would expect some not so great results and a lot of disease. Our guts are no different. Essentially your belly controls your brain!
Prebiotics
One of the best ways to ensure that your “gut farm” is doing well is to include prebiotics into your diet. Some examples of these are yogurts, sauerkrauts, kimchi, and pickled foods. Dietary fiber can change who you are and who you will become. Although we do not get much sustenance directly from fiber, it feeds bacteria remarkably well. There are even studies about how prebiotic diets with fiber can improve mental health dramatically. Read more about prebiotic foods in my blog "Prebiotics & A Healthy Gut" coming out in a few days!
Prebiotics essentially introduce good bacteria into us and feed the bacteria that are present. Humans have been using prebiotics for thousands of years. These foods help immensely to increase our immune system and protect us from disease. The healthy benefits that much of the medical industry are slow to acknowledge are the mental health benefits of prebiotics. Prebiotics and a healthy gut biome can go a long way to helping people get off of antidepressants. They can help to reduce anxiety and overall mental wellness. Our gut is very connected to our brains and therefore we are often run by our gut.
Listen to your gut but don’t always obey it
Have you ever fasted for an extended period of time and found that your thoughts kept turning to foods or cravings? Ever had strong cravings for a certain type of food, whether good or bad? Heard someone say that once they cut sugar out of their diet they didn’t crave it much? Or even that the more vegetables you eat the more you will crave them incessantly? These are all signals that our guts are sending to our brains.
The more aware we are of the signals we are getting from our guts the more we can decide which direction we want to steer our ships. Tired of craving sugars and junk? Start replacing it with better foods and your gut will follow. Bacteria have a very short life span and are quick to reproduce. Simply altering the foods you eat for a few days can dramatically change the population of bacteria in your gut. Are your energy levels lagging? Alter your diet and you will find that it can have a dramatic effect on your energy and concentration levels. What is your gut telling you?
Want to learn more?
There are some great youtube videos out there which teach some amazing information on this topic. Omar Koussa’s Ted Talk titled The gut-brain axis: Grow your gut; expand your mind, is a good place to start. It is especially fascinating to realize that we have been guided by our guts since the day we were born.
Ruairi Robertson also gave a great Ted Talk titled Food for thought: How your belly controls your brain. He dives deeper into how our brains and feelings are controlled by chemicals and our guts. In fact he calls our guts our second brain.
Ryan Cryan in his Ted Talk Feed Your Microbes, Nurture Your Mind also has a fun take on this topic and how we can maintain our mental health as we age.
Posture Massage Can Help!
Remember that Posture Massage is there for you and can help your body to clear out useless chemicals and waste products through lymphatic drainage. We can also help you to update your brain and gut, meaning get them communicating better. Although I am not a dietician or nutritionist, this is a topic that I love to discuss while helping your body to release what is ailing it, both physically and mentally. Try it out in your next session with Posture Massage!
