Gut Health Is Mental Health

Gut Health Is Mental Health

Have you ever felt stressed or anxious about something, only to later experience bloating or queasiness? Or have you eaten something that didn’t agree with you and then felt foggy or depressed?

Even though the brain and gut are physically separate, they are closely connected through something called the gut-brain axis. This connection illustrates how the brain and gut communicate with each other, influencing one another in the process.

‍

The Microbial Ecosystem in Your Gut

Your gut is like a tiny rainforest filled with trillions of microbes, which together make up the microbiome. This diverse community includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms that are essential for both digestion and mental health.

These microbes help break down the food we eat, including parts that our bodies can’t digest on their own. This means that what we eat plays a huge role in how well our gut functions. When we consume a lot of processed foods, our beneficial bacteria can struggle to process them. These bacteria thrive on fiber, and without enough of it in our diets, an imbalance can occur. This imbalance, known as dysbiosis, means that some types of microbes grow too much while others fade away. While indulging in something like Chick-fil-A waffle fries once in a while isn't going to make or break your microbiome, a regular diet high in processed foods and low in fiber can lead to health issues.

‍

How Do the Gut and Brain Communicate?

One important pathway for communication between the gut and the brain is the vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve in the body. It plays a crucial role in the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us relax and digest food. This nerve allows signals to travel back and forth between the gut and the brain, creating a two-way communication system. Through the vagus nerve, the gut can influence brain function, affecting our mood, stress levels, and even how well we think.

‍

The Close Connection Between Gut Health and Mental Health

Research shows that the gut-brain-microbiome connection is vital for mental health. Certain gut microbes produce important chemicals called neurotransmitters, including serotonin, GABA, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Surprisingly, around 90% of the serotonin in our body is produced in the gut.

‍

When the gut bacteria are out of balance (dysbiosis), it can lead to lower production of these “feel-good” chemicals, which can contribute to anxiety, depression, and difficulties in coping with stress. This means keeping our gut microbiome balanced is essential for maintaining a positive mood and good mental health.

However, scientists are still trying to figure out whether changes in the gut microbiome lead to mental health issues, or if stress, anxiety, and depression create an environment that makes it hard for these helpful microbes to thrive.

Whatever the case, we can implement some simple lifestyle changes to foster a healthy gut and mind.

‍

Keeping your Gut-Brain axis Healthy

• Eat a variety of fiber-rich foods. Microbes need these plant fibers and phytonutrients to survive in the proportions required for optimizing health.

• Consume fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, yogurt, and kifir. These products contain strains of bacteria that help stimulate the gut microbe already living there.

• Take a Targeted Probiotic: One that has strains specific in treating mental health or dysbiosis.

• Manage stress through exercise, breathing techniques, meditation, and journaling. Since the vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, it functions best when we are in that "rest and digest" state. So, when we help our body relax, communication between our gut and brain happens more seamlessly.

• Remove processed foods from the diet. I know this is difficult, but processed foods contain excess sugar, salt, seed oils, and chemicals with little fiber or nutrients to feed the microbiome. As we discussed earlier, these products can cause an overgrowth of certain species and die off of others. Creating that dysbiosis that we are trying to avoid.
• ‍

Start Small

As you work to support your gut-brain axis, start small. I know it is tempting to jump in and try to implement all of these tips tomorrow. However, by adding these habits and tools into your life one by one, you are much more likely to sustain this change. Which is what we want: lifelong health from our gut to our brain.

‍

Next Steps

If you are struggling with your gut health or mental health I would love to be resource for you. Send me an email at hello@blasiegriesel.com or sign up for your free consultation below to talk with me about what you are going through. I've been there and know what it feels like, I would be honored to walk alongside you in your health journey.