The gut-brain axis

Happy gut happy mind, happy mind happy gut. The gut-brain axis refers to the bidirectional communication system between the gastrointestinal tract (the gut) and the central nervous system (the brain). The gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes, including digestion, immune function, and even aspects of mood and behavior.

You may have noticed your bowel movements change during periods of stress and anxiety (“nervous poo” anyone?)…this is no coincidence

Some fun facts for you:

🧘‍♀️ The brain and gut are connected by the vagus nerve, the vagus nerve manages your digestive processes (e.g. muscle contraction) and is also influenced by your levels of stress - taking a few deep diaphragmatic breaths before a meal can calm your nervous system and enhance digestion

🧠 Ever had a “gut feeling”? Your gut contains over 100 million neurons! For this reason many scientists refer to it as our “second brain”

😊 Your gut produces around 95% of your serotonin (a chemical messenger that modulates your mood and sleep!) as well as other key neurotransmitters such as GABA (known for it’s role in controlling fear and anxiety)

🦠 Research shows gut bacteria has a key role in metabolic disease such as Type 2 Diabetes, mood disorders such as anxiety and depression and even autism

💩 The gut microbiome is considered so significant in health outcomes that scientists are exploring “faecal microbial transplant” to treat diseases (yes that’s right, transporting some 💩 from one person to another!)

There is far more about the gut that we DON’T know compared to what we do know, but the key thing to remember is your body is all connected, looking after your gut is a great place to start ❤️

Ways to help your gut:

1. Drink water (2 litres a day!)
2. Eat well - lots of plant-based foods and variety in your diet to help feed the different gut bacteria
3. Probiotics increase the amount of good bacteria in your gut. Yogurt, kefir, fresh sauerkraut and supplements are all good sources of probiotics
4. Fibre - you should be getting 30 grams as a minimum!
5. Movement - exercise contributes towards healthy bowel movements
6. Limit inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy and processed or fried foods
7. Pay attention to your poop and what it tells you…! Keep an eye on the blog for more to come on this…

Sources:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190906092809.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469458/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4191858/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044/full
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6005194/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367209/