Imagine you just made a serious error at work. Maybe you hit ‘reply all’ and sent an unintended message to your boss. YIKES – that’s doesn’t feel very good does it? Perhaps you’re experiencing a sinking feeling in your gut…
We’re all familiar with gut feelings and the sayings that go along with them:
- Gut wrenching
- Butterflies in your stomach
- Trust your gut
The gut/brain connection is more than a few phrases.
The real players are the microbes that live in your gut.
There are multiple ways in which these microbes (consisting of bacteria, funghi, viruses…) impact how your brain functions….
The microbes impact your brain by…
- Secreting substances that can travel directly to the brain through the blood.
- Stimulating the vagus nerve which connects directly to the brain.
- Activating cells in the gut lining that send hormones throughout the body.
- Influencing immune cells and inflammation which can affect brain function
- Producing neurochemicals that regulate mental processes such as learning, memory and mood including about 90% of the mood enhancing neurochemical serotonin!
So you can see how gut microbes can impact:
Mood
Pain tolerance
Cognitive performance
Behaviour
Mental health
4 Simple Ways to Start Improving Gut Microbiota Today:
- Eat unprocessed whole foods without hidden chemicals or sugars
- Eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains – they contain the fibre that help to feed the good bacteria.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol as they can both irritate the gut lining.
- Enjoy fermented foods daily to help replenish the good bacteria.
This is not, as I’m sure you’re aware, a complete gut healing protocol, but it’s a good place to start.
Where are you at with your ‘healing’ journey? Keep in mind that making lifestyle changes is a marathon – it’s not a race. Remember to be gentle with yourself and celebrate where you’re at – knowing that it’s not about being ‘perfect’ and more about simply being ‘on’ the path – learning more and doing more for your health…