Your gut and your brain are closer than you think!They're constantly talking to each other, and what's going on in your gut can actually affect how you feel. If your gut isn't healthy, it can make you feel more stressed, anxious, or even sad.Learning about this gut-brain connection can help you find natural ways to …
The Gut-Brain Connection: How Digestive Health Affects Mental Well-being
Your gut and your brain are closer than you think!
They’re constantly talking to each other, and what’s going on in your gut can actually affect how you feel. If your gut isn’t healthy, it can make you feel more stressed, anxious, or even sad.
Learning about this gut-brain connection can help you find natural ways to feel better.
Your gut is home to trillions of tiny organisms like bacteria and fungi. This community of microbes is called the gut microbiome, and it’s like a hidden world inside you.[1]
These microbes help you digest food, fight off bad bacteria, and keep you healthy. When there’s a good balance of different types of microbes, your gut is happy. But when things get out of whack (doctors call this dysbiosis), it can cause problems, including affecting your mood.
The gut and brain talk to each other in several ways.
One important way is through the vagus nerve, which is like a telephone line between your gut and brain.[2]
Gut bacteria also make chemicals called neurotransmitters, like serotonin and GABA. These chemicals affect how you feel and act.[3] If your gut is inflamed, or swollen, it can also affect your brain, making you feel worse.[4]
Studies have even shown that people with gut problems are more likely to have anxiety, depression, or trouble thinking clearly.[5][6]
The good news is you can do things to help your gut!
Eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains gives good bacteria the fiber they need to thrive.
Prebiotics, found in foods like onions, garlic, and bananas, are like food for these good bacteria.
Probiotics, found in yogurt and sauerkraut, add even more good bacteria to your gut.
Some herbs and oils can also help. Coriander seed oil, for example, can calm inflammation in the gut, fight bad bacteria, and help keep everything in balance.[7]
Managing stress, exercising, and getting enough sleep are also great for your gut.
So, taking care of your gut isn’t just about good digestion. It can also make a big difference in your mental health.
By eating healthy foods, adding prebiotics and probiotics to your diet, and trying natural remedies like coriander seed oil, you can improve your gut health and feel much better overall.
Talk to your doctor if you have questions about your gut or mental health.
References:
[1]: Thursby, E., & Juge, N. (2017). Introduction to the human gut microbiota. Biochemical Journal, 474(11), 1823–1836.
[2]: Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 44.
[3]: Cryan, J. F., & Dinan, T. G. (2012). Mind-altering microorganisms: the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 13(10), 701–712.
[4]: Berk, M., Williams, L. J., Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Pasco, J. A., Moylan, S., … Maes, M. (2013). So depression is an inflammatory disease, but where does the inflammation come from? BMC Medicine, 11, 200.
[5]: Huang, Y., Wang, Y., & Hu, J. (2016). Clinical Importance of the Gut Microbiota after Acute Ischemic Stroke. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 10, 160.
[6]: Claesson, M. J., Jeffery, I. B., Conde, S., Power, S. E., O’Connor, E. M., Cusack, S., … O’Toole, P. W. (2012). Gut microbiota composition correlates with diet and health in the elderly. Nature, 488(7410), 178–184.
[7]: Linalool. (2005). Alternative Medicine Review, 10 Suppl 1, S38-45.
