The Brain - Gut Connection

Have you ever had that “butterflies-in-your stomach” feeling when you were nervous? This “gut-feeling” is a perfect example of just how closely your brain and gut are connected!

The gut–brain axis is the two-way biochemical signaling that takes place between your gut and your central nervous system. It is a two-way street; meaning your gut is constantly in communication with your brain and your brain is in constant communication with your gut.

For example, when you’re feeling hungry, the thought of eating will stimulate the production of digestive juices before you’ve even taken the first bite. At the same time, your gut gut will communicate with your brain to signal fullness!

But it goes so much further than just hunger/fullness cues! There is increasing evidence that suggests an association between poor gut health and mental health conditions. In fact, it has been found that people with gut-related disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), may be more likely to also suffer from mental health conditions such anxiety and depression.

Fun fact: 95% of your body’s total serotonin (also known as the “happy hormone”) is produced by the gut bacteria!

So how does this work?

The bacteria in your gut can impact mood and behavior through numerous mechanism. By balancing your gut microbiome, you can in turn improve your mood and mental health.

Let’s start by talking about leaky gut…

A diverse and healthy gut microbiome contributes to a strong gut lining. However, an unhealthy and unbalanced gut weakens the integrity of this lining, thus contributing to ‘leaky gut’. As you can see below, when the tight junctions separate, undigested food particles, toxins, bad bacteria and viruses can all pass thought your gut lining into your bloodstream!

On the other side of things, an overgrowth of ‘bad’ bacteria can increase the production of LPS molecules (aka bacterial toxins that trigger inflammation). When these molecules are able to escape through the gut lining, they can trigger inflammation within the body. High levels of LPS in the bloodstream have been linked the developments of any conditions such as depression, anxiety, Alzheimers and cognitive decline.

What can I do to keep my gut and brain healthy?

Diet plays a major role in the health of your gut microbiome. Focusing on plant diversity, fermented foods + polyphenols, and minimizing intake of processed foods and added sugars, can help to support a healthy gut microbiome!

Struggling with gut issues? Click HERE to schedule a free discovery call! Let’s chat about getting to the root cause of your symptoms!

Written by: Julie Balsamo + Rebecca Russel