The Gut-Brain Connection: 3 Things You Need To Know
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It's estimated that more than one in five adults are currently living with a mental health condition,
And this is continually increasing, which has led individuals to start looking into what might be impacting this.
The gut-brain connection is an avenue that is starting to gain interest.
So in today's video, we are going to be discussing what is the gut-brain connection?
How does our gut health affect our mental health?
And what conditions may be impacted?
What are three things you need to know about the gut-brain connection?
And what are some practical ways you can help improve the gut-brain connection?
[Video Transcript Below Video]
Hi, I'm Katie Bailey. I'm a gut health dietician at Oswald Digestive Clinic, where we help individuals improve and resolve their bothersome gut issues.
If you are interested in learning more about gut health, you can click the link here to schedule an appointment,
Or click here to get our free guide, 5 Ways to Improve your gut health.
Okay, let's get started on today's topic.
What is the gut-brain connection?
Well, the gut-brain connection is a term that's used to describe the bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system.
You may have heard this called the gut brain access as well.
Our gut microbiome is home, two trillions of microorganisms that provide us with energy, nutrients, metabolites like short-chain fatty acids, as well as neurotransmitters that act as signaling molecules to the brain.
The brain in response to these signals then sends messages throughout the body to modify our nervous system inflammation, as well as other processes in the body and the brain and the gut are constantly communicating through neurons, hormones, and neurotransmitters.
How does the gut affect mental health?
And what conditions are impacted if you've ever experienced a gut feeling or butterflies in your stomach?
These are common expressions that help to highlight the connection between the digestive system and the brain.
Research has shown that the diversity and the health of our gut microbiome can significantly impact brain development behavior and our susceptibility to neurological disorders.
Several studies have linked gut dysbiosis, which is that imbalance of good to bad bacteria in the gut as well as inflammation to an increased risk of depression.
Gut bacteria also produce neurotransmitters and metabolites that can modulate anxiety related disorders.
And research also suggests that the imbalances in our gut microbiome may contribute to the development and severity of ADHD symptoms.
So you can see that the research really shows that our gut does significantly impact our mental health.
Now let's get into
What are three things you need to know about the gut-brain connection?
The Enteric Nervous System
Well, the first thing is that our gut actually has its own nervous system, and this is called the enteric nervous system.
You may have also heard it called our second brain.
There are over 100 million nerve cells that lined the GI tract.
You may have heard of the vagus nerve before, and this nerve extends from our brainstem all the way down to our abdomen, and it acts as a highway for communication between the enteric nervous system, the gut, and our central nervous system.
The brain and research is showing that our enteric nervous system can send signals to the brain that can trigger mental health changes.
2. Neurotransmitter Production
The second thing that's important to know is that the gut produces many of the same neurotransmitters that are found in the brain like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
These neurotransmitters play a crucial role in regulating our mood, cognition, and behavior.
Over 90% of the body's serotonin is actually produced in the gut by our gut bacteria, and it plays a role in our emotion, our mood, digestion, appetite, and sleep.
About 50% of our dopamine is also synthesized in the gut, and it's involved in cognitive function, focus, mood, memory, and addiction.
Now, GABA is our calming neurotransmitter and it's been found to be beneficial in fear, anxiety, stress, as well as sleep.
If you have an unhealthy gut, then you may be producing less of these neurotransmitters, which is going to potentially affect your mood.
3. Can Cause Chronic Inflammation
Another thing that's important to know is that inflammation in the gut can cause systemic inflammation including in the brain, and that neuroinflammation is believed to be associated with depressive disorders, so inflammation in their gut, which can be caused by things like a poor diet or that gut dysbiosis or stress can lead to gut barrier dysfunction, which can cause conditions like leaky gut where harmful substances are getting into the bloodstream that are not supposed to be there.
This creates an immune response, which can lead to systemic inflammation, which can significantly impact our brain health.
Now, the good thing is that our microbes create things called short chain fatty acids that can really help support that gut barrier and strengthen it as well as help to decrease that inflammation.
Therefore, you can see that the health of our gut can significantly impact our inflammation levels, which in turn is going to affect our brain health.
What are some practical ways to improve the gut-brain connection?
So nurturing the gut brain access is going to involve dietary as well as lifestyle modifications.
Food Choices
The first thing you're going to want to do is incorporate foods that are high in fiber and polyphenols as this is going to help feed that good beneficial bacteria.
Additionally, fermented foods like keefer yogurt and sauerkraut are going to help introduce that good bacteria into the gut.
Replace Deficiencies
Now, deficiencies in magnesium and B vitamins have been linked to mental health conditions.
So either supplementing with these or increasing our foods with these nutrients may be beneficial for our brain health.
So foods that are high in our B vitamins are going to be whole grains, eggs, legumes, avocados, meat, poultry, and fish and foods high in magnesium are going to be nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, legumes and green leafy vegetables.
Stress, Sleep, + Exercise
And then lastly, lifestyle modifications like managing our stress levels, getting adequate sleep and regular exercise are all going to help promote that healthy gut microbiome and therefore improve our gut brain connection.
In Summary
To wrap up our topic for today, it's important to note that the relationship between our gut health and our mental health is complex and multifactorial.
However, research does highlight the importance of considering the gut-brain connection in the prevention and management of mental health conditions.
By prioritizing our gut health, you can support optimal brain function, regulate your mood and emotions, as well as promote a balanced and resilient mind.
Remember, the gut-brain connection is a two-way street. So by taking care of your gut health, you're also going to be nurturing your brain health.
That's it for today's video. If you like this video, please hit the like button and subscribe for more nutrition videos.
If you're interested in working with our clinic, you could click the link below to schedule an appointment.
We do take insurance and you can find more information about that on our website.
Thank you for watching. I'll see you next time.
Bye!
If you'd like to explore any of this information further or obtain an individualized nutrition plan, you can schedule an initial appointment at our clinic. We also take insurance and some of our clients get full coverage, which is great.
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