Gut Health and the Brain

by Kathy Smith

Gut Health and the Brain

Gut Health And The Brain

When you have a “gut feeling” about something, you should probably pay attention. The gut is loaded with nerve tissue and is sometimes called the second brain…it’s why you get butterflies when excited or gastrointestinal distress when you’re emotionally stressed.

Your gut is one of the most important organs for a healthy brain. Scientists are recognizing that digestive issues like constipation, irritable bowel, candida, acid reflux and diarrhea triggers silent inflammation and affects your mood and your brain function…so a balanced gut will help improve brain health.

The billions of microorganisms that are present in the gut are what keep things working. For a healthy gut, it’s important to have more good organisms than bad ones. When the balance shifts, your body fights off the bad bacteria, which leads to inflammation. And chronic inflammation increases your risk for certain diseases like cardiovascular disease and heart disease.

One of the most noticeable reactions to inflammation is a drop in energy. But your gut and your brain are also not working at their highest level when inflammation is present. The greater the level of inflammation in your digestive system, the greater likelihood that your brain will be affected, shifting your moods and making you less focused and foggy.

Studies have shown that specific good bacteria in the gut can short circuit certain hormones. When you’re experiencing stress, your body releases the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Too high a level of these hormones in your body not only increases inflammation, but makes you feel edgy, anxious or even depressed. A healthy balance of a wide variety of good bacteria sends signals to your brain that it’s not necessary to send these hormones out into your body, leading to improved, calmer mood.

The right combination of foods is one of the best ways to balance your gut. Adding probiotics helps reduce inflammation in the gut, which allows the good bacteria to flourish. Probiotics include: Miso, kimchi, live yogurts, kombucha, water kefir, milk kefir, sauerkraut and cabbage. 

Adding probiotics to your meals is easier than you think. I like to add sauerkraut to my salads and probiotics in my protein shakes. Kefir is a great way to start your probiotic adventure because its flavor is similar to yogurt and it has a drinkable consistency. In fact, most kefir is available in bottles and sold as smoothies. Naturally fermented pickles are a crunchy way to balance your gut.

And one of the most surprising, enjoyable and by far easiest ways to improve gut balance doesn’t even involve food. Studies have shown that spending time with your pet increases the good bacteria in your gut. Maybe dog kisses aren’t so bad after all!

Kathy

By Collage Video | | fitness, Kathy Smith, Weekly Blog, Wellness | 0 comments
next post → ← previous post

Comments

Leave a comment

Stay in Touch

Information

210 W. Parkway, Suite 7, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 ● © Collage Video ● Exercise Video Specialists ● Fitness Videos and Workout Videos ● 1-800-819-7111 / 201-464-4921 ● CustomerCare@CollageVideo.com

From Our Blog

  • Collage welcomes instructors Brook Benten & Aimee Nicotera to the shop!

    Exciting news! We're welcoming two highly qualified instructors that will help you crush your fitness goals, shake up your routine, and offer a new source of motivation!   Brook Benten, B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science from Texas State University. Masters of... read more

  • Two More Happy Yoga DVDs Coming to Collage Video

    Happy Yoga from Sarah Starr is designed to bring you the beauty of Mother Nature as you receive yoga's rejuvenating benefits, including flexibility, toning, clarity and balance. Want to learn more about Sarah? Visit her instructor profile here. These titles... read more

  • What is Callanetics? Is it for me?

    Some people swear by it. Some people have never heard of it. It’s Callanetics. Callanetics became a revolutionary method of exercise and gained international recognition for its speedy body-shaping results. Some of the noise behind Callanetics may have softened over... read more