When your gut struggles, so does your brain
You might not think that the way we treat our gut has an effect on our mental health, but the truth is that what we put into our mouths can have beneficial or adverse effects on the way our guts function, which in turn will cause a good or bad response from our body as a whole, and subsequently our brains will then react either positively or negatively.
Brains are made up of neurons that communicate with everything else that make up our body, and they require the right fuel to keep them functioning well. The signals that emit from the brain enable us to know when part of our body hurts, when something is hot or cold to the touch, when we feel unwell, and much more. Most importantly, the brain does not only send out messages, it is also incredibly reactive to stimuli, and works very closely with your gut.
These stimuli can come in a number of forms such as an exciting event, a traumatic event, and even just our regular day to day will create reactions in our brain that may be stored anywhere within the body for later. Forms of stimulus include food, drink, and medication.
When we drink plenty of water and eat whole foods high in anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and good (unsaturated) fats, as opposed to foods high in sugar, saturated fats and salt; our bodies will react in completely opposite ways. Whole foods are food products which are not processed at all such as raw vegetables, fresh fruit, and whole grains, or they at the very least have not gone through an extensive processing method where nutrients have been entirely stripped away such as whole grain bread and rice. Whole foods give us a vast range of nutrients, and contribute towards an optimal immune system, digestive system, cardiovascular system, and much more. These in turn will contribute towards better energy levels, improved cognitive agility and memory, emotional balance, and confidence.
But how do these whole foods affect the mind?
As mentioned, eating whole foods will work wonders on the mind. The gut is responsible for nutrient absorption and it is always speaking with our brains. So, if your gut isn’t functioning well, your body will not be taking in those nutrients to fuel the brain. This is because whole foods are more easily and quickly absorbed, and the heightened level of nutrients will be absorbed by the gut, and transported around the body to keep all of our internal organs, bones, and muscles functioning well, including the brain. These foods possess the ability to prevent inflammation which can cause Alzheimer’s, memory loss, confusion, and difficulty speaking and walking, and are absorbed slowly to keep you alert throughout the day, keep brain fog away, and help our bodies better cope with stress.
Examples of whole foods include but are not limited to:
Leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, cabbage, romaine lettuce, coriander, broccoli, mint, leeks, and watercress
Oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, herring, pilchards, and kippers
Dark chocolate
Dry roasted nuts, which includes cashews and walnuts
Citrus fruits, berries and tomatoes
Eggs
Coffee and tea (no sugar)
Herbs and spices such as turmeric, ginger and cinnamon
High consumption of heavily processed foods will throw off a good-bad gut bacteria ratio, consequentially resulting in the body almost reacting against itself by inducing inflammation. These processed foods are absorbed slowly by the body, contain oxidants which our body will constantly work to remove from the body, and through processing, these foods will have been stripped of all of the nutrients that can help keep us healthy. Foods high in sugar, saturated fats, salt and preservatives tend to lack dietary fibre, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and good fats which are crucial for overall health, and without them can potentially result in changes in behaviour, certain types of cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and stroke.
Signs of poor gut health include:
· Constant fatigue
· Bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea
· Irritation of the skin
· Weaker immune system and proneness to illness
· Inability to concentrate and retain information
· Repetitive yeast infections
· Low mood
· Disrupted sleep
· Sugar cravings
Other than food, what else can contribute towards poor gut health and mental well-being?
Other substances that can contribute to poor gut health are the use of antibiotics, painkillers and alcohol, and ignoring food intolerances and allergies can also be incredibly harmful.
Over the last few years I have reduced my processed sugar and alcohol intake, incorporated more water into my diet, swapped a lot of saturated for unsaturated fats, started exercising more, lowered my alcohol consumption, and had an intolerance and allergy test and from this also cut out dairy, gluten, certain nuts, and quite a bit more! With each step I saw an improvement in my body overall, but most importantly the cobwebs (well, most anyway) have been blown away, and I can think a lot more clearly, process difficult emotions and stress far more easily, and hold on to information well.
Now don’t get me wrong, you can still indulge in these things as life is far too dull without them. It’s about moderation and recognising your body’s cues, and that starts with good gut health. After just a few small changes I saw colossal results, and you can too. However, it is important to remember that all of our bodies are different and respond in varied ways. The best thing we can do is make little changes that are easy to manage until we find the right fit for us, and that all starts with educating ourselves on the foods we should be eating more and less of.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are administered to kill infections in the body, targeting bacteria and killing it. This also includes bacteria in the gut. The antibiotics cannot decipher between good and bad bacteria, and purely recognises it as bacteria and destroys it, which can leave the immune system vulnerable once the course has finished.
Anyone taking antibiotics will benefit from taking probiotics during and/or immediately after finishing the course to help restore the good bacteria. These can come in capsule form, but some natural probiotics include yoghurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha.
Painkillers
Painkillers surprisingly can have a negative impact on gut health. The job of a painkiller is to, well, kill pain. The brain is flooded with those lovely little chemicals to make you feel better, which can dull the functions of the natural feel good chemicals dopamine and serotonin. This can make it difficult to have healthy responses to stressors, and hurt the relationship between your gut and mind.
Alcohol
Over-consumption of alcohol can actually cause inflammation within the stomach, as well as overgrowth of bacteria within the small intestine and a reduction of healthy bacteria within the gut, having a negative effect on the necessary relationship between the gut and the brain. It can lead to an inability to process emotions healthily long-term.
What will good gut health do for the entire body?
A well operating gut can do so much for the body as a whole. In changing your diet today, within days you will reap the benefits of more mental clarity, the ability to absorb information better, better sleeping habits, improved cognitive function, more energy, and a more balanced mood. Cutting out highly processed foods and upping your whole foods intake will also help you gain a leaner and more toned body, help skin glow, aid hair and nail growth, boost immune system, reduce the risk of certain illnesses and diseases, boost confidence levels, and much more. The list is endless.
Easy, quick fixes to help improve gut health:
· Cut back on processed sugar
· Swap out white bread and rice for their brown counterparts
· Cut back on alcohol consumption
· Find ways to lower your stress levels
· Boost probiotics
· Cut back on red meat
· Try adding prebiotics and probiotics to your diet
· Get more sleep
· Cut back on bad fats
· Drink more water
· Keep immune system boosted to reduce need for antibiotics where possible, by increasing fruits and vegetable intake