Takes Two to Tango — Men's fertility matters
19 Jan 2019
19 Jan 2019
Butterflies before a first date.
Nausea before a big performance.
Constipation before a big meeting.
Heartburn after a stressful, holiday dinner with the in-laws.
Uncontrollable sugar cravings while studying for a big exam.
If you have experienced any of these sensations, then you have experienced the “Gut-Brain Connection”.
The gut communicates with the brain like no other organ. As a matter of fact, the gut (the whole gastrointestinal system) is now often referred to as the ‘second brain’ because it contains the same cellular tissue and can produce many of the same chemical messengers (hormones, neurotransmitters) as the brain in your head.
The information exchange between your brain and your gut continues 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of your life. That is quite an intense and intimate relationship! So why are we just now starting to hear about the importance of this relationship?
Things have changed dramatically over the past few decades. The way we eat, what we eat, what we drink, our sleeping habits, the chemicals that we are exposed to, the pharmaceutical drugs that we take…..all of these things did not impact our grandparents and the generations before them, like they impact us today. We are a generation riddled with obstacles to optimal health.
Over the past few years, Western medicine has come to realize that these obstacles, along with chronic stress and inadequate sleep, greatly alter the structural integrity of the cells and the microbiome within the gastrointestinal system which ultimately alters our brain and mood.
The Physiology –
Recent studies have implicated altered brain-gut-microbiota interactions in brain disorders such as depression, anxiety, autism, Parkinson’s, and even Alzheimer’s disease.[1]
How exactly did the gut influence these changes in the brain? Let’s take a look at the science.
The gut is home to a wide variety of TRILLIONS of microbes, mainly bacteria. When the human microbiome is challenged with changes in diet, stress or antibiotics, the physiology of the normal microbiome undergoes change. A ‘dysbiotic state’ (imbalanced state) leads to increased intestinal permeability (aka, ‘leakiness’) and allows contents such as bacteria and food particles, to leak through the intestinal wall and into the systemic circulation (the body’s blood volume), a phenomenon appropriately named “leaky gut syndrome.”[3]
Increased intestinal permeability leads to detrimental effects on the immune system, which have been demonstrated in diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetes, asthma, and psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, and autism.
Inflammation of the GI tract places stress on the microbiome and alters it through the rapid release of cytokines and neurotransmitters. Combined with the gut’s “leakiness”, these molecules then travel systemically, via the blood. Elevated levels of cytokines increase the permeability (leakiness) of the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, cytokine release influences brain function, leading to anxiety, depression and memory loss.
How do I fix an unhealthy gut-brain relationship?
A growing amount of evidence demonstrates the importance of a healthy gut microbiome for patients suffering from anxiety and depression; as dysbiosis and inflammation in gastrointestinal system have been linked as potential causes of mental illness. [4]
Here are some ways to support a healthy gut:
Now, remember this is a ‘two way street’. So how can we support the brain, so as to promote a healthy gut?
We are living in an age when we are essentially always “on call”. Cell phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches…..we jump when these things chime or vibrate and we feel disconnected and lost when we don’t have them with us.
There are many studies showing how technology can contribute to high levels of stress, strained relationships, attention deficit disorder symptoms and certain mental disorders. Consider doing a “technology detox” or at least limiting yourself from using technology during certain times of the day. For example, try turning off your cell phone right before dinner with your family and leave it off until the next morning. It won’t take long to feel the relief that comes with ‘unplugging’.
Improving sleep hygiene is the first step in achieving quality sleep. Sleep hygiene techniques include:
Having read this article, you are already on your way to a healthier you, I can feel it in my GUT!
[1] Mayer, Dr. Emeran. The Gut Brain Connection: How Your Gut Hold the Key To Better Brain Health.
2017. https://www.consciouslifestylemag.com/brain-gut-connection-mind/
[2] Smith, Peter Andrey. The tantalizing links between gut microbes and the brain.
14 October 2015. https://www.nature.com/news/the-tantalizing-links-between-gut-microbes-and-the-brain-1.18557
[3] Clapp, M. Aurora, N, Herrera L, Bhatia, M, WIlen E, Wakefield S. Gut microbiota’s effect on mental health:
The gut-brain axis. 15 September 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/
[4]Clapp, M. Aurora, N, Herrera L, Bhatia, M, WIlen E, Wakefield S. Gut microbiota’s effect on mental health:
The gut-brain axis. 15 September 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/
[5] Mental Health Foundation. Diet and Mental Health. October 2018.
https://edubirdie.com/blog/diet-and-mental-health
[6] Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illnesses. Sathyanarayana Rao, T.S., Asha, M, Ramesh, B. Jagannatha Rap,
K. June 2008. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2738337/
[7] Young, Simon. November 2007. How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077351/
[8] Pearson, D. Craig, T. 21 October 2014. The great outdoors? Exploring the mental health benefits of
natural environments. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4204431/
[9] Freeman, Daniel. Lancet Psychiatry. The effects of improving sleep on mental health (OASIS):
a randomised controlled trial with mediation analysis. 4 October 2017.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5614772/
* Photo by Paola Aguilar on Unsplash
Get all the latest health tips right to your inbox
19 Jan 2019
19 Jan 2019
19 Jan 2019
19 Jan 2019
FREE ONLINE WORKSHOPS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
Enter your information to receive instant access
to our informative online workshops!