Go with your gut...
Photo credit: @circle_of_docs
Have you ever had a gut feeling about something? That uneasy feeling in your belly when something just doesn’t feel right? You are not alone. The idea that the gut and brain are connected isn’t a new concept, it actually dates back to the biblical ages. Recent research suggests that your brain indeed does affect your gut and in return, your gut may even influence your brain. The brain and the gastrointestional (GI) system are intimately connected. Your gut health can affect the health of your whole body!
So what exactly is your gut? The physical gut is composed of your small and large intestine. The gut houses a lot of bacteria called the microbiome. It contains tens of trillions of microorganisms, including at least 1000 different species of known bacteria. The ones found in your gut not only help you digest food, they work all over your body and can be good for your physical and mental health. The “good bacteria” not only breaks down food but has the important job of keeping the “bad” bacteria in check. Do you remember the video game Packman? I like to think about the “good” bacteria in our gut working like Packman, moving around the intestine “eating” up all the “bad” bacteria. To have a '“healthy gut” you want a good balance of “good bacteria” in relationship to the “bad bacteria”.
Your brain is like a computer. It processes information that it receives and sends messages all over your body. Researches believe your gut has the ability to talk back. That balance of our gut bacteria, the “good” vs “bad”, can have an impact on your emotions and the way your brain processes information.
You can think about your gut like your “second brain”. The gut has two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your GI tract all the way from your esophagus to your rectum. Have you heard of serotonin, it's thought of as the "happy chemical" in our body? Our gut bacteria manufacture about 95% of our body's supply of serotonin, which influences both mood and GI activity. Serotonin can impact just about every part of your body, from your emotions to your motor skills. Serotonin is considered a natural mood stabilizer. It’s the chemical that helps with sleeping, eating, and digesting. Scientists suspect that changes in your gut microbiome may play a role in diseases like autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, chronic inflammation, depression and chronic pain.
So you may be asking yourself, how do I get a healthy gut microbiome? Your gut microbiome begins when you are in utero. Attention all pregnant women! You get your gut microbiome from your mother, through the birth process and from what you are fed after birth….a vaginal birth and breastmilk are the ideal. Understandably those two scenarios are not always the case. Often there are medically necessary interventions like C-sections and if you haven’t read it yet, take a minute to read my blog post about breastfeeding https://www.drlindsaygrieve.com/blog/2019/8/14/chiropractic-and-breast-feeding…..as many mothers know, it’s not always a smooth sailing venture. But no need to worry your gut microbiome can also be influenced by what you eat. Research shows that the first couple years of our life are very formative on our gut microbiome, by the time a child is 2 or 3 years old, kids start to have adult-like microbial communities in their guts. For this reason, I highly recommend giving kids a regular dose of quality probiotics. I’m a huge proponent of the motto “start healthy, stay healthy”.
What are the best foods for keeping your gut healthy?
fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, olives, kombuca, etc),
bitters
high fiber foods (fruits- bananas, oranges, mango, vegetables-the darker the colour generally the more fiber it contains, beans, nuts & seeds)
bone broth
As I mentioned, I’m a big fan of supplementing with probiotics. As a regular healthy habit I personally take a probiotic a few times a week. I also follow the same routine with my son and have supplemented with a quality probiotic since he was just a baby. If I’m fighting a cold or feeling run down or if you have taken a course of antibiotics it’s a great time to take a probiotic daily, for approximately 2 weeks, to reset the balance of bacteria in your gut. It’s important to remember not all supplements are created equal. I always recommend buying your supplements from a quality store ( a brand worth checking out is Genestra) and I think it’s equally as important to consult with a professional about which one is right for you.
"The road to health is paved with good intestines."
Your family’s chiropractor,
Dr. Lindsay