Moody? Assess Your Gut Function

Did you know we have a second brain in our gut?

This gut-brain is called The Enteric Nervous System or ENS. The gut-brain can operate separately from the head brain, making it possible that the ENS could have “neuroses” of its own and experience an inability to process input from the head brain. It is estimated that 95% of serotonin, our happy neurotransmitter, is made in our gut and some research has found that 70-80% of the body’s immune cells are in the tissues of the gut. Other research has found that tension in the gut-brain may block the production of endorphins, diminishing the ability of the immune system to function.

How often do you suck your belly in?

Do you sense how much tension you hold in your gut by trying to do and be all the things to everyone and everything?

You can imagine that if our gut function is off that it might feel harder to sense joy, vitality, calm, and contentment where we might go reach for some sugary, processed carbohydrate, overly salty food to get a quick dopamine hit and feel better.

There are many factors that can throw our gut function off that can include:

-what our mothers ate and their stress levels when we were in the womb

-our first experiences with food

-antibiotic use

-over-consumption of sugar

-imbalance of gut bacteria

-daily intake high in processed foods

-consistent high levels of stress and inflammation

-undigested trauma and past experiences

If you experience bloating, gas, pain, burping, constipation or diarrhea, acne or rosacea, and a runny nose after every meal, this can potentially be your body's way of letting you know there may be a gut issue occurring. Trying to optimally nourish ourselves without healing gut issues can leave us feeling frustrated that no matter our best efforts, something always feels a little off. No matter how much whole natural food I ate, for years I was still experiencing bloating and digestive pain. I really want to stress here that if you have been feeling perplexed as to why your symptoms are continuing it is not your fault. There is something potentially happening inside your body that needs extra support.

In my very long journey of healing my own gut, I wanted to offer some strategies to support your gut in thriving.

1. Work with a Naturopath or Functional Medicine Doctor. If you feel like you have done everything to heal your gut on your own, feel a bit low from day to day, your energy levels feel inconsistent, it could be time to receive extra support. A Naturopath or Functional Medicine Doctor can test your stool, for example, for potential imbalances.

2. Add in some probiotics. In one study, 700 undergraduates were assessed for their fermented food consumption and social anxiety levels. The students who ate fermented foods had less social anxiety than those who did not. Healthy gut flora has been connected to neural development, brain chemistry, emotional behavior, pain perception, and how the stress system responds. Research on probiotics has shown its ability to reduce anxiety, decrease cortisol production, and to have other beneficial psychological effects. You can experiment with adding in some fermented foods into your daily intake like kimchee, sauerkraut, or kefir. You can also explore taking a probiotic supplement. Some quality ones you can find in a natural food store can be by Garden of Life, Renew Life, and Megafood.

3. You are what you digest. We can be eating food all day long and not actually digesting and assimilating our food. One thing that diminishes over time can be our stomach acid that helps break down our food. If you experience bloating, burping, or acid reflux after a meal this could point to not having enough acid not that you have too much. An experiment you can try is putting a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar into a whole glass of water and drink before or sip during your meals and notice if your symptoms decrease after eating. Supporting your digestive fire can help with feeling calm and grounded after your eating experience.

4. Consume more whole, unprocessed foods. One other way to alter the gut-brain is to change the food you eat. Food is responsible for tissue repair, growth, hormones, and immune function. Food can affect the neurotransmitters in the gut that influence feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. For example, a high intake of protein can promote dopamine production and provide a sense of calm. It is possible to eat in a way that reduces inflammation, stress, food cravings, and nutritional deficiencies in the gut by consuming whole, unprocessed foods, which in turn supports the growth of healthy bacteria. If you have noticed more and more processed foods slowly increasing in your daily intake, you can start to bring in curiosity around your meals and ask yourself the simple question could you imagine pulling the food you're thinking of eating out of the ground or from a tree? If not, then you can assess whether that food will bring you the calm and relaxation you're looking to feel or if there is potentially a different food that will align with your body and support you emotionally.

Healing the gut can take time. You can choose any one of these tips and start slowly by attending to your gut and notice your bodily sensations and emotions that will guide you in what resonates with your gut-brain. Be gentle with yourself in this process and take all the time you need.