November 29 2018
Hello there,
Today I thought I would talk about the gut brain axis and the role it plays in our overall wellbeing. The gut comprises of our stomach, small intestines and large intestines. We won’t include the accessory organs here such as pancreas or liver but how our gut is integral as a gateway for our overall health. Believe it or not we have a nervous system connected to the gut. It is called the Enteric Nervous System. We have the Central Nervous System which is the brain and brain stem and in the gut there are neurons too.
What we eat and how we treat our body affects our wellbeing and the fragile ecosystem in our body can affect in turn our nervous system and our mood. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine are made in the gut and this leads me to talking about amino acids in our diet. The integrity of our gut (microbiome, intestinal permeability) can affect absorption of certain nutrients that help the body. Anything from vitamin conversion by bacteria for absorption in the lumen to amino acids that are the building blocks for neurotransmitters. For digestion it starts at the Cephalic phase (smells, taste, sight) and goes to the chewing phase where saliva is added to help break down the food. Then once swallowed the bolus of food is broken down further by the acid and secretions in the stomach.
If there is low acid production or enzymatic presence in the stomach, then the molecules of food are not broken down as well for proper extraction of nutrients. One of those nutrients is amino acids which are derived from protein. So, digestion as you can see is imperative for correct absorption. Example…..Tryptophan is an amino acid found in something such as turkey meat. It is absorbed and transformed into serotonin with the help of zinc. This neurotransmitter is important for the gut brain and our mood, among other things. Most of our neurotransmitters are made in the gut and if it is not functioning at optimum then this affects how we feel.
So. treat our mood and the way we feel actually begins in the gut and with our diet. Avoiding processed foods, too much sugar, alcohol, coffee and to eat wholefoods with complex carbs, good quality organic and grass-fed meat. Consuming a little apple cider vinegar in warmish water ten minutes before eating to aid digestion. You may not associate mood with the gut but it plays an important role indeed.
Even stress affects our gut integrity and so our mood. Often when we are stressed we get indigestion. There are herbs that help ease digestion and so the whole gut in turn helping our gut brain and helping us to take care of that part of our body so we can manage our nervous system. I swear by chamomile tea for a few reasons as it calms us down as well as being anti-inflammatory and aids digestion.
I hope this was interesting to read. I will try to continue with this blog at least once a month or twice if time permits. If anyone wants a discovery call to see how I can help you please don’t hesitate to contact me on 0456898675.
Lisa
����!
Comments