Your Gut can only be as Healthy as your Mental State.
Are you wondering where this cool as f*ck title is from? Check out the new Fiber Fueled Cookbook (which is a hell of a lot more than just a cookbook). Dr Will Bulsiewicz, the author of Fiber Fueled and legendary gastroenterologist, absolutely knocked this quote out of the park. So powerful. It’s in his second book. Yep, he covers not only food, diet and intolerances; but holistic healing too. So sexy!
Mental health should never be taken lightly. I’ve experienced bouts of extreme stress where my body has reacted with hives and eczema. In fact, I recently went through an emotionally stressful period, and guess what? My stomach was cramping all week.
Okay fun facts about the connection between your brain and gut health:
The Vagus Nerve connects your gut and brain: This is the nervous system that helps you breathe, digest food and swallow. It sends messages to your brain for your colon. The connection is called the ‘gut-brain axis’ and becomes a vital player in illnesses that affect the brain and IBS. This is why stress and trauma take a toll on your digestion. And also why you can become depressed.
Gut bacteria talk to your brain: Gut bacteria break down food, particularly fiber and transform them into SCFAs. These are registered by the nerve which then sends data to the brain, allowing regulation of digestion.
Stress on gut health: “Stress alters gut permeability, absorption, mucus, and stomach acid secretion, electrolyte and water balance, and appetite; increases our response to inflammation; slows stomach emptying; activities inflammatory pathways in the gut; accelerates colon motility; increases sensitivity of the nerves in the gut; negatively affects blood flow to the GI tract; activates mat cells that release histamines, and alters the gut microbiota;” - Will Bulsiewicz.
Gut microbes regulate happy hormones: SCFA’s, communicate with cells that produce serotonin (happy hormone), which regulates your mood, as well as levels of anxiety and happiness. Equally, GABA regulates and improves mood to calm the nervous system.
The diet helps protect and produce beneficial bacteria to avoid the growth of inflammation BUT what the quote is emphasising is that stress and trauma will prevent you from healing.
If meditation, yoga and breathing techniques aren’t working, maybe there’s something a little deeper?