Gut-Brain Connection

The food we eat is sensed by the gut neurons, which then sends signals to alert the brain. Our body is made up of 34 trillion microbes. The nervous system in our guts is millions of years older than our brain, which is why the gut is also referred to as the second brain. It makes up the majority of our hormonal and immune systems. Fiber leads to the release of GLP1, which helps us feel full and metabolize fiber. The gut produces about 95% of our Serotonin, the hormone that regulates sleep, appetite, pain, and mood. The gut also produces hormones such as cortisol, which impact stress levels. Some cortisol is good but chronic stress can lead to inflammation and imbalances in the gut microbiome, which leads to mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety, the most prominent diseases in our society today. To improve your gut, one should exercise daily, eat at least 30 plant-based foods a week (spices, fruits, vegetables, legumes), practice deep breathing, hold strong social connections, and contribute to society in a meaningful way.

Gut-brain Connection

Brain and Gut-friendly Foods

Omega fatty acids found in nuts, extra-virgin olive oil and other healthy fats are vital for your cells to function properly. They have been found to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, Dementia, and coronary artery disease. It can also increase your ability to focus and prevent cognitive decline.

To reduce inflammation in your gut and brain, incorporate more of these foods into your diet. The first meal of the day can make the biggest impact.

Fermented foods – yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, miso and tempeh
Prebiotic foods – onions, garlic, artichokes, leeks, berries, black beans, asparagus, pears, and watermelon
High protein, high fiber foods
Eat a variety of plant-based foods, aim for 30 a week. The diversity of plants in your diets is the #1 factor that impacts your gut. Smoothies alone can incorporate 10-15. Every plant feeds a different family of microbes.

Healthy Blood Vessels

Brain and Gut-friendly Foods

Sodium consumption should be reduced to allow your blood cell to flow flawlessly and in turn, lower cholesterol and blood pressure

Drinking can literally shrink your brain by aging the brain and reducing the amount of gray and white matter. Only drink alcohol in moderation as it interferes with the brain's communication pathways.

Stress can interfere with your digestion by igniting your sympathetic nervous system, which take precedence over your digestive system. Deep breathing encourages bowel movements, improves cognition, and improve our mood.

Bowel movements should happen at least twice a day and should not require effort. Do not sit down on the toilet for a while as it causes blood to rush to that area and can actually cause hemorrhoids (veins that carry blood near our bowel). In fact, a squatting position is much better than the sitting position to release bowels more naturally. Constipation, diarrhea, and straining can lead to this. Look at your poo, it should be solid, long, easily released, and complete.

Immune System Connection

70% of your immune system lives in your gut so most sicknesses can be addressed by treating the gut microbiome. Our gut lining protects our body from pathogens and our stool eliminates waste matter and toxins so it is important to protect these defenses. Foods that activate your blood sugar, also known as the glycemic effect, should be eaten minimally as that is what causes inflammation leading to disease.

Bloat

Immune System Connection

Causes:

Raw vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, will exacerbate bloat. NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like Ibuprofen, Motrin, Neproxin, Aspirin) also makes you more bloated. Furthermore, 68% of the world population is lactose intolerant, which means they cannot digest the sugar protein Lactase which also causes bloat. Also, artificial sweeteners in things like diet soda or gum as well as gluten, white sugar and high carbohydrate foods are also common triggers for bloat. Medications can also contribute to this.

Recommendations:

A food elimination diet is the best way to figure out what it is that is causing your bloat. Certain foods like insoluble fiber from things like uncooked cruciferous vegetables and alcohol cause bloat in everyone. To help with this, intermittent fasting is recommended in order to allow your gut to rest and rebalance its microbiome. Ideally eat during the day as our body naturally slows down metabolism when the sun sets and revs up when the sun rises. About 60% of adults are actually lactose intolerant so if you are experiencing bloat, it is likely you cannot tolerate dairy.

Fasting, fitness, and food can help product short-chain fatty acids and reduce your bloat and enable hormone health. The most recommended form of fitness is to walk outside to allow your body to absorb natural light to kickstart your day. 30 days of fitness is recommended but anything is better than nothing. Magnesium Citrate also helps immensely in relieving your digestive tract.

Red Flags:

Unrelenting nausea, blood in your stool, immense stomach pain, gas, bloating, heartburn, mood swings, weight gain, diarrhea, constipation, excessive burping, sugar cravings, fatigue, and skin issues.

Befriend Your Brain

Anxiety is a perceived threat to a challenge. It is a natural part of life because our body's ultimate mission is to keep us alive. It becomes a problem when you let it run your life and your emotions. When emotion is high, logic is low. Instead, use it as the match that lights your motivation. Make mantras a daily practice. Negate every negative thought with a positive thought. Movement is another powerful way to bring positivity.

Follow your gut:

Most people are anxious because they do not like their present moment and fear the present moment will create a future they also won't like. It is important to spend time understanding and pursuing your passion and purpose in life. What lights your fire? What do you look forward to? What do you do in your spare time? The key thing here is not to compare yourself to others. It is true that comparison is the thief of joy. Do not try to live another person's life. Find the idea that you are willing to live and die for. Every body is different. Meditation can help you discover this. When you live outside of your purpose, your body will respond with weight, poor skin, low energy, anxiousness, hormonal imbalance, and more. DO NOT numb yourself with easy solutions like taking pills, drinking alcohol, overeating. Instead, repeat positive mantras, write your feelings in your journey, get curious. The more you ignore that urge to live your purpose, the more your body will suffer.

Get curious

Learn, grow, explore, play. We live in a world where information on nearly every topic is readily available. If your anxiety keeps nagging you on a daily basis, it is likely your brain saying DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Change is difficult, but every step you take toward creating a better future will bring you more confidence and motivation to improve your life. You will notice your anxiety slowly subside. Let your passion rule your life, not your anxiety or negative thoughts.

Let Love In

Behind self judgement, is love. Love is the natural state of a human. The way to get through your anxiety is self acceptance. The average child is reprimanded 8x more than they are praised. Therefore, they are thinking unconsciously they are not good enough the way they are and thus won't be loved unless they conform to societal standards. As adults, you need to give yourself grace and understanding that you are amazing the way you are. You are on this earth to pursue your unique purpose. In fact, not living in your truth is a disservice to the world. Earn your place, make a difference, BE YOURSELF. What you resist persists, so don't attach to your negative thoughts and behaviors. The key to self love is self acceptance. Journaling can help with this as 65% of us are visual learners and writing things down tends to pull out complex subconscious thoughts. The key is to be curious, do not judge, imagine you are your own therapist and just ask yourself prompting questions. Why do I feel unhappy? Why do I feel so emotional? Why do I feel sad? Did I have a good day? What would make today a great day? What do I want in my life? Am I optimizing my relationships? You can be vague or specific in your questions but your responses should not be surface level. Don't just answer the question, go deeper by problem solving and laying out a plan. Nobody needs to see this journal so jot down anything, even the things you are ashamed or embarrassed of. This will help you understand your subconscious mind much better.

Anxiety and Stress

Anxiety Relief Hanger is real. Low blood sugar can impact your mood. Get in touch with your body and understand what you are feeling, are you hungry? Are you angry? Anger triggers a stress response, or a chronic release of Cortisol. Occasional anger is normal and should be felt, but holding onto that anger can lead to mental health disorders as it can become chronic. Let go of that anger by punching a pillow, screaming into a pillow, or intense exercise. If you don't let it go, the people closest to you are likely to suffer the repercussions of your repressed anger. Social interactions can also increase your mental strength, release Oxytocin and Serotonin, and reduce Cortisol. However, you shouldn't be with toxic people as they only making matters worse. Be around positive, ambitious people. It is true that who you spend the most time with impacts who you become. Finally, sleep deprivation can lead the irritability and lead to impaired cognitive function. 95% of people need at least 7 hours a night so nourish your brain with proper sleep.

Stress

There are three types of stress: physical, chemical and emotional stress. Stress is psychological, it is not the event itself, it's your reaction to the event. Try to reframe your positioning of an experience by understanding how you feel and knowing it is not a part of you. You are in control of how you react, not what happens to you. Remember that it has taken years for you to have these beliefs, so be patient with reframing those thoughts. Focus on what you are grateful for, meditate, negate every negative thought with a positive one, move your body, eat a balanced diet, keep social connections strong.
Trauma is picked up instantaneously from those around us, especially as children. The way they understand whether the world is safe is through the actions and energy of those around them. This is why it is important for parents especially to address their trauma if not for themselves, for their children. Stop the cycle of generational trauma in its track. Try to avoid being reactive but give youself grace, trauma is not only what you absorb as a child but it is also within your genes from generations upon generations of not addressing their emotions. Children can engage in the healing process by encouraging meditation, breathwork, dance parties, and setting time aside for discussing the emotions they are feeling. Movement is another powerful way to bring positivity.

Build Better Habits

In order to create better habits, you should do the following:

Make it easy
Make it attractive
Make it satisfying

Social environment is a key indicator in driving your behavior, so join groups that promote a healthy lifestyle. Instead of going to the bar on a Friday night, join a book club or intramural sport. Humans have an innate desire to belong, which can overpower the drive to improve, so do the best you can to put yourself in the right environment.

Gut-Brain Connection

Gut-Brain Connection