While digestive health and mental health are often put into their own separate categories, there is a value in looking at these different sectors of our wellbeing under one lens. Your mental and digestive health are more interconnected than you might think. The link actually is known as the gut-brain axis and is touted for having a massive impact on how we feel overall.
Can you remember a time where you felt nausea overcome you during a period of stress? It is experiences like these that represent the way in which our digestive system and brain communicate. Let’s further explore how understanding this connection can help you to practically nurture both systems to achieve overall wellness.
Breaking Down the Gut-Brain Axis and Its Role In Our Overall Health
The communication network between your digestive system and brain is a process that is constantly running. This network includes your vagus nerve, which is the longest cranial nerve in your body, and creates a continuous feedback loop between your gut and brain.
The enteric nervous system (ENS) is also a part of this fascinating connection. The ENS is found in the gastrointestinal tract. The millions of nerve cells that make up the ENS line the entirety of your gastrointestinal tract which are responsible for regulating digestion and communication information to your central nervous system.
The connection between our mental health and gut health does not end there. Gut bacteria play another incredibly important role in how we feel. The trillions of microorganisms living in your digestive tract (also known as the gut microbiome) are responsible for helping you to digest food, but also produce serotonin and other neurotransmitters that regulate your mood and emotions. Believe it or not, over 90% of your body’s serotonin is produced in your gut.
These connections are the reason that taking care of your mental health requires more than just managing your emotions. An imbalance in gut bacteria can lead to many mental health complications including anxiety, depression, increase in stress, and or cognitive instability.
This connection helps to explain why many people experience digestive ailments alongside mental health issues like anxiety. It is not the digestive ailment that is causing your stress, but rather it is the gut-brain axis that it boils down to. Luckily, there are some signs you can look out for in order to pinpoint if this connection is the reason for your mental instability.
Signs Your Gut Health is Potentially Damaging Your Mental Health
Here are some key signs that might indicate your gut-brain axis requires more of your attention and time:
Post-Meal Brain Fog: Have you ever finished up a meal only to find that your brain feels clouded? Difficulty concentrating and mood swings go hand-in-hand with brain fog and could be an indicator of gut inflammation if it precedes a meal. Certain foods trigger inflammation in the gut that will spark this issue to arise. However, a lack of gut protection can also be the culprit. When your intestinal permeability becomes compromised, you are more likely to allow inflammatory substances to enter your bloodstream and impact your mental clarity.
Decrease In Sleep Quality: As mentioned above, an unhealthy gut can cause a disruption in your body’s production of hormones such as serotonin and melatonin–both of which help regulate sleep. If you find yourself face to face with sleep struggles accompanied by digestive complications, the gut-brain connection might be to blame.
Mood Swings Following a Meal: Changes in your mood following a meal can be a sign that your gut is trying to tell you something. For example, inflammatory foods such as processed items or foods high in sugar can cause feelings of irritability or anxiety. It is important to take note of the food we consume and how our mood changes to understand if your mood is caused by meals or by your true emotions.
Ways to Improve Both Your Gut and Mental Health to Support the Gut-Brain Axis
Now that we know the potential repercussions of not managing the gut-brain axis, let’s dive into how we can protect our gut and brains in order to avoid causing complications to our health through this connection.
First, we must dedicate time to our diet. The foods we consume heavily impact how we feel both physically and mentally. We recommend prioritizing a diet that focuses on whole foods and limits your intake of processed sugars or fats. Fiber-rich and fermented foods can be especially helpful in supporting your gut health. Whole grains and legumes provide prebiotics which is a fiber that feeds the probiotics we put into our bodies. Fermented foods can be a great source of probiotics.
We also recommend limiting your consumption of items that can cause irritation in your gut lining such as alcohol, caffeine, or artificial sweeteners. If you have eliminated these items and still think you are having a reaction to a food in your diet, consider keeping a food log to identify what foods might be causing you harm. Many people find that they have a sensitivity to gluten and/or dairy.
Secondly, it is crucial that you are staying hydrated at all times. Hydration is important for both your digestive and mental health. Proper hydration helps to support the mucosal lining of your intestines and the beneficial bacteria in the gut. Poor hydration on the other hand can lead to brain fog, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and constipation or irregular bowel movements. Drinking water should be a priority regardless of your daily activity, but it is especially important if you are someone who has an active lifestyle and might perspire more than others.
Lastly, we highly recommend nurturing your relationship with exercise. A sedentary lifestyle can be extremely detrimental for your mental and gut health. Without movement, you might find yourself struggling with constipation and an increase in anxiety or stress. Our bodies utilize movement as an outlet for emotions and can increase serotonin levels. Movement also acts as a kickstart to our digestion which can be especially helpful for those who struggle with irregular bowel movements.
Remember that small, consistent changes often yield the best results. Start by incorporating one or two strategies from this article, notice the effects, and gradually build upon your success. Your gut and your brain will thank you!