Does the Health of Your Gut Affect the Function of Your Brain?

I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with severe autoimmune disease. If you know anything about autoimmune, you know that inflammation is usually a key culprit in causing the disease. You also understand that autoimmune can come with various symptoms, including gastrointestinal problems and brain fog. But, it is becoming increasingly apparent that gut and brain health are connected.

The Gut-Brain Connection

If you read the latest natural health articles, you’ll find many people claiming they can heal the brain by repairing the gut. As incredible as that sounds, this claim is valid. My friend’s doctor advised her to change her eating habits to help reduce her inflammation. As she made changes to her diet, she gained significant improvement in her mental brain fog, memory, and overall feeling of well-being—and science backs up what she felt. 

Research on the bacteria that live in our bodies has increased of late, and we’ve learned how it plays an essential role in digestion. For example, without bacteria, we can’t break down the fiber we eat. Up and coming research is now focusing on how our gut health affects our brain health. Research is finding that bacteria in the gut can and do communicate with the brain to determine mood, brain function, and our basic sense of who we are. The next time you eat sugary or processed foods, pay attention to your mood and focus. You may see a dramatic change. 

The Key Components

There are three essential components to gut/brain research:

• Bacteria. Bacteria that live in our gut are necessary building blocks in the production of neurochemicals such as serotonin and dopamine. Although serotonin is commonly known as a brain neurotransmitter, the digestive tract makes about 90 percent of the body’s serotonin.
• Neurochemicals.  These neurochemicals affect the secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol.
• Inflammation. The bacteria in our gut play a vital role in regulating our immune system and inflammatory response. Inflammation is now widely known to be one underlying cause of depression. Physicians blame inflammation for many cases of autism and a significant number of other autoimmune and neurological disorders.

The Solutions

A trio of forces governs our mental health—mood-boosting chemicals, stress hormones, and inflammation. The foods, drinks, and supplements we put into our bodies influence these forces. By eating non-GMO, organic, and unprocessed foods, and by reducing the intake of inflammatory foods such as dairy, alcohol, and sugar, along with probiotic supplementation when needed, you can affect your mood and brain health positively.

Many of us live in a state of chronic stress. Medical doctors and psychologists are quick to prescribe a pill for what ails us. But what if there were a better way? With dietary changes, stress reduction, and a healthy dose of probiotics when needed, science is now proving we can improve our brain health by enhancing our gut health in a natural, chemical-free way.

Braintapping can help you achieve all these goals and live a life with a healthy brain and body. Twenty minutes a day enables you to reduce your stress and maximize your brain power. You can also change your lifestyle and diet for maximum health and vitality. To balance your gut/brain connection, start with sessions from our Stress Reduction and Nutrition series, found in the BrainTap Pro App. To check it out for yourself, click HERE now for a 15-day free trial. Your brain will thank you for it.