What the Gut?

How your gut health directly impacts your mood, and what you can do to heal it.

When I talk about your diet impacting your mood I get a lot of eye rolls- a lot of folks still chalk it up to a little woo-woo, but the fact is the science (actual science) continues to find a direct link between the health of your gut and your mood. With almost 30% of Americans suffering from depression at some point, 20% suffering from anxiety and a mere 40% success rate of SSRI treatments, it might be time to pull this conversation out of the “woo-woo” and into the front and center. So let’s dive in:

The Connection

Your gut and your brain are in constant communication through a few different key pathways;

The vagus nerve- This nerve directly connects the two, sending sensory information from the gut to the brain, and motor signals from the brain to the gut. That means it controls the function of your organs, reflexes, receives constant updates on chemical and physical changes in your gut and helps regulate inflammation. He’s kind of a big deal.

Gut microbiome- This is the bacteria & viruses that make up your gut and they’re responsible for a lot of what goes on down there, but for today’s discussion we’ll stick to noting that they produce neurotransmitters that go directly to your brain to give it updates. We’re talking chemicals you’ve heard of- serotonin, dopamine and GABA are all produced in your gut. Current research states that 90% of your body’s serotonin is produced in your gut- SSRI’s work by stimulating serotonin in the brain, while hurting your gut (as noted by the common side effects of diarrhea, constipation and nausea). 

Enteric nervous system- Sometimes called your “second brain” the ENS is running the show in your gut, regulating metabolism, immune responses, hormone production, blood flow and just about everything else. 

So, we know that the gut and brain are intrinsically linked- if you’ve ever had an upset stomach when you were nervous, you already knew this. Once we understand that the gut and brain have a direct line to each other the idea that your gut health impacts your mental health becomes a lot easier to see. But don’t take my word for it- research is increasingly showing a connection between the two, to the point where we’re now looking at the most effective ways to balance the gut to treat depression. 

*Here’s some of  “the science”, if you’re interested:

 “Studies showed that gut microbiome dysbiosis was associated with the occurrence and development of depression”

“all these discoveries showed that gut microbiota composition significantly changed in depressive individuals and indicated that gut microbiota might be a novel target for the prevention and management of depression.”

Our guts are constantly under attack these days- the Standard American Diet loads us up with inflammatory foods and chemicals that leave our guts a little irritated, constantly. I explain it like running your fingernail across your skin 24/7- like, yea it doesn’t hurt when you start but eventually your skin is going to start to scream. If you’re loading up on processed foods, alcohol, caffeine and mild irritants your gut is eventually going to get super cranky. And what happens when it’s cranky? It sends that message straight to your brain. 

When your gut is inflamed it impacts everything:

• Nutrient absorption- B vitamins, vitamin D, iron, magnesium and omega-3 deficiencies have all been linked to depressive symptoms. If your gut can’t absorb them you’re operating at a deficiency

• Hormone production and regulation- Remember serotonin? If your gut’s in fight or flight mode it’s not properly producing key neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. When those drop, so does your mood. 

• Cytokine release- when your gut’s under attack your body recognizes the stress and shoots off cytokines to heal the inflammation, which is it’s natural healing process. There’s just one problem- they also impact the signaling pathways that produce serotonin and dopamine. 

While the exact protocols to tackle depression through the gut are still in clinical trials (and will likely vary widely, given how individual your microbiome is), it stands to reason that if you can’t shake the blues it may be worth looking at your gut health- it’s certainly not going to hurt. 

So what can you do?

Good gut health starts with what you put in it, but lifestyle choices make a big impact too.

First things first- clean up your act. Cut out the junk (you know what I’m talking about). Lose the processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, sugars, and irritants, which can include gluten and dairy. If your gut’s been irritated for a long time, it needs some space to breathe and heal- the tiny lining that protects your gut can get super irritated but by cutting back on the things that are pummeling it, it can heal. Try to keep all of those irritants out of your body for at least 3 weeks and see how you feel (physically and mentally). 

Drink plenty of water- You’ll have a lot more space for hydration now that you’ve cut out sodas, coffee and booze. Water helps keep things flowing, so load up. Aim for at least 60 oz/ day, more if you weigh more or you sweat a lot.

Get fiber- Ultimately you want to aim for 25g/ day but work your way up- a sudden fiber overload will leave you constipated. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and legumes will get you started. Use an app like MyFitnessPal for a few days to check your fiber intake. If you're falling short, try adding 5g/ day for a week, then the next week bump it up by another 5 grams; repeat until you're at 25g/ day consistently.

Manage your stress levels- It's a 2 way street, remember? If you're overstressed your gut is getting that fight or flight signal and churning.

Include pre-and pro- biotic foods. After you’ve eliminated the junk for a few weeks, add in some pre and probiotic foods like fermented foods, Greek yogurt, or probiotic supplements. For pre-biotics look for garlic, onions, Jerusalem artichokes and bananas.

Consider supplementation. A few to consider when looking at gut health (as always, check with your Doctor/ care provider before starting any supplementation protocol, and research high quality brands- there’s a lot of crap out there):

• Glutamine- An amino acid that helps strengthen the intestinal barrie

• Hydrolyzed collagen: A more easily digestible form of collagen that may help prevent further breakdown of the intestinal lining

• Vitamin D: May help regulate gut microbiota

The connection between gut health and mental health is emerging, but it’s coming on strong and definitely worth a second look if you’re struggling with your moods.

Want to learn how we could build a protocol just for you? Book an Intro and let's chat.