The gut brain-connection 🧠

Did you know your gut talks to your brain all day long – affecting everything from your mood to your mental clarity? Your gut is home to the enteric nervous system (ENS) often referred to as your ‘second brain’. The ENS controls digestion, releases enzymes to break down food, and controls blood flow to support nutrient absorption.¹

The brain and gut communicate through the gut-brain axis, which involves the vagus nerve, hormones, and the immune system.² The vagus nerve acts like a superhighway, sending signals between the central nervous system (the brain) and the enteric nervous system (the gut). The gut sends these messages via neurotransmitters and hormones helping to regulate emotions and mood. Your gut bacteria also play a significant role in creating these hormones such as GABA, serotonin and dopamine. Your gut microbiome directly impacts your mental health and your brain can too impact your gut health. This means that low mood and anxiety could be caused by gut issues.³

You have probably experienced the side effects of this communication at some point. If you’ve ever worried over an exam, presentation, interview, or anything that makes you feel nervous – you’ve likely had stomach-churning, nausea, or even loose stools to accompany it.

A promising natural solution

Stress can negatively impact your gut health by altering your gut microbiome. A systematic review of several studies showed that taking a probiotic to regulate the intestinal microbiota was an effective treatment for anxiety symptoms.⁴

Research from a study using Chuckling Goat Kefir and Complete Prebiotic combined showed significant improvements in emotional well-being and workplace satisfaction among participants after just six weeks.

The 2023 study from Cardiff University showed that consuming the Chuckling Goat synbiotic led to participants experiencing “profound effects on emotional health“, including reduced daytime sleepiness, increased job engagement, and a “heightened sense of flourishing“.

The study’s findings were described as “striking and enlightening“, highlighting the potential of our synbiotic to enhance mental health, productivity, and overall well-being.

How you can improve your mental health & wellbeing

Take a synbiotic – a combination of probiotics and prebiotics.
Try to connect with loved ones and friends – this kind of socialisation can be crucial to the quality of your mental health.⁵
Be gentle with yourself and take time to relax – the most important relationship you have is with yourself so make it the best one 😊.
Do things that bring you joy – look out for glimmers in your life.⁶
Eat a balanced diet – your diet can have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing.⁷
Practise mindfulness, which has been shown to reduce stress,⁸
Get active! Research shows that exercise can help to prevent depression and anxiety disorders,⁹ reduce symptoms,¹⁰ and support healthy brain function and the ageing process.¹¹
Emphasis on a mind/body approach! Take care of your mind, through self-care, talking therapies, finding the glimmers in your life, getting out in nature, socialising and taking care of your body with what you eat and how you care for your body.

Treat yourself like you would a best friend, and show yourself the same care and compassion – because after all, you are your oldest friend🤗 By caring for your gut and your mental well-being, you’ll support a healthier, happier you.

To read more about this connection, check out How Healing Your Gut Can Heal Your Brain and How is your mental wellness connected to your gut?.

Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.

The gut brain-connection 🧠

A promising natural solution

How you can improve your mental health & wellbeing

References

Questions? Talk to a Nutritional Therapist on live chat!

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