“We are what we eat” We are what we put in, on, and around our bodies. As we head into the upcoming season full of celebrations full of food and oftentimes sugary sweets, I am reminded of how fall is the perfect time to reassess our health and harness the power of the profound connection between our gut and our mind. The way the food industry has evolved over the last 50 years can make eating a whole foods diet more challenging. Today on the blog & podcast, I’m sharing 4 practical steps to improve your mental health by supporting your gut microbiome this season.
4 Practical Steps to Improve Your Mental Health By Supporting Your Gut Microbiome
#1 2 Way Connection of Gut & Brain
There is a 2 way communication system between your brain and gut. Ultimately, roughly 90% of your body’s serotonin, the feel good neurotransmitter, is produced in the gut. If your gut isn’t healthy, this can influence your digestion, mood, stress response, and even your behavior. A healthy gut promotes a happy mood.
#2 Avoiding Chronic Inflammation
Inflammation in the body can occur on a chronic basis and show up in many areas of the body, creating issues that range from depressed moods to hair loss. When you add chronic stress and the resulting spike in cortical levels into the mix, this can compound the negative effects even further. If we can reduce inflammation in the gut by choosing whole foods rather that processing foods high in excess sugar, we can increase our mental well being.
#3 Why Read Food Labels?
How food is made and the misinformation around food has transformed immensely over the past 50 years. From sugar being put into all types of processed foods instead of just sweets to the portions increasing dramatically, there’s more than enough evidence to support the need to read food labels. Begin to read food labels and look for the deceptive marketing messages that state “low fat” or “natural” as these foods are often make with excess sugar or multiple non-food ingredients that can cause excess inflammation in your gut.
#4 Three Steps for a Successful Sugar Detox
First, become aware and assess your sugar intake. Second, start with a gradual reduction of sugar to avoid withdrawal symptoms and begin replacing sugary foods with fruits and other whole foods. Third, don’t forget to introduce probiotic foods to keep your gut microbiome health, such as yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables.
3 Books to Read on Supporting Your Mental Health & Gut Microbiome
Book 1: The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health by Emeran Mayer
Book 2: Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal and Protect Your Brain for Life by Dr David Perlmutter
Book 3: The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood, and Your Long-term Health by Justin Sonnenburg and Erica Sonnenberg
Listen to the podcast episode below:
Thank you for listening in and reading along… I would love to hear your thoughts… Join the conversation & send me an email at elizabeth@integratedbeingllc.com. I look forward to connecting with you & going on this journey of life together.
xo, Lizzie