Have you ever experienced butterflies in your tummy when you’re feeling nervous? Or had to frequent the toilet numerous times prior to a job interview? Maybe when you’re stressed you’ve felt nauseous and can’t eat.

These are experiences we’ve probably all encountered and are classic examples of how the brain and gut are linked. Many of the emotions and feelings we have can trigger symptoms in the gut.

Likewise, the gut is constantly sending signals to our brain which can also impact the way in which we feel.

Research has demonstrated that the health of our gut can contribute to anxiety, stress and depression. Thus, the communication between the brain and the gut works both ways.

What we eat, our lifestyle and environment all have significant impact upon the communication between our brain and gut and subsequently our mental health.

What exactly is the gut-brain axis?

The gut – brain axis is a term used to describe the communication network between the brain and the gut, linking your central nervous system (CNS) with the enteric nervous system (ENS) in your gut. There are numerous communication methods involving nerve cells, hormones, chemicals and microbes.

Our gut microbiome

Our gut houses trillions of microorganisms, referred to as the gut microbiome. Our diet, lifestyle, environment and stress can have a huge impact on these microbes. Our gut microbiome helps regulate the gut-brain axis. For example, eating adequate amounts of fibre means that certain microbes are able to produce metabolites called short-chain fatty acids, which can impact the brain function and structure.

Inflammation

A large proportion of our immune system is housed in our gut, consequently our gut microbiome can also influence our immune system.

If there is an imbalance in our gut bacteria which is referred to as dysbiosis, it can make the barrier between our gut and blood stream more, “leaky” – often referred to as leaky gut.

This can result in types of “bad” bacteria entering the blood stream which can contribute to excessive inflammation, which is chronic activation of the immune system. Inflammation can have a negative impact upon our mental health. Research suggests that it can be a contributing factor to several mental health illnesses including anxiety and depression.

The Vagus Nerve

Our gut also contains millions of neurons (information messengers) which are connected to your brain through nerves in your nervous system. The vagus nerve is one of the body’s largest nerves which connects the brain and the gut. Research has shown that stress and conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can impact upon the functioning of the vagus nerve, subsequently effecting the way in which we feel and behave.

Neurotransmitters

You have probably heard of some of the most common neurotransmitters (chemical messengers), such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA. These are involved in regulating our mood and emotions. The gut and brain use these chemicals to communicate. Some of these are produced in the brain as well as the gut. For example, the majority of serotonin is actually produced by the gut. Subsequently our gut health needs to be optimal to ensure adequate production

The impact of nutrition on the gut brain axis

Many foods we consume in a typical western diet are detrimental to your gut and brain health. Whereas optimising our diet to include foods that we know our going to positively impact our gut and brain can help support our mental health.

These foods include;

• prebiotic and probiotic foods

• omega 3 fats

• fermented foods

• fibrous foods

• polyphenol rich foods

However, there is no one size fits all approach to nutrition. Working with a nutritional therapist will help you with a programme that is personalised to you with support along the way.

If you are interested in discovering more, want to start making changes and find out what is right for you, then book in for a free, no obligation chat.