Your gut, aka (also known as) “inside our intestines”, has been proven to be our body’s literal “second brain”. For years, the medical world has been trying to figure out what causes our moods to change and what causes common problems that most of us face like stress, anxiety, and even depression. These are common problems, and we know they are linked to serotonin, but did you know that 95% of serotonin isn’t even produced in the brain? Serotonin is produced in the brain, gut and the liver.
What we put inside of our bellies is directly related to our emotional health. Our gut consists of bacteria and we need that bacteria to have a healthy balance or the rest of our body becomes imbalanced including our mood. Our gut and our brain work together, so if one is out of balance the other will be, too. Have you ever had an upset stomach because your mind was stressed? There have been many scientific studies that have linked mood problems to gut problems and vice versa.
Is your gut balanced with 85% good bacteria and 15% bad bacteria? The correct balance is a recipe for a healthy gut and a healthy mood. The best way to make sure our body has healthy bacteria for our gut is to feed our gut healthy bacteria. Some symptoms of an unhealthy gut include gas, bloating, nausea, sugar cravings, and more. The best way to make sure that your gut is getting the healthy nourishment it needs is through probiotics. Probiotics can be in pill form, or we can get them right through our diet. Excellent sources of probiotics include coconut kefir and fermented or cultured foods and beverages. Organic yogurt is great if you are able to eat dairy products. (pictured: fresh berries and yogurt)
Keeping a healthy gut in check will help us to digest food properly, absorb vital nutrients, and maintain a healthy state of mind aka your mood.
Enjoy this great day!
Your Holistic Health Coach,
