Your Brain and Your Gut

I was recently reading some articles on the web and came across this one at www.emaxhealth.com:

"Mental health disorders might start in the gut, not in the brain"

Apparently, researchers from McMasters University have discovered that altering the types of bacteria that are in the gut with antibiotics can actually change behavior and brain chemistry in mice. This is great news for the mental health community, as this gives them another way to look at and possibly treat mental health issues. 

I don't think we should stop there, though. If bacteria in our intestines can influence our brain function, and our brain coordinates pretty much our whole body, what other health problems can result from poor gut health? Not to mention, if something in our gut can travel all the way to our brain and cause problems, what is it doing to the rest of the body on its way there? 

I can break it down briefly for everyone. When unhealthy foods pass through our digestive system they cause multiple problems. They feed bad bacteria, cause inflammation, and cause the gut to become leaky. When you combine these three things together, you have a perfect storm of disease causing dysfunction. The toxins produced from the bacteria can seep through intestines into the bloodstream, inflammation can travel system-wide, and before you know it, you are not feeling well, you have no energy, your in pain, you can't sleep, your skin is not as vibrant as it once was.

The best way to prevent gut dysfunction is to eat the proper diet. A grain-free, gluten free diet. This diet has lean meats, preferrably from grass-fed cows and free range chickens. It is also loaded with vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Some may need more help than just diet. Supplements that heal the gut and restore its natural bacterial makeup may be needed in some cases. 

This is just a brief overview, but the implications of gut dysfunction have the potential to be life changing. Researchers have only barely scratched the surface with regards to gut health.