Image: Peter Hershey on Unsplash

Have you ever seen any of those videos that you click on which offer “free” information about how to survive after a zombie apocalypse or lose 80 pounds the “easy way” in just one month? They drive me nuts. I avoid them if I can, but recently I stumbled across one that had me nodding my head and raising my eyebrows. It included someone in Hollywood who had teamed up with her doctor to tell the world about digestive problems. While they offered a dietary solution for you to follow on your own if you’re disciplined enough, they ultimately want you to buy their product. It was a superior quality probiotic that actually reaches the colon. Apparently most probiotics don’t.

It got me to thinking about all those ads I see for a leaky gut and others promoting the miracle of curing the body’s ailments by treating the gut. Your stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder are most of the major organs required for digestion. They are also all located in what is basically the center of your body. There are some outliers, such as the mouth and rectum. Nevertheless, it makes sense that what’s happening in your core has an effect on your entire body, not to mention your mind. Apparently, it comes down to the issue of bacteria. Remember, there’s the good kind and the bad. And it’s the bad stuff that is allegedly responsible for everything from hiccups and IBS to autism and stress.

Gut Bacteria: Hijacking the Brain

There is a link between the brain and the gastrointestinal system called the vagas nerve. There is a lot of research showing how so-called “bad bacteria” can tap into or hijack this mainline of communication between the gut and the brain. Notice the variety of ways that bacteria influence the brain in a report from The Atlantic:

Most researchers agree that microbes probably influence the brain via multiple mechanisms. Scientists have found that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and GABA, all of which play a key role in mood (many antidepressants increase levels of these same compounds). Certain organisms also affect how people metabolize these compounds, effectively regulating the amount that circulates in the blood and brain. Gut bacteria may also generate other neuroactive chemicals, including one called butyrate, that have been linked to reduced anxiety and depression. Cryan and others have also shown that some microbes can activate the vagus nerve, the main line of communication between the gut and the brain. In addition, the microbiome is intertwined with the immune system, which itself influences mood and behavior [emphasis added].

When bacteria interfere with the communication between the gut and the brain, that means they are literally manipulating our eating habits, including cravings and volume, our moods and behavior, hormones, and even our taste receptors. In fact, one study found that one set of “mice preferred more sweets and had greater numbers of sweet taste receptors in the gastrointestinal tract compared to normal mice… Changes in taste receptor expression and activity have been reported after gastric bypass surgery, a procedure that also changes gut microbiota and alters satiety and food preferences.”

For more information about this connection, you might want to check out a book by a leading gastroenterologist, Dr. Emeran Mayer. “The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health” is available from Amazon. They include a lot of it for free when you click on the cover.

Digest Health: Absorbing Nutrition

Above and beyond all of the possible symptoms associated with poor digestive health is the issue of nutrition absorption. When your gut is not functioning properly due to an overabundance of unhealthy bacteria that are throwing the whole system off, your body fails to pull what it needs from food, drink, and supplements. So, if you are a healthy eater and/or take lots of supplements but your gut health is poor, this is basically like taking a really expensive sugar pill.

Personalized Treatment

One of the things I appreciate about Dr. Mayer’s approach is his acknowledgement that, while the dialogue between the brain and gut has been addressed by ancient healing traditions, Western medicine has really failed in this area. You see, Western medicine has been focused on treating symptoms rather than sources. But when you address the gut and its connection to the brain, you are going straight to the source. So, how this is treated for you depends entirely on the kind of healthcare practitioner you visit. Since every being’s makeup is different, you really need highly specified treatment. Because sugar is one of the primary sources of feeding the unhealthy bacteria, you might try diets that remove sugar in all of its forms, especially processed. But I dare say that is not enough.

I personally favor Chinese medicine here. A highly skilled practitioner will not only address the organs directly affecting your digestion, but they will also be able to advise you on the right herbal supplements and enzymes for your body. Equally as important, they can tailor a diet to your specific needs as well. Heads up: this will most definitely include fermented foods such as miso, sauerkraut, and yogurt. But you will need to avoid any yogurt that has sugar.

The end goal here is to reset one of your body’s key functions, allowing you to absorb nutrition, have plenty of energy, and just feel great overall. And remember that your body did not end up this way overnight. Be prepared to invest several months into this before you see a big change. In some cases, it may take a couple of years or more. Look at it as a process.

Have you tried this method? How long did it take you and what path did you choose?