This is why fermented foods are good for the brain🧠
The Brain-Gut Connection
We are into week 4 of the mental & brain health topic, and this is our final week!
Have you ever had a "gut-wrenching" experience? Do certain situations make you "feel nauseous"? Have you ever felt "butterflies" in your stomach? We use these expressions for a reason. Science has shown that hidden in the walls of the digestive system is your "second brain" and that it communicates with the brain in your head. This connection goes both ways - the brain has a direct effect on the stomach, but our intestines can also send signals to the brain. This understanding is revolutionising our understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health and even the way we think.
Enjoy this final episode with Katia!
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Did you know that your gut can influence your mental health?
Our nervous system is the “control centre” of the body, which regulates mood, response to stress, movement and the ability to form memories and process information. It has been demonstrated that the brain (the controller of the nervous system and most functions in the body) and the gut are directly connected to each other by what is referred to as the “gut-brain axis”, meaning that the health and function of one directly affects the other.
Our gut has what is known as the “enteric nervous system”, which consists of millions of neurons embedded in the walls of the long tube of our gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The same chemical messengers that affect our brain also affect the GI system, so the gut can upset the brain just as the brain can upset the gut.
The gut also contains important bacteria. Healthy bacteria that populate our gut (collectively known as “microbiome”) play a key role not only in digesting the food we eat and absorbing the nutrients, but also in many processes outside our gut - including brain functions and mood. The balance of microbial population in the gut affects many physiological processes and has consequences for our behaviour, mood and cognition. If the delicate balance between many different types of gut microbes becomes disrupted, it can impact our mood and behaviour directly via neural signalling along the gut-brain axis, via biochemical signals (such as short chain fatty acids), as well as by impacting the level of inflammation in the body as a result of increased leakiness of the gut membrane, which can further exacerbate brain fog and low mood. Gut microbes can additionally be linked to mental health and cognition due to their role in energy harvesting from food and nutrient absorption, as well as in producing such nutrients as B vitamins which has an impact on many processes in the body.
Eating fermented foods is one of the easiest ways to improve diversity and balance of gut flora. Eating foods that have been cultured to contain healthy bacteria, such as yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut etc, can help repopulate the healthy bacterial community in the gut. Such foods have shown to influence brain activity, impacting mood and emotional processing. If you are not used to eating fermented foods, start with 1tsp at a time and increase slowly to avoid digestive discomfort.
Katia, xoxo
P.S.: Want to learn more about how you can support your mental health? Book to see Katia for a mini review to find out how you can transform your physical and mental health.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Come visit us and meet Katia, the mini session is only HK$100 and fully convertible to products at Foodcraft after the session.
KATIA
"You should know that there is a different way to live. To be truly happy, full of energy, with a clear head and a beautiful body. I know you can feel great, and I will accompany you on this path."
Katia is one of the first UK-trained Nutritional Therapists to practice in Hong Kong. A hormonal health specialist solving menstrual problems and women's hormonal conditions (e.g. PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, and chronic stress-related disorders), she guides women to reclaim control of their bodies and emotions. Katia also works with clients to optimise their nutrition to help achieve various goals such as improved energy, better sleep, enhanced athletic performance and recovery, and weight loss.
BOOK KATIA (HK$100 / Session)