Mind Gut Connection




Have you ever felt butterflies in your stomach? This is a sign of our brain and gut communicating with each other!

The Science Behind the Mind Gut Connection

There are trillions of microbes living in our guts, and they communicate through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. One such neurotransmitter is serotonin- you might know this as the “happy chemical” which can affect your mood. Your gut microbes produce over 95% of serotonin!

When the microbiota of the gut is disrupted, it can lead to inflammation and further symptoms through the gut-brain axis. As you can imagine, taking cake of the gut microbiota can positively impact your body and brain.

Tips to Promote Gut Health

  1. Eat adequate fibre
    • Fibre increases gut microbiota diversity
    • Adult men need 38 g fibre/day and adult women need 25 g fibre/day
  2. Incorporate probiotics and fermented foods
    • These can restore the composition of the gut microbiome
  3. Reduce excess intake of red/processed meats
  4. Reduce excess intake of highly processed foods

The signals sent by your gut have shown to influence the brain which may explain why digestive problems can lead to anxiety or stress. Keep your body and brain happy by keeping your gut happy!

Wondering how to incorporate more gut healthy foods into your diet? Contact the dining services dietitian by emailing dining@ualberta.ca with the subject line “Ask a Dietitian”.


Resources

Ways our Mind and Gut Are Connected. Live it Good. (n.d.). Retrieved January 4, 2023, from https://www.liveitgood.ca/resources/pdfs/Dec1MindGutConnectionInfographic.pdf

Cronin P, Joyce SA, O'Toole PW, O'Connor EM. Dietary Fibre Modulates the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. (May 3, 2021). Retrieved January 4, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8153313/

Hemarajata P, Versalovic J. Effects of probiotics on gut microbiota: mechanisms of intestinal immunomodulation and neuromodulation. Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology. (January 2013). Retrieved January 4, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3539293/

Comments

  1. Hotel TransfersJanuary 13, 2023 at 2:55 AM

    This blog is really helpful to deliver updated affairs over internet which is really appraisable.
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