Phrases like “gut feeling” or “butterflies” are familiar to us and although these may appear to be cliches, research shows that the link between the gut, the brain and our emotions is real. The gut is a hollow tube of tissue, embedded with nutrient absorbing folds and chemical spilling cells. It’s considered a unique system with a tremendous impact on how we feel. Indeed, it is here that 95% of serotonin, the happy neuro-chemical is produced. Therefore, paying attention to our bowels, more specifically, tending to our good bacteria is essential.
Interestingly, gut microbe research has shed new light on the relationship between ecosystem stability and our emotions. Recently an article in Animal Behaviour and the Microbiome explained how molecules involved in gut-brain communication in mice is related to depression and anxiety. Indeed, many creatures in the animal kingdom appropriate bizarre behavior to acquire microbes for survival. The bumble bee, for example, obtains much needed bacteria through social contact with hive mates and by feeding on their faeces. A study by the American Society for Microbiology suggests that colonies of intestinal bacteria differed between autistic and non-autistic children. Autistic children exhibit more gastrointestinal problems including severe inflammation which has been linked to behavioral problems. This evidence suggests that our world view about ourselves and our bodies is too simplistic. Bodily systems are not separate from each other but work in tandem. Current research suggests that looking at the relationships between our bowel bacteria and the terrain (us) is important. One solution yielding great results is taking mold-free, human-strain, raw, fermented pre and probiotics. This combination replaces a lost ecosystem and provides them with essential nutrients (prebiotics). Many of the pre/probiotics on the market are moldy due to processing techniques, causing additional toxicity in the body. The story does not end there a change in the internal environment allows good bacteria to create a niche in the gut; thus restoring numbers that were lost through bad eating habits, antibiotics, heavy metals exposure, radiation, artificial flavors and the myriad of additives that are found in our modern foods. Research on the effects of antibiotics in 2008 showed that after a 5 day dose gut bacteria were radically changed. Those that were previously abundant were reduced and those of a lesser ranking increased. Therefore directly or indirectly our gut bacterial colonies have become unbalanced, explaining the sharp increase in obesity, allergies and inflammation. So just as skin bacteria protect against infection so too the microbial community in the gut support immunity and detoxification. Herein lies the key to good health; a colony of gut bacteria that is well maintained, allowing a symbiotic relationship between our human cells and 90% of bacterial cells in our bodies. Communication between cells is heightened, communication between the brain and the rest of the body becomes more efficient and the rhythm of life changes. Furthermore, there is a bidirectional relationship between our minds, emotions and our environment. Thus as Bruce Lipton, Ph.D. so aptly explained the lens through which we view the world is created by our belief systems, thoughts, emotions and experiences. These in turn shape our bodily mechanisms, cell factories, microbes, determining the gut, brain and emotion dance that is human life. It is fitting to say that we are all interconnected. We are an entanglement of microbes and human cells infused with consciousness. Humanity’s evolution starts one individual at a time from the inside-out. By changing our belief system and working in symbiosis with our microbial colonies we can change our lives. What tune are your gut, brain and emotions dancing to?
