Brut America
  • 2 years ago
Your gut can influence your memory, anxiety, and depression. Also, what is a “leaky gut?”

Here are 7 simple questions about the gut-brain connection, answered by Dr. Pedi Mirdamadi.
Transcript
00:00We have more bacterial DNA in our gut than we have human DNA in our body.
00:05So it makes you think, are we in charge or are the bacteria in our gut in charge of how we feel?
00:21Anxiety, depression, memory. It's really important to pay attention to the microbiome or the
00:27collection of bacteria that's contained within the gut because the research shows
00:31that there are strains of bacteria that have been shown to affect mental function.
00:39So the gut talks to the brain through a two-way communication system called the vagus nerve.
00:45There are these fine branches that stem from the nervous system all the way down into our gut.
00:52In fact, there's more information every day being sent from the gut to the brain
00:56than there is from the brain to the gut.
01:02The research shows that poor gut health can contribute to mental health and if our gut
01:07function is impaired, chances are we're not going to be able to absorb things like vitamin B12,
01:13iron, magnesium. These are key nutrients that are involved in mental health.
01:18The other piece is the microbiome and the bacteria that's contained in there.
01:22Certain strains of bacteria in the gut that can help produce things like GABA,
01:29neurotransmitter that's very common.
01:35Well, sugar, processed foods, artificial flavors, colors and things that are deep fried.
01:42All of those foods are highly inflammatory for the gut and as a result, they can affect brain
01:48function. We want to make sure we're getting foods that are high in omega-3 fats, wild-caught
01:54fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil. Additionally, we want to make sure that we're providing the gut
02:01with a wide range of nutrients. Bright colors that we see in fruits and vegetables because all of
02:07those bright colors have nutrients, have fiber, prebiotics that are very good for the bacterial
02:14microbiome, which will allow them to flourish. We want to make sure we're getting foods that are
02:19high in vitamin B6, the co-factor in the production of dopamine. And also we want to make sure we're
02:26getting foods that are high in tryptophan, things like turkey. Those foods can help support
02:32the neurotransmitter serotonin, which can also help support a healthy gut-brain access.
02:39What can happen over time with poor dietary choices, stress, toxin exposure, is that the
02:45walls of the digestive system can become leaky. And when the cells of the digestive system are
02:50no longer tightly sealed, things get through into circulation that shouldn't get through
02:56and make their way up to the brain and cause inflammation in the brain, which can contribute
03:01to long-term mental health issues as well.
03:03Supplements are not always the answer. More is not always better. In fact, it's very important
03:11to work with a licensed practitioner that can produce or make a personalized plan for you in
03:17order to get the best results. And if you're not a licensed practitioner, you're not going to get
03:23the best results. And if you're not a licensed practitioner, you're not going to get the best
03:28results. So it's important for us to understand the effect that stress can have on our digestive
03:45or gut function. So when our body's experiencing stress, we shift towards fight or flight. The
03:52body pulls the blood away from the digestive system and puts it towards the muscles, heart,
03:59and the lungs. Our digestive system literally gets paralyzed. And it's really, really important to
04:05check in, especially before eating, to see, am I feeling stressed right now or am I feeling relaxed
04:12and is my body ready? Because there's so much that's going on in our gut that the research has
04:17yet to really uncover, not just from mental health that we discussed, but from our ability
04:23to detoxify, our hormone balances, our cardiovascular health, and so much more.