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Personalized Nutrition Is On The Rise
I'm digging into the gut-brain connection, including what you need to know about the enteric nervous system, psychobiotics, and nutrient deficiencies.
The Gut-Brain Connection
The brain and gut are interconnected. More than 90% of the body's serotonin and 50% of its dopamine are found in the gut. There are even probiotics now that are known as psychobiotics because they are specifically formulated to help you secrete GABA, serotonin, dopamine, and even melatonin.
The Role of the Sympathetic and Enteric Nervous System in Digestion
Your nervous system can be looked at as three parts: the sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous systems. Your sympathetic and enteric nervous systems directly influence your digestion.
Your colon is made up of muscles that are similar to a slinky that goes all the way through your digestive system. When your sympathetic nervous system, including your heart rate, is going faster because you are exercising, stressed, etc., those muscles start contracting, which makes you run to the bathroom. That's why many people have to run to the bathroom when they are nervous.
The Enteric Nervous System
The enteric nervous system is made up of winding nerves that connect the brain to the heart, lungs, and gut. It is also known as your second brain. You can think of it as similar to your car's ignition system. It provides a perfectly timed spark of energy for a chain reaction that powers through your GI tract and moves those muscles.
Over 40 million people suffer from chronic constipation and it is a frequent reason that people come to me. One of the root causes of constipation is slow motility or transit time. This can mean that the muscles in your gut aren't contracting like they should be so the food isn't being digested and moving through at a healthy pace.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can also have a very fast transit time where you wind up not absorbing the nutrients from your food properly, especially fat. Then, fat malabsorption can lead to deficiencies in Vitamins A, D, E, and K.
A key component of the enteric nervous system is the vagus nerve. Stimulating the vagus nerve can be as easy as calming your heart and brain with things like micronutrients and psychobiotics. Stimulating the vagus nerve can even produce an anti-inflammatory response in the body.
Work With Me
If you've been struggling with troublesome digestive issues and the only answer you've gotten is that you have IBS, or worse just need to deal with it or see a psychiatrist, it's time to dig deeper.
It's time to stop wasting your time and money and start testing instead of guessing. Through my BioUnique Boutique program, we can do tests to figure out exactly what is causing your symptoms, and what dietary changes and supplements you need to start feeling better. Set up a free call with me to learn more by clicking the button below!
Psychobiotics
You may have heard of prebiotics and probiotics, but we now have psychobiotics, which are a revolution in the psychiatric world. These psychobiotics can help us produce serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and endorphins. They are helping people get better without the side effects of common psychiatric medication. A new research study recently came out about this.
It has been shown that psychobiotics can:
Support a reduction in perceived stress
Improve the ability to cope with occasional stress, including reducing cortisol output during stress
Support improved memory function
Positively support brainwave activity
Support diminished mental fatigue
Target the HPA axis to support cortisol balance
Support tryptophan production
Support increased energy, vitality, and quality of life scores
Support Digestive functions
Micronutrient Deficiencies
Doctors are finally checking Vitamin D levels, but what about all the other vitamins like Vitamins A, B1, and B2? Here are a few side effects you may experience with vitamin deficiencies:
Low B3 can lead to niacin deficiency, constipation, headaches, fatigue, and depression
Low B6 can manifest as impaired protein synthesis, immune dysfunction, depression, fatigue, or anxiety.
Low B12 affects MMA production, which is a metabolite that can affect your metabolism.
Low Vitamin C is associated with reduced bone density, bleeding gums, easy bruising, anemia, fatigue, weakness, and joint pain.
Vitamin E deficiency can cause muscle weakness, skeletal myopathy, retinopathy, red blood cell destruction, and cataracts.
Vitamin K1 deficiency can cause excessive bleeding and bruising.
Chromium Deficiency can lead to the development of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
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