The Link Between Gut Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Our digestive health isn’t the most glamorous of topics, is it? Usually kept private, the health of our gut isn’t something we easily talk about, instead perhaps leaving it for jokes.
But in fact, the health of our guts has a direct impact on many aspects of our health. New and emerging research is now highlighting the very real impact of our gut health on our mental health.
In this article:
What Exactly is the Gut?
Gut Health Impacts our Physical and Mental Health
The Gut as Our Second Brain
Signs of a Healthy Gut
Is There a Link Between Our Gut Health and Our Skin?
Connecting Our Gut Health to Our Mental Health
The Gut-Brain Connection and the Microbiome
Mood Enhancing Foods
So, as the conversation surrounding our mental health opens up, perhaps so should the conversation around our digestive health…?
Read on to discover how our guts impact our minds, and how we can make food choices that help look after the health of both.
What Exactly is the Gut?
We might think the gut simply refers to the bowels, but it’s actually a lot more than that. The gut comprises the entire digestive system, from the oesophagus (or ‘food pipe’ or gullet), down through the stomach, through the small and large intestines and out again through the anus or back passage.
In other words, the entire digestive tract, from where food enters our body, to where it leaves our body.
Gut Health Impacts our Physical and Mental Health
Our gut health is crucial for so many aspects of our overall health, many of which are surprising. Research into the gut is an exciting area right now, with researchers discovering links between the health of the gut and the health of the immune system and cardiovascular system.
There are also links between gut health and the prevention of certain cancers and autoimmune diseases. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a healthy gut also supports the healthy digestion of the food we eat.
The Gut as Our Second Brain
There is emerging evidence to suggest that how healthy our gut is, has an impact on our brain health, moods, emotions and ability to get restful sleep.
In fact, our gut is sometimes referred to as our second brain. This is because a major part of the nervous system called the enteric nervous system is located in the gut. The nerves, neurons and neurotransmitters of the enteric nervous system run the entire length of the digestive tract. They’re in constant communication with the brain, hence being known as the second brain.
So it stands to reason, that a healthy gut equals a healthy mind.
Signs of a Healthy Gut
There are various signs of a healthily functioning gut, the more you can tick off the list, the healthier your gut…
- Passing stools regularly - this is different for everyone but as a general rule somewhere between three times a day and three times a week is considered healthy
- Passing stools during the day, rather than at night
- Passing stools easily, rather than having to strain or causing pain or bleeding
- Not consistently passing stools immediately after eating Passing stools that are medium to dark brown in colour, smooth and sausage-shaped in texture (rather than being hard nuggets or very soft or liquid) and that sink rather than float
- Some level of gas is normal, but permanent bloating and wind could be a sign of an unhealthy gut
Is There a Link Between Our Gut Health and Our Skin?
Since here at Sönd we’re skin health specialists and a skincare brand, we need to add in a little bit about the health of our skin, in relation to our digestive health.
There is a link between the gut microbiome (more on that shortly) and certain skin conditions including acne, psoriasis and eczema. Studies have found that an imbalance of the gut bacteria that make up the microbiome could be contributing to these skin complaints.
Diet is important in balancing the microbiome, but skincare is also vital for healthy, happy skin. The Sönd range of alkalising skincare helps to nourish the skin deep within the lower layers, helping to combat acne and other skin conditions.
Diet and Gut Health
What we eat has a direct effect on the health and happiness of our gut, and therefore also on our mental wellbeing. We’ll go into more on the foods we can eat to keep our guts and minds happy in a moment. But first, let’s talk about the huge impact of the tiny bugs that live in our guts.
The Gut-Brain Connection and the Microbiome
So what is it about the gut that supports our emotional health? It’s more than simply being given the moniker of the second brain, and it’s all to do with what’s called the microbiome - the trillions of bugs residing in our digestive tract - influencing the gut-brain connection or axis.
The microbiome is also sometimes, more correctly, referred to as the gut microbiota, which describes the collection of bacteria, viruses and fungi in the gut. Technically, the microbiome describes the genetic material making up all of these bugs, but for some reason, the term microbiome became more commonly referred to than microbiota.
So for the purposes of this article, we’ll continue to refer to the microbiome as the collection of beneficial bacteria, viruses and fungi in the gut.
Given that there are trillions of these bugs (commonly called “good bacteria”, although viruses and fungi are also present along with other microorganisms called protozoa) the digestive tract can no longer be thought of as a simple pipe through which food enters, gets digested, the nutrients absorbed and the waste passed out of the body.
Instead, it’s a complex and ever-changing system, the good bugs, also known as probiotics (the same as the bacteria found in gut-friendly yoghurts and drinks) influenced by our diet, environment and the people and animals we mix with.
Connecting Our Gut Health to Our Mental Health
The microbiome of a normal, healthily functioning gut contains between 300 and 500 different species of bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa - the vast majority of which are beneficial, and even essential, to our health.
In terms of our mental health, evidence suggests that these microbes can help to suppress levels of stress hormones including corticosterone and ACTH. Fewer stress hormones, means fewer stress-related effects, including anxiety and depression.
Numerous studies back this up including one in 2017 that found that an imbalance of the gut microbiome is linked to “causing several mental illnesses including anxiety and depression, which are prevalent in society today”.
The probiotics we mentioned above were developed in order to keep the good levels of microbes in the gut topped up. There are numerous studies that back up the theory that supplementing our diet with probiotics (either in the form of drinks or supplement capsules) is helpful in nurturing both our gut and our emotional wellbeing.
But not only that, our entire diet, when considered carefully, can also help support our digestive and mental health…
Mood Enhancing Foods
Sönd skincare products are based on the science of alkalinity and we also believe in the power of an alkaline diet. Consuming alkaline foods 80% of the time is beneficial for our overall health, including that of our skin, gut and mental health. Here’s some mood boosting alkaline foods…
- Cherry tomatoes contain high levels of lycopene (that gives them their red colour) that helps to limit inflammation that can contribute to a low mood
- Chilli peppers contain capsaicin that gives them their heat and this compound also has an anti-inflammatory effect on the brain
- Beans, edamame beans, lentils, beetroots and spinach all contain good levels of folate (also known as vitamin B9) that supports a good mood and good cognitive function
- Garlic contains the mineral chromium that helps to support a good mood
In general, vegetables all contain important micronutrients that help to maintain good brain function and better emotional wellbeing.
One other food, that is an acidic food and should therefore make up 20% of our diet along with other acidic foods, is wild caught salmon. Wild salmon (as opposed to farmed salmon) is rich in good fats called omega 3 fatty acids that support brain health by fighting inflammation and balancing the chemistry of the brain.
This article is not meant to treat or diagnose. Please visit your doctor for advice about any health concerns you may have.