How the Gut-Brain Axis Can Affect Your Health?

Medical science has recently discovered that a root cause of particular health issues involves the gut and the Gut-Brain Axis.

The Gut-Brain Axis is the communication system between the brain and the trillions of bacteria and enzymes living within our intestines – our gut microbiome.

The gut microbiome weighs about 2 kg and is bigger than the average human brain. It’s an active community of trillions of bacteria and microbes.

The gut microbiome is a crucial part of this gut-brain connection. It develops simultaneously with the central nervous system and has a powerful influence over many different mental processes.

Multiple studies have shown that the composition of our gut bacteria has a profound impact on mental health and the functioning of our nervous system.

Gut microbes make a number of chemicals that affect how our brains function. Gut microbes play a crucial role in brain development and the flow of signaling information across the central nervous system.

As neurotransmitters synthesized by the brain are involved in regulating mental health, emotions, behaviors, and mood, a disrupted gut microbiome can play a significant role in neurological conditions.

“The gut microbiome is the most important scientific discovery for human healthcare in recent decades,” says James Kinross, a microbiome scientist and surgeon at Imperial College London. “We discovered it – or rediscovered it – in the age of genetic sequencing less than 15 years ago. The only organ that is bigger is the liver.”

Professor Jack Gilbert, an award-winning microbiome scientist at the University of California San Diego and author, has stated, “Over the last 80 years and since the dawn of antibiotics, there has been a multi-generational loss of microbes that appear to be important for human health. They are passed from mother to child (during birth, via breast milk and skin contact) throughout the generations, but at some point, in the last three or four generations, we lost some. We’re not entirely sure if the cause was our lifestyle, our diet, cleanliness in our homes or the use of antibiotics. We’re missing certain immune stimulants that people in the developing world have plenty of.”

The gut’s microbiome is critical for short-term and long-term health. Given all the new data about the importance of the gut microbiome and the gut-brain axis, there are steps you can take to ensure you maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Studies suggest having a diverse population of gut microbes is directly associated with better health.

The Canadian Digestive Health Foundation suggests the following:
“Make sure to eat your vegetables!
“Especially the leafy green ones. Vegetables are loaded with fibers which cannot be digested by people but are consumed by the good bacteria in your gut. It has been observed that people who follow a diet rich with fruits and vegetables are less likely to grow disease-causing bacteria. Some great examples of vegetables that feed your microbes are:
• Leeks
• Onions
• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Spinach.
“Stock up on dietary sources of prebiotics
“Prebiotics are food for your microbiome! It’s important to feed these little guys to give them the energy they need to complete their very important task of managing your enteric (relating to the intestines) nervous system.

Here is a list of dietary prebiotics that should be staples in your home kitchen:
• Apples
• Leeks
• Onions
• Cocoa Extracts
• Garlic
• Bananas
• Asparagus
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Red Wine Extracts
• Root Vegetables
• Beans
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Green Tea Extracts.
“Fermented foods are gut-friendly
“Fermented foods are another great source of probiotics.

The crowd favorite is yogurt, however, if you’re going to be eating a lot of yogurt, make sure that it is sugar-free! There are several other options that are a great source of good bacteria. Kombucha is becoming a very popular source of probiotics. You can also eat things like pickles, kimchee, and kefir to ensure that you’re getting enough live cultures to keep your gut healthy and happy.”

Supplements Can Help, Too

Taking supplements that contain probiotics to support an optimum microbiome can help, too.

Improving your Metabolism 

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Why is Optimum Metabolism so Important in Children?

Mitochondria, an integral part of diverse cellular functions, are susceptible to damage which leads to non-optimum metabolism.

Today, unknowingly, children are exposed to many toxins in their food and environment and the damage done to the mitochondria could explain particular behavior and health issues. For example, tests of baby food sold in the US revealed that 95 percent contain one or more toxic chemicals, including lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium. As children grow, they continue to be exposed to chemical preservatives and additives in the food they eat, and harmful chemicals in their environment.

Children are more susceptible to exposure to toxins than adults because the toxins potentially have a bigger impact on the pathways in their smaller bodies, and their bodies are actively developing.

A paper from 2017 describes how mitochondrial dysfunction is the root cause of many diseases that are bewildering in their variety and complexity. They include rare genetic disorders in children. (3)

Children must have optimum metabolism to correctly support the many biochemical reactions in their body that regulate the activity of the cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive, and detoxification systems.

Cellular metabolism plays a more dynamic role in the cells that previously thought. Nearly all of a cell’s genes are influenced by changes to nutrition they have access to.

There is now scientific evidence for the use of metabolism-based protocols to provide tailored nutrition to improve the health of children. (1)

Check out the Spectrum Care+ Protocol link on this page

Stress and Your Immune System

Seems like one of the big stressors lately is the Covid flu.   The confusing reports that change and the fear of getting sick can really stress a person.

There is on thing that we know works on infections – a healthy immune system.  I don’t hear this being promoted by the experts (and its been a year)  but it seems the right way to go.

Here is something on stress and a link to our page on Immunity.

Effects of Stress on Your Immune System Important when a pandemic is being addressed.

A Healthy Immune System.

Hidden Environmental Stress by Dr. Eric Berg

Get rid of stress and help your adrenals.

There are so many things in your environment that triggers stress such as TV.

If you watch the news over a period of time your mind starts to fixated on fear. The worst thing you can do is watch the news before bed.

You have to personally select what is in your environment and in your space and not allow everything to come through so that you won’t get all these triggers.

There are tons of things that are affecting your adrenals and you may not be aware of it.

The stress is in the past with memories and past pictures that have pain. We want to put your more into the future – more in imagination or day dream of how beautiful your future will be for you.

I’m not talking about fear of the future because that is still rooted to your past. Being in the future is a complete blank slate, you’re not there yet. It is a very healthy place to be.

Being in the present is therapeutic. Me and my wife play with legos or color instead of watching TV because it forces us to be in the present through activity.

Anything you can do to create rather it is:

Music

Writing

Walking

These things are very healthy and will help you stay present. In the present, there is no scary anything.

Start changing your environment the way you want it to help your adrenals.

See Dr. Berg’s Complete Educational Video