Gut-brain connection and why we need to be mindful reading food labels with Dietitian Hollie James

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MIND BODY PLANTS - An evidence-based guide to optimal health

Health & Fitness


Upstairs is our brain, downstairs is our gut. Most of us think that these two organs live as two separate entities. But let’s consider this, brain health begins in the gut. The gut and the brain are in constant communication, as we speak, there are over 500 million nerves in our intestines, 5 times more than the spinal cord.A healthy gut microbiome is able to influence our brain, keep our mind sharp, our energy levels high and stabilize our emotions. On the other hand, damage to gut flora can cause migraines, headaches, chronic fatigue, and potentially lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurological disorders.13000 research papers on the gut microbiome have been released in the last 5 years alone. That’s 80% of the total number of papers on this topic in the last 4 decades. You may have heard the importance of the microbiome, but believe me, we are all just scratching the surface.What most of us tend to think is that when we eat food, our body will break down what it can and absorb it, the rest will come out the other end. But this is only partly true. Our microbiome, and particularly our gut microbiome is an incredibly diverse colony of 39 trillion microbes; bacteria, fungi, archaea, protozoa. These single-celled organisms outnumber human cells, 10 fold. Most of us think of microbes as germs or harmful creatures that don’t serve us, but in fact, most bacteria are here to help us. And in the last 15 years of research, we’re beginning to unfold which ones are here to support us, and which ones are here to hurt us. The depth of the microbiota is hard to fathom. So, what exactly are they doing there?They’re doing a lot, actually. In fact, they’re modulating some of the most important aspects of human health; immunity, metabolism, hormonal balance, cognition, gene expression, to name a few. They’re not just chilling because it’s warm and moist, they’re working in synergy with our body to maintain its normal function. Every single one of us has a different set of microbes living in our colon. Every single time you put something into your mouth and swallow, it will interact with the trillions of microbes residing in your gut. You might’ve heard about fiber being that part of a plant that we don’t digest. You might even think all fiber is the same, and that it just passes straight through you.There are many species of bacteria that have the ability to transform fiber into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which have incredible abilities in modulating hormone balance, digestion, metabolism, our mood, mindset, gene expression, the list goes on. If we nourish ourselves with fiber, we empower these guys. But considering there are 39 trillion microbes, there ought to be some that aren’t serving us. There are some types of bacteria that cause vicious cycles of inflammation, releasing bacterial endotoxins and the likes. These guys thrive off refined sugars, saturated fats, and animal protein, and produce substances like TMAO, a known driver of chronic low-grade inflammation.@holliejamesdietitian www.holliejamesdietitian.comhttps://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/