The gut is home to about 1,000 trillion bacteria with which we live in harmony. These bacteria perform a number of functions vital to health. They harvest energy from diet, protect against infections, and provide nutrition to cells in the gut. An imbalanced gut flora (more bad bacteria than good bacteria) will affect your immune function, absorption of essential nutrients, and can promote mental-emotional disorders such as depression.
What causes imbalanced gut flora?The number one flora killer (of both good and bad flora) is overuse of antibiotics as they sterilize the gut. Other big gut flora killers include the use of steroids and birth control pills, drugs, stress, poor nutrition, infections, disease, bottle fed infants, old age, pollution, radiation, alcohol, dental work, and environmental toxins.
How does our gut flora impact our mood?Research is now supporting that gut flora influences brain development and even behavior. One study of interest shows that mood regulators, such as serotonin and dopamine, are regulated by gut flora and don’t develop normally if our gut flora is imbalanced. Cortisol (our stress hormone) impacts both the number and the composition of gut flora. So, having balanced flora directly feeds back to a supporting a healthy mental-emotional state.
This research is also important because several common types of gastrointestinal disease; ex) IBS, IBD, and Crohn’s are frequently associated with anxiety or depression. For individuals diagnosed with one of these diseases, they will often note that their mood directly impacts how well their digestion works – and vice versa, that eating well improves their mood!
So how can you gain insight into the health of your gut flora? Live blood cell analysis and stool sampling are two examples of testing that help determine if you have a balanced gut flora. A healthy diet filled with fiber, fermented foods, and minimal refined sugars will also set you up for success.
For more information please book an appointment with one of our practitioners today. You can also take advantage of our Blood Cell Analysis Special this February and March. You know what they say…the proof is in the poop!
Andrea Hauser, Homeopath and Live Cell Microscopist
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