There are over 100 trillion bacteria living in the human gut. These bacteria help digest our food and produce vitamins. They also communicate with the body’s immune system. An unhealthy gut can lead to an inflammatory response that is harmful to the body.
The high fiber in plants such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, feeds the healthy bacteria in the gut. A low-fiber diet can lead to an imbalance that promotes inflammation.
Imbalances in the gut microbiome can have a huge impact on overall health. Your gut is home to more than 100 trillion bacteria, making it one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth. These bacteria are essential for everything from digestion and immunity to metabolism and brain function.
When you have enough fiber in the diet, your intestinal bacteria are able to support a healthy barrier between your intestinal wall and the rest of your body. This barrier helps to protect your body. A healthy gut provides protection against toxins, pathogens and undigested food particles.
However, when your gut flora become imbalanced (or dysbiotic), this protective barrier becomes damaged. This damage results in what is known as leaky gut syndrome or increased intestinal permeability. When this happens, partially digested food, toxins and bacteria can pass through the damaged intestinal wall into your blood stream. Your immune system triggers an inflammatory response to fight off these foreign invaders, which in turn creates widespread inflammation throughout your body.
Inflammation is a key factor in many chronic diseases of aging. But inflammation affects all of us, not just those with advanced age, and inflammation makes us more prone to develop many psychological disorders. There is emerging evidence that your mental health is closely connect to how much inflammation you have throughout the body.
Brain function is sensitive to inflammation for many reasons. For example, the molecules that circulate in your bloodstream when you are inflamed can enter the brain. This can alter how the brain functions and importantly, can affect how you feel.
Higher levels of inflammation are associated with many mental health challenges. This may be a causal relationship, because researchers can simulate gut inflammation through injections, and this worsens symptoms of depression and anxiety in animal models. Also, human studies confirm that high inflammation is involved in the development of many psychotic disorders.
In many ways, your gut is like a second brain. And as with every other organ in your body, inflammation affects the function of nerve cells that help coordinate digestion.
In addition to inflammatory molecules that circulate, the intestine has many nerves that can directly communicate your level of gut health through connections to the brain. The brain influences the health of the gut-associated nerves (the enteric nervous system) but the reverse is also true! It’s a reciprocal interaction, such that a healthier gut supports a healthier brain, and vice versa.
There is a lot of evidence that simply eating more fresh fruits and veggies can provide the fiber you need for a healthier gut. While this doesn’t guarantee a brighter mood, if you have mood issues related to gut inflammation, it’s a step in the right direction. In fact, there is ample evidence that higher fiber diets can lower depression risk!
Adjusting the diet is tricky. You want a habit that is sustainable, so be sure to involve others to help you stay accountable to your healthy intentions. For example, consider involving the whole family, so that your children benefit too! If you are curious about food prep strategies, recipes and more ideas, Treo can provide a whole-person platform with cooking videos for at home, work, or on-the-go. Interested in learning more? Let’s connect! Info@treowellness.com
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
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