“All disease begins in the gut” – Hippocrates. This guy was revolutionary and yet, for some reason, it seems we lost this knowledge for a while. Thankfully, gut health, and the Gut Brain Axis is becoming a focus again.
“The autonomic nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and nerves within the gastrointestinal tract, all link the gut and the brain, allowing the brain to influence intestinal activities, including activity of functional immune effector cells; and the gut to influence mood, cognition, and mental health.” 1
With the importance of gut health briefly established, lets jump into some warning signs that you might have gut issues.
1. IBS
IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is an obvious giveaway that you have gut issues. My wife struggled with IBS for years. It got to the point where even fruits and vegetables caused her stomach to get upset and would give her diarrhea. This can cause lots of stress and anxiety not knowing what you can eat. It can also cause you stress and embarrassment having to run to the bathroom.
Thankfully, I had looked into the Gut Brain Axis before I had met my wife. Then, as we started dating she started taking some prebiotics, probiotics, and phytobiotics that really helped her. These 3 things helped her gut health majorly improve. She is now less stressed about what she can eat, rarely if ever has to run to the bathroom, and now is much healthier, happier and energetic. (Below is a picture of us on our engagement day)
It was so reliving for her to finally find a solution for her gut problems. (If you want to read her story click here)
Here is a great infographic containing great information that can help with gut health and which helped reduce the negative IBS effects my wife experienced.
2. Constipation
Have you ever felt bloated, always-full, hungry but no room to eat more, or you just can’t stay regular? These were things I experienced. They are horrible. You just feel BLAH. You try to go to the bathroom but you can’t. You spend way more time than you’d like in the bathroom but you can’t get rid of that junk inside you… The struggle is real, isn’t it?
My poor gut health caused me to have all kinds of stomach problems including constipation. I tried to eat as good as I could but to no avail. It wasn’t until I started taking prebiotics, probiotics, and phytobiotics that I was able to improve my gut health.
As mentioned before, my wife had IBS and would go to the bathroom a ton. Well, I had the opposite… I couldn’t go when I went to the bathroom. This just goes to show that gut issues can effect us in different ways. Thankfully, the solution for both of our issues was the same. (You can find what we both took here)
3. Brain Fog
Have you ever felt like your head and brain are just “full”? Or perhaps, you feel super overwhelmed about all these tasks you have to accomplish – when in actuality you only have a couple of tasks to perform? Have you ever been talking to someone and you ask a question multiple times forgetting you have already asked it?
These were all things I struggled with. I later discovered how much the gut, which is considered the second brain, plays a role in mental wellness. As you will see in the info graphic below – up to 90% of neurotransmitters are produced in the gut.
The better our gut health is, the better our neurotransmitters can do their job to help us be happy and function the way we should. This was a big key for me in reducing my brain fog. I am now able to accomplish lots of tasks without being overwhelemed, I am able to have conversations without forgetting questions I had already asked, and I just feel better mentally. (Know that there are natural solutions for you! Just keep reading… 🙂 Thank goodness for the knowledge of gut health right!?)
Here is a great resource that shows what some of the main neurotransmitters do as well as another picture that shows how gut health is becoming more widely known:
4. Anxiety
It is not fun to have the pounding heart, the worrying, the extra stress, feeling tense, and everything else that can come with anxiety. Thankfully, you are aware of what can reduce your anxiety. (Fixing your gut health)
As shown in the above info-graphic, neurotransmitters play a part in our mental wellness. The last one shares how “serotonin regulates anxiety and can affect mood, appetite and sleep.” The better our gut health is, the better our neurotransmitters can do their jobs. Which means the less powerful our anxiety is.
An article I found shared this great piece of information: “For example, several mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and autism spectrum disorders now have well-established links to functional GI disruptions, whereas GI disease (eg, irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bowel disease) often involve psychological comorbidities associated with alteration of the gut microbiome.” 2
I struggled with anxiety for 18 years of my life. I would, at times, have panic attacks and pass out. The dots have slowly connected for me about how gut health was the cause of my issues. I had anxiety, I had brain fog, and I definitely had gut problems and constipation… They were all connected!!
I now know for certain that gut health is so important and I believe Hippocrates who said: “All disease begins in the gut.” The more I have improved my gut health the better my overall health has become.
If you want to jump-start your gut health, improve your mental wellness and reduce your anxiety then you should check this out here. This was an answer to my prayer! After 18 years of struggling, this was the solution. It has helped my family, and thousands of others.
5. Depression
As previously shared there was an article I found that shared this great piece of information: “For example, several mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and autism spectrum disorders now have well-established links to functional GI disruptions, whereas GI disease (eg, irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bowel disease) often involve psychological comorbidities associated with alteration of the gut microbiome.” 3
My sister in law struggled with depression and after improving her gut health she was able to come off of her depression medication with the prayer and blessing of her doctors and psychiatrists. (See disclaimer at the bottom of this page. I am not giving advice I am merely sharing the experience my sister in law had. If you would like to know what she took to improve her gut health and help her with her depression you can find it here)
Improving My Gut Health Literally Changed My Life
One day on a family vacation my anxiety was so bad I literally felt like I was dying. Below is a family picture taken on that day. I am the second one from the left. You can see my dad nearly holding me up and the wheelchair behind us.
Here is a picture below of me now with my wife. I am much happier, healthier, and definitely much more me! I am here to help you feel happier, healthier, and definitely much more you!
I hope you were able to gain some more understanding on how gut health might improve your mental and physical wellness. I personally struggled with Anxiety, Brain Fog, Constipation, Sleep Problems, Panic attacks, Passing out, and more. I struggled for 18 years. If you want to know what the missing link I FINALLY came across, after much struggle, click here. If you would like to read my story you can find it here.
I hope this in some way benefits you and can help ease your suffering. I will be forever grateful for finding out about the gut brain axis and the product that literally CHANGED MY LIFE!
Sources:
1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469458/
2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469458/
3 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469458/