The human body is invaded by bacteria. When these particular intestinal bacteria become unbalanced, this can lead to both physical and mental adverse symptoms. Indeed, our cerebral health can also be influenced by an unexpected source that is the intestine, also called second brain. According to science, the intestine contains bacteria that could help shape the structure of our brain, and thus influence our mood, behavior, and mental health.
Your microbiome, the diverse population of bacteria living in your gastrointestinal tract, plays an important role in the health of your gut and in other aspects of your physical health, from inflammatory skin disorders to obesity. Researchers now say that this role of health promotion can extend to the health of your brain and your neurological system.
The intestine-brain connection
The thousands of different types of "good" and "bad" bacteria that inhabit the microbiome normally exist in the balance in favor of beneficial bacteria that help prevent the proliferation of bad bacteria that can harm your health. Studies have shown that an imbalance in the microbiome could be harmful because of inflammation, intestinal permeability or a lack of bacterial diversity, all of which may be associated with a proliferation of bacteria harmful to health.
Current thinking in the field of neuropsychology and the study of mental health problems includes strong assumptions that bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychological or neurological problems may also be associated with alternans in the microbiome.
Researchers at the Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, announce that any disruption of the normal and healthy balance of bacteria in the microbiome can cause an overreaction of the immune system and contribute to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, This leads to the appearance of symptoms of diseases that do not only manifest themselves in your digestive system but also in your brain.
This system of connections and communication between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain is called the "gut-brain axis". Some research suggests that early-life infections may negatively affect the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, disrupting the intestine and interfering with normal brain development. The mucous membrane can also be altered in different ways, for example due to poor nutrition, radiation therapy, use of antibiotics and chemotherapy.
What is an imbalance between healthy and harmful intestinal bacteria?
At present, an imbalance between beneficial and harmful intestinal bacteria, called dysbiosis, has been linked to a number of psychiatric and neurological disorders, such as autism, anxiety, depression and stress. It could even play a role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. This suggests that a person's intestinal distress may be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression.
Food for the benefit of the brain
To maintain or restore the health of your microbiome and promote good general health, it is important to maintain a strong balance in favor of the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. The first step is to adopt a well-balanced diet that includes foods containing probiotic or prebiotic ingredients that promote microbial health by helping to restore the balance of the gut microbiome.
- Probiotic Foods: A variety of probiotic foods are readily available and provide varying amounts of beneficial living bacteria that develop during the carefully controlled fermentation process. Some of them are common foods including plain yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, fresh sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, apple cider vinegar and miso.
- Prebiotic foods: Unlike probiotic foods, prebiotic foods do not contain living organisms. They contribute to the health of the microbiome because they contain fibers that ferment in the gastrointestinal tract, where they are consumed by probiotic bacteria and converted into other healthy substances. Prebiotic foods include artichokes, leeks, onions, garlic, chicory, cabbage, asparagus, legumes and oats.
It is clear that through this information, having a healthy gut can be equal to a healthy mind.
