If you need another reason to improve your gut health…it literally makes you happier
There is no shortage of medications designed to make you happier, and I’ll be the first to say, those with depression and anxiety have a LEGIT diagnoses, and often times medication is required, BUT here me out.
WHAT IF! Instead of jumping straight to a prescription drug, that may or may not be covered by your insurance, and deal with a plethora of negative side effects, AND possibly never be able to come off of them. (at least not without feeling homicidal…YIKES!) And lest we not forget the limitations associated with several of the common meds prescribed. (No red wine, pepperoni on your pizza, grapefruit, truly, the list could go on endlessly.)
Instead of running to your doctors office for another Rx, what if you could relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety through nature’s pharmacy.
90, yes 90% of your serotonin is produced in the gut, specifically in the lining of the intestinal wall. Not only is that a massive amount of serotonin that is produced in one very specific area of the body, and not only that, but by a very specific type of cell. They are called enterochromaffin (EC), and they are specific to the mucus lining of the intestines.
Here is one of the COOLEST things about the gut, the surface area of our intestines is the equivalent tot he surface area of a badminton court!
But not all of us have the microbiome well equipped to produce the serotonin that makes us feel happy, happy, happy!
There are several ways we can improve serotonin production, simply by improving our gut health, through nature.
I know, I know, that sounds like, SO MUCH WORRRRK. When you could just take a pill, but I think I’ve preached on that enough.
What you can do:
There are a handful of protocols I use for my clients to ensure proper gut health, and each is personalized to each individuals needs, but what I often find, an inflammation reduction protocol is necessary.
What does that look like:
Eliminating or reducing foods that each are sensitive too, while there are common food sensitivities amongst the general population, we can determine exactly what and to what degree you have those sensitivities.
In addition to diet modifications, inflammation is greatly tied to stress. Managing stress, sleeping well, and improving emotional health are AMAZING steps we can take to keep inflammation at bay.
What else:
Once we have reduced inflammation, restoring the gut microbiome is imperative. Think of this like a reforestation. We have cleared out all the weeds and bad bacteria, now it’s time to grow our garden.
We add in prebiotic rich foods (think onions, garlic, asparagus) and probiotic rich foods (think yogurt, fermented vegetables, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, cottage cheese) and other fermented goodies like apple cider vinegar.
In addition to what we eat, the way we move out body is huge in improving gut health, but also just makes you feel better. To quote Elle Woods, “exercise release endorphins, endorphins make you happy, and happy people don’t shoot their husbands.” But I digress.
A mix of cardiovascular training, and strength training is great for improving our inner bacteria forest.
Good luck with implementing these steps, and always, reach out to me for your personalized plan!
With love,
Hayley