You wake up feeling blue, and you don’t know why. You’re starting to wonder if you have something wrong with you – but you don’t have any specific symptoms. You feel anxious, with no real cause for anxiety. All of this is quite worrying, and from your belly up, you feel miserable. Does this sound familiar?
Perhaps the answer does indeed arise from your belly up. Exciting new research reveals that the brain is more closely connected to the gut than previously thought. Of particular interest to researchers is the connection between gut microbes and their effect on the brain. Previously thought to have a different system of immunity to the rest of the body, it’s now believed that the brain shares many of its immune responses with the rest of the body. This means that what is happening in the gut directly affects the brain, via the enteric nervous system, known as the gut-brain axis, which is the communication pathway between gut and brain.
Researchers, scientists, and medical professionals are excited by a new find: a network of lymphatic vessels in the meninges of the brain, the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Previously, it was believed that no such structure existed, and thus the brain was without a lymphatic system – an important part of the immune system in other parts of the body. The discovery of this structure means that in the future we will know a lot more about the connection between the gut and the brain, and how they share immune information, responses – and failures. The implications for the treatment of previously difficult – to – treat medical conditions is huge.
Two Brains
Researchers have known for a while that we have “two brains” – many of the cells found in the brain are also found in the lining of the gut, forming an extensive network of neurons that are part of the enteric nervous system. Neurotransmitters enable the “two brains” to talk to each other, and this is why we can be physically sick from anxiety or get butterflies in the stomach when we are nervous.
Obviously, the “belly brain” is not capable of conscious thought, or rational decision making, or making moral choices. Its task is more concerned with physiological matters – the immune response to an invader, for example. It’s this immune connection that has researchers excited; for decades there has been a puzzling but undiscovered relationship between autoimmune disorders and mental health conditions. In understanding the immune link between the belly up to the brain, it is hoped that effective treatments can be found for some of the most troublesome conditions on the planet.
Diseases That Defy Doctors – Until Now
As early as the 1930s, researchers were aware of a link between abnormal immune patterns and mental health issues such as schizophrenia. In more recent times, research indicates a strong connection between autism and compromised gut health. Multiple sclerosis has long been associated with an altered immune function, and inflammatory gut disorders such as Crohn’s disease have had a long-established relationship with mental health conditions. Many experts now believe that some forms of depression trace their origins to gut health. Alzheimer’s disease is currently being studied, to examine a suspected link between the collection of amyloid plaque in the brain, and the immune dysfunction believed to be responsible.
Immune System Failures
When your immune system fails, it’s often because things aren’t right in your gut. If your microbiome is out of kilter, bad bacteria can take over because there are not enough good ones to keep them under control. These bad bacteria can escape through the walls of the bowel. They enter the bloodstream, where they are able to communicate with the brain through the cells in blood vessel walls. The brain can then be under siege by bad bacteria that are out of control. Experts also believe that it’s possible for bad bacteria to communicate directly with some cells in the brain. Of particular interest are areas of the brain associated with emotions and stress – often immune system failures occur during times of stress and emotional upheaval. 
This system is a two-way street: the brain can directly influence the makeup of the microbiome, and in turn, the microbiome produces chemicals and metabolites (the by-products of digestion) which influence the brain. Good health – or bad health – can go either way: from the belly up or from the brain down.
Belly Up Healing
In the growing field of Nutritional Psychiatry, an awareness is emerging: the critical role food plays in mental health. Through this complex system of the microbiome, the gut, and immune responses, what you eat is important. Very important. In reality, probably more important than any other method of managing the symptoms of some mental health conditions, because it strikes at the very root of the problem. Keeping symptoms under control with medication masks the underlying condition. A holistic approach calls for addressing the cause of the problem rather than just treating the most obvious symptoms, and the same applies to other conditions that are not specifically labelled mental health conditions.
Scientists have discovered what they call a positive feedback loop between your microbiome and the foods you crave – your internal flora and fauna are demanding to be fed. Got sugar cravings? You probably have an army of Candida organisms ordering lunch. Craving healthy foods? Your good bacteria are hungry. Look after them, and they will look after you.
The good news is, even after long periods of poor health, or specific conditions, the body is very resilient. When you give it the right conditions for healing, you can improve your health from your belly up to your brain.
Better Food, Better Mood: Heal Your Condition
One of the most crucial aspects of healing your gut-brain health is giving your microbiome the right conditions for good health.
The Dos
- Include fermented foods in your diet, such as fermented vegetables, sauerkraut, unsweetened yoghurt, kefir, and miso. Fermented vegetables, in particular, are a great source of good bacteria, and you should aim to eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup every day. If you suffer from a compromised immune system and microbiome, you might need to start with a teaspoon or less. Build up the amount you eat gradually to avoid gut chaos.
- Include prebiotic foods in your diet. These are foods with high levels of naturally occurring fibre. When your body breaks down this fibre, fermentation occurs, which produces by-products that feed your microbiome. These foods include celery, chicory, bananas, almonds, greens, leeks and legumes.
Avoid Processed and Treated Food and Drinks
- Avoid microbiome – destroyers. These include sugary foods (starve that Candida into submission!), and processed foods, which contain a whole host of no-nos: preservatives, colours, flavours, chemicals, additives, and empty calories. It also includes High Fructose Corn Syrup, which is potentially devastating for your hormones, especially insulin. Artificial sweeteners are in the same category of troublemakers.
- Avoid drinking chlorinated water. Chlorine kills off bad bugs in the water supply, but in the process, it kills off your good bacteria. Invest in a good quality filter, and ban chlorine.
- Go easy on the red meat, especially if you don’t know if it has been contaminated with antibiotics, which indiscriminately kill off both good and bad bacteria. Studies show that eating a lot of red meat can increase the bad bacteria in your gut, creating a direct link between gut organisms and an increased risk of heart disease.
Gluten, Dairy & Soy are Suspects Too
- Avoid gluten, which can cause leaky gut syndrome, over time leading to all kinds of inflammation-related problems. If you suffer from tummy problems but don’t know why, consider gluten: it’s one of the worst offenders. From the belly up to the brain, it affects your whole system.
- Dairy is another offender. While not a problem for everyone, if your immune system is overreacting or not working as well as it should, it’s worth considering as a culprit. It can be harmful to the microbiome, so minimise it even if you don’t have a problem with intolerance. Gut imbalances caused by dairy lead to inflammation, poor digestion, and excess insulin production, leading to weight gain.
- Avoid GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), which often contain substances that are hard to digest, or are harmful to digestion. Much of the corn and soybeans we eat are GMOs, and it can sneak into food without us noticing. Read those labels!
- Be wary of soy. As a staple food in Asia, it is usually fermented, helping to break down phytic acid. Naturally occurring toxins cause bloating, gas, and also cause concern for thyroid health.
New Pathways
Research is taking us on a journey down new pathways, with new finds constantly arising. Anyone who thinks that we already know everything about the human body is in for a surprise. Vast new fields of discovery await, with life-changing potential for people suffering from previously incurable conditions. From the belly up to the brain is incredibly important for good health. Isn’t the body amazing?
References:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/important-link-between-the-brain-and-immune-system-found/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/06/25/brain-immune-system-connection.aspx
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gut-second-brain/
http://www.redbookmag.com/body/healthy-eating/advice/g2395/bad-foods-for-gut-health/?slide=10