The gut communicates with the brain constantly sending signals in efforts to protect the body. This strong relationship reminds us that gut health is important for optimal mental health. With a live probiotic, you can begin to restore balance in the GI tract and create an environment that’s conducive to physical and mental wellbeing.
Ever felt those butterflies in your stomach when you’re nervous? The feeling of not wanting to eat when you’re stressed or stomach cramps when you’re anxious? This proves the notion that our guts have a direct link to the brain, that it makes up part of our physiological stress response and that our guts are involved with the way our bodies process emotion.
Following on from this, it is evident that our gastrointestinal tract does so much more than simply digest food. The gut has a major impact on our neurological health as it secretes hormones which influence the brain. In fact there is a constant feedback cycle between the gut and the brain. The gut-brain connection (the gut-brain axis) involves bi-directional communication between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems and this two-way communication links the emotional and cognitive centres of our brain with our intestinal functioning.
The link between gut health and anxiety is undeniable. The gut-brain axis may prove that there is a connection between taking probiotics for anxiety and depression and the regularity of the digestive system. People who are found to suffer from bouts of anxiety, often display symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders too, such as bloating, diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome. These are known as co-occurring disorders and it provides quite a strong backing for the gut-brain link.
Research has been carried out to show that the microbes within our gastrointestinal system play an important role in maintaining, balancing and promoting our mental health. With more and more studies carried out, scientists are realising the importance of nurturing an intricate balance of intestinal flora. How can we do this? By taking probiotics daily.
By taking probiotics, we are introducing the ‘beneficial’ bacteria which is responsible for improving gut and immune system functioning that influences our mood balance and our complete health.
Factors in our daily lives such as stress, antibiotics, illness and poor nutrition all have an impact on our microbiome. By taking a live probiotic you can supplement your intestinal flora to help restore balance and thus, ward off feelings of depression, anxiety and irritation which come from an imbalanced gut. The health of our gut influences our thoughts, behaviour and moods, making it essential to care for our gut health above all else.
Probiotics ensures diversity and balance of the gut bacteria which directly affects our overall mental and physical health.