You may recall that a few weeks ago we discussed the amazing connection between disease manifestation and gut microbiota, and in this newsletter I want to share with you how these organisms can affect brain function.

Many recent studies have shown that an imbalance in the good bacteria that live in our digestive tract are directly linked to how well we feel emotionally. You've probably have heard me say that inflammation in the gut equals inflammation in the brain, and patients with anxiety and depression are 90 times more likely to have a microbiota that is out of balance. Luckily, those studies also show that when you replace and bring balance back to that neighborhood, you also see a profound response in feelings of well-being. Not only do depressive scores improve, but so does insulin metabolism, triglyceride levels, immune function, heart inflammation markers and levels of glutathione (which is a powerful anti-aging substance in our bodies).

Another recently studied area that links our guts and brains function is that of cannabinoids. Substances found in CBD oil seem to have neuroprotective properties and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. CBD oil has also been shown to be effective for the treatment of anxiety and depression. This is especially exciting because CBD oil lacks psychoactive, cognition-impairing properties (meaning, it doesn't make you high or stoned) and has been found to have few negative side effects, which makes it very safe to use.

Studies that have used probiotics along with CBD oil have shown an increase in the sense of well-being and happiness, along with decreased anxiety. Even weeks after the study ended, the subjects reported feeling better emotionally.

 

One of the tenets of naturopathic medicine is to discover and heal the causes of illness, rather than just treat the symptoms. In the case of anxiety and depression, that means we have to look at inflammation,which has been found to not only cause leaky gut (and a leaky brain) but also lowers serotonin levels. Serotonin plays an important role in regulating mood and behavior, and thus plays a critical role in depression and GI disturbance; there are actually more serotonin receptor sites in the gut than in the brain. By eliminating the most common inflammatory foods like processed foods, sugars, fried foods, wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, corn, caffeine and alcohol, you can make a big difference in stopping the inflammatory processes before it starts.

A wonderful gut/brain supplement combo might consist of high-quality human pro-biotics, CBD oil, Bacopa (a plant historically used in  Ayurvedic medicine for anxiety, depression, ADHD and memory issues) and L-theanine (a common amino acid found in our bodies that is used to make neurotransmitters that deal with anxiety, stress management, memory issues, etc) . Together, all of these have been shown to heal the gut/brain disturbance and restore optimal brain health.