Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Can your gut bacteria environment actually affect your brain?

The answer is a resounding yes! There are trillions of bacteria in your gut that collectively contain at least 100 times as many genes as you do. Say what? That’s right; there is more non-human DNA inside and on the surface of your body than human DNA. In the gut, this bacterial DNA controls immune function, regulates digestion/intestinal function, protects against infections, produces neurotransmitters (like GABA, Dopamine, Serotonin, Norepinephrine and Acetylcholine) and even produces vitamins and nutrients that can’t be efficiently absorbed in any other way.
When our gut environment is not optimally balanced, bad gut bacteria can run rampant and is well known to promote health challenges such as allergies, asthma, eczema, neurotransmitter imbalance and inflammation throughout the entire body. 

For years Functional Medicine Practitioners and other natural health care professionals have been warning patients about gut flora imbalance affecting their whole body health. Until recently, the link between a poor gut environment and problems like anxiety and depression has been largely ignored by main stream medicine. Thankfully this is rapidly changing and doctors of all backgrounds are discovering the importance of a balanced gut environment.

As a matter of fact, in the April 2014 issue of Psychology Today, a clinically respected magazine in its field, you will find an article titled “The Psychobiotic Revolution”.  This describes the complex role your gut environment plays in neurotransmitter production and balance. For instance, the article describes how the beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifido bacterium longum have been found to reduce cortisol levels. It also states,

“Many physiological and psychological processes associated with depression can be traced to a deficiency in the neurotransmitter GABA… Researchers have identified gut microbes that actively secrete GABA. Chief among them are strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. A number of microbes are capable of producing other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine. Taking Bifido bacterium infantis alters levels of serotonin – just like Prozac.”
While the article says that “Therapeutic Psychobiotics are a long way from reaching the market” there is no reason for you to wait for FDA approval. Specific probiotic therapies are guided by state of the art functional testing and are available right now, without a prescription! Be Well at the Healing Zone offers specific testing such as Organic Acids and Stool Culture Testing to gain an understanding of your neurotransmitter and gut environment status. This allows us to customize a treatment protocol including specific dietary changes, increased fiber intake, specific probiotic supplementation, enzyme therapy and the use of nutrients that repair the gut lining while directly treating the bad bugs in the gut.

Generally speaking, here are 6 things you can do to begin re-balancing your gut flora:

1.) Eat a fiber rich, whole foods diet. Remember that 7 to 9 servings of vegetables and low glycemic fruit are necessary to ensure that your good gut bacteria have the food they need to thrive.

2.) Eliminate sugar and processed foods intake.

3.) Treat meat consumption like a side-dish rather than letting it make up the majority of your meal. When you choose meats, choose organic free range poultry and grass-fed beef. Choose animals that were fed a natural diet; it’s more important than you can imagine.

4.) Avoid the use of acid blockers, anti-inflammatories and only use antibiotics when absolutely necessary. All of these are detrimental to your good gut flora allowing the bad bugs to gain an advantage.

5.) Take probiotics daily; it’s important!

6.) Consider specific testing mentioned above; find out what YOUR body needs.

If you are struggling with a chronic illness, even if you are not experiencing digestive symptoms, you should consider looking at what is living in your gut. It is part of the answer for a huge array of seemingly unrelated health problems and it’s nice to see that it’s starting to get some mainstream attention.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Christian Edwards, D.C.
Be Well at the Healing Zone

Local Mental Health Counselor Erin Tobiasz, MS, states, “I have seen significant differences in the depression and anxiety levels of people who adhere to the customized treatment protocol designed by Drs. Wendy and Christian; treating the whole body and the mind through Functional Medicine is a wonderful compliment to therapy and an enhancement to overall health and wellness.”
To contact local therapist
Erin Tobiasz, MS, LMHC
www.ErinTherapy.org
(386) 269-4624