When our stress levels are high, our health can suffer. The solution? Add some probiotics into your diet, says naturopath, nutritionist and Eagle Natural Health Advisor Teresa Mitchell-Paterson.
Ever felt butterflies in your stomach? That’s because your mind tells your stomach that it’s nervous. Ever had diarrhoea due to stress or worry? It could be because your brain is sending stressed signal to your stomach, which then responds.
Around eight out of every ten people are stressed, with around 40 per cent of us are suffering from anxiety and depression. While our worries about finances, family and relationships can be managed through stress-relieving techniques, such as meditation and exercise, there’s another way to help you cope with anxiety.
That answer lies in your gut also known as the ‘second brain’, connected via the tenth cranial nerve called the vagus nerve. Through this nerve, which runs from your brain stem to your stomach, messages and emotions are sent and received.
How stress affects your gut
Stress causes inflammation in the gut which releases chemicals and hormones that results in changes in the brain-gut communications, which may lead to gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other health issues such as food sensitivities or reactions, ulcers and reflux disease.
Further research shows that the state of your stomach, and its balance of good and bad bacteria, can affect the production of transmitters in the brain, affecting how happy, motivated or positive you feel. The gut-brain connection is an established relationship and plays an important role in cognitive function, with the gut responsible for facilitating the production of some neurotransmitters. Emotional issues, such as depression, stress or anxiety may be caused by, or be the cause of a problematic stomach, according to Harvard researchers.
If you’re showing any of the following symptoms, this could be an indication that your mind-gut connection needs some nurturing:
- Stiff neck and shoulders
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Lack of libido
- Inability to focus
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Lack of interest in socialising
- Emotional changes, such as crying without reason
- Constantly feeling stressed or under pressure
- Inability to relax
- Feelings of depression
Why you should take a probiotic
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help promote the natural balance of gut flora, or microbiota. According to one study, those who took probiotics over the course of 30 days, found an improvement in psychological symptoms, reduced psychological stress and decreased levels of cortisol.
Which probiotics should you take? Probiotics with multi-strain bacteria with at lease least 50B cfu promotes gut microbiota diversity and balance. Look for ones which that contains Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum which has been shown to help improve mood, reduce stress, depression and feelings of anger and hostility.
What else you can do
There are several other ways you can help to manage and alleviate your stress and anxiety.
Exercise is one of the best channels to work out your worries. Research shows that regular activity – anything that gets your heart rate up – five times a week for at least 30 minutes, can help to eliminate and diminish your problems. Anything that focuses your mind is a great distraction: try yoga, meditation, swimming or even more adventurous activities such as rock climbing or surfing.
What you eat has a great impact on the way your body handles stress, and also your gut health. Along with a balanced diet of green, leafy vegetables, fresh fruit and lean meat protein, foods which are fermented can also help to reintroduce good bacteria into your gut. Try yoghurt, sauerkraut, miso and kefir. Back this up with some prebiotics such as onions, garlic, wholegrains, beans, and legumes, which help to feed and nurture the probiotics to thrive.
If you find that it’s all becoming too much, then taking some time out to calm your thoughts can be helpful. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to help lower stress and anxiety levels – even just ten minutes every morning can make a big difference to your general health and wellbeing.
Depression and anxiety are serious medical conditions and you should consult your healthcare practitioner to discuss your particular needs to optimise your health.
For more information, visit https://eaglenaturalhealth.com.au/health-wellness/.
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