The gut includes every organ involved in digesting food and processing it into waste. Researchers have discovered that the lining of our gut, a lesser-known nervous system (our "second brain") communicates with the brain in our head. Together, "our two brains" play a key role in certain diseases in our bodies and overall health. The gut-brain axis is the term for the communication network that connects your gut and brain. These two organs are connected both physically and biochemically in a number of different ways and they are revolutionizing medicine’s understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health, and even the way you think.
The thousands of different types of both “good” and “bad” bacteria that populate the microbiome exist in balance to help prevent overgrowth of bad bacteria that can harm your health. Studies have shown there is potential harm associated with an imbalance in the microbiome due to inflammation, lack of bacterial diversity, which may be associated with an overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria. The study of mental health problems have investigated that psychological and neurological problems may be associated with an unhealthy microbiome. Any disruption to the healthful balance of bacteria in the microbiome can cause the immune system to overreact and contribute to inflammation in the GI tract, leading to the development of symptoms of disease that occur not only throughout your body but also in your brain (psycom).
Given how closely the gut and brain interact, it becomes easier to understand why you might feel nauseated before giving a presentation or feel intestinal pain during times of stress. That doesn't mean, however, that functional gastrointestinal conditions are imagined. Psychology combines with physical factors to cause pain and other bowel symptoms. Psychosocial factors influence the actual physiology of the gut, as well as symptoms. In other words, stress (or other psychological factors) can affect movement and contractions of the GI tract. Stress can make the existing pain seem even worse.
To maintain or restore the health of your microbiome and support good overall health, it is important to maintain a strong balance in favor of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. The first step is to eat a well-balanced diet that includes foods with probiotic or prebiotic ingredients that support microbial health by helping to restore balance to the gut. These are foods that contain live bacteria and, in the case of prebiotics, contain substances like specific types of fiber that nurture the growth of probiotic bacteria.
