© Provided by Paula
Third
Today, the leading role that our intestine plays in our overall health is undeniable: it impacts the immune, cardiovascular, and pulmonary systems, and very importantly, the nervous system and brain.
Hundreds of studies have shown its priority role, specifically that of the intestinal flora, in the production of neurotransmitters as important as dopamine and serotonin – known as hormones of happiness. Both have their largest and main production in the intestine. These noble biomolecules are responsible for making us feel pleasant states and are synthesized mainly by the bacteria that inhabit our intestine, 90% of serotonin and 50% of dopamine.
There is so much evidence on how our gut impacts our brain that it has also been called the second brain. It is normal for our guts to react to emotional and stressful events. Irritable bowel syndrome is a clear example: when we are nervous and feel stress, symptoms are triggered that include bloating, diarrhea and pain. And conversely, when we have bloating, diarrhea and pain, we can show that there is an imbalance in our intestinal flora and therefore we are neither absorbing nor producing biomolecules correctly.
There is a complex axis of communication between these two organs that is bidirectional in its feedback, therefore, if we consume foods that do not provide nutrition to our bacteria, or worse still, that damage our positive bacteria, the intestinal flora is altered and with it also brain chemistry.
Thus we can conclude that a new route to protect our brain and mental health is to start from the intestine, specifically from the bacterial flora. To achieve this we can:
- Fast for 14 hours, once a week. It has been seen that certain positive bacterial strains benefit.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners such as maltitol, sorbitol, or erythritol.
- Eat soluble and insoluble fiber daily. Some present in tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets and carrots, as well as green leafy vegetables, whole grains, seeds and fruits.
- Avoid the repetitive and sometimes unnecessary (or self-prescribed) use of antibiotics.
- Consume fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha and homemade sauerkraut.
- Keep moving.
