It has become a scientific certainty that the intestine is our second brain and the beneficial bacteria it houses are highly responsible for our mental health.
Our two brains, the one located under our skull and the one in our intestine are both made up of neurons that communicate in a bi-directional, via the famous vagus nerve.
About 100,000 billion non-pathogenic microorganisms constitute our intestinal flora or mocrobiota, now considered by science as a new “human organ” on its own.
Mainly composed of “friendly” bacteria (which do not trigger diseases), the microbiota is an integral part of ourselves, it is recognized by our immune system as related to our “self”. Privileged operator of our immunity, our flora helps us in our functions of digestion and absorption of nutrients, protection of our intestinal barrier, in the synthesis of vitamins and other molecules essential to the body.
Healthy gut bacteria also produce a large majority of our valuable neurotransmitters, those messengers that enable the proper transmission of information between neurons and hormones in the body. You will no doubt have already heard of GABA, responsible for releasing tension, and above all, which soothes anxiety, allows rest and sleep. Or serotonin, the molecule of well-being and serenity. Well, all this is produced mainly under the beneficial action of our friendly bacteria.
Our intestinal flora therefore greatly influences our mental state, hence the crucial importance of a suitable diet, which will feed the good bacteria and keep the pathogenic flora under control.
An industrial or fast food meal, rich in flour, saturated fats, sugars and devitalized ingredients will negatively influence our ratio of good bacteria, resulting in high levels of anxiety in our adolescents for example.
We speak increasingly about “intestinal neurosis”. Depression, anxiety, chronic stress, obsessive behavioral disorders or even autism take root in our gut.
Conversely, many digestive pathologies such as irritable bowel syndrome, SIBO or Crohn’s disease are associated with psychological problems.
Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that certain probiotic strains, used alone or in combination, can have an impact on reactions related to stress, anxiety, depression, cognitive functions, behavior, brain activity, sleep.
A psychobiotic is therefore a probiotic whose strains have demonstrated an improvement in psychic symptoms in the context of scientific studies. It is a natural solution, which associated with a change in diet and work on limiting beliefs can have a very positive effect on certain depressions or anxiety disorders.
Contact me for more information. I can help you both with food rebalancing and with advice on specific psychobiotics that can help you.
