In recent years there has been a lot
of conversation about the gut flora and this thing called the gut brain
connection. Never before have people been so concerned about the trillions of
bacteria that reside in our gut. The trillions of bacteria inside your body
make up your microbiome. A majority of these bacteria reside in your gut and
are referred to as the gut microbiota.
Pre-existing science used to think
the gut had but one single purpose, to break down our food into fuel for our
body. This is no longer the case. In the past few years science has
discovered that the gut plays a vital role in our psychology, in regulating
inflammation, and in protecting immunity.
The gut microbiota plays a major role
in our psychology through the 100 million nerves that line the gut
called. This neurological superhighway is called the enteric nervous
system (ENS). This system allows the brain and the gut to communicate
through a series of hormones, neurotransmitters, and electrical pulses. The
pathways of nerves that these two organs communicate through include endocrine,
immune, and neural pathways. The discovery of the connection between the gut
and the brain explains why emotions and psychological factors can show up in
the stomach.
Just as we might take care of the
brain by eating antioxidants and omega-3, we should take the same precautions
for the stomach. How? By introducing adequate amounts of live microorganisms
into our system that incur health benefits on the host, also known as
Probiotics.
