THE GUT- BRAIN CONNECTION is still underestimated in our society but fortunately gains more and more importance. The gut and your brain are in constant communication with each other via the vagus nerve, and if your gut is dysfunctioning, then so is your brain.

Because 70% of your immune system lives in your gut, it’s imperative that your gut health is taken care of so that you can properly fight foreign gut-invaders.

For example the chemicals that are used in our food supply, such as pesticides, in addition to heavy metals, such as mercury, have been linked to immune dysfunction and autoimmune diseases. Mischief in the gut causes disturbances in the brain.

Fix the gut, and mood, behavior, and cognition all get better.

– Dr. Mark Hyman

WHAT LEADS TO A DAMAGED GUT, AND IN TURN, A DAMAGED BRAIN?

• a diet full of processed food/food-like substances, lack of fruits and vegetables, and lack of whole foods
• Food allergies or sensitivities
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Prescription medications
• Stress

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE ON YOUR OWN TO FIX YOUR DAMAGED GUT

• Eat whole, unprocessed, unrefined foods
• Make 75% of your plate veggies and plant-based foods
• Supplement smartly- for example with Omega-3 fats in the form of Balance Oil
• Probiotics
• Eat fiber-rich foods, which provide prebiotics (the food for healthy gut bacteria)
• Learn how to deal with stress
• Meditation, yoga, deep-breathing