Did you know that the environment in your intestines has a huge bearing on your mental health? Overgrowth of the wrong gut bugs and inflammation of the lining of the intestines can cause the body to produce inflammatory chemicals. These substances can travel to your brain and lead to inflammation. This can disrupt neurotransmitter levels and create a chemical imbalance in the brain.

If you have ever been badly constipated, you’ll know it can have a terribly negative effect on your mental health. Getting through the days can feel like a chore and it’s impossible to feel happy or derive pleasure from anything. Having a thorough bowel motion can provide quick relief and boost your mental health in minutes.

Far more subtle gut health problems can create chronic low grade depression. You can be having one or more bowel motions every day yet still have a mood disorder originating in your gut. Fixing small intestinal bacteria or fungal overgrowth as well as dysbiosis can significantly improve your mood and mental outlook.

Symptoms of gut bug imbalances

If there is an overgrowth of the wrong microbes in your gut, they will ferment the carbohydrate you eat. Fermentation in the gut can cause a lot of unpleasant symptoms. The microbes produce gases and also waste products of their metabolism. The waste products will enter your bloodstream and make you feel unwell.

When excess levels of microbes are living on the gut lining, they inflame it, causing a leaky gut. Excess waste products from the gut get absorbed into the bloodstream which causes an immune reaction. The immune system produces inflammatory chemicals that interfere with neurotransmitter production.

Leaky Gut Can Make Fatty Liver Worse

When the gut is overridden with harmful bugs, they crowd out the beneficial microbes. Good gut bugs produce neurotransmitters that help determine your mood, emotional state and sleep quality. Good gut bugs also communicate with your brain via nerve pathways, helping promote healthy neurotransmitter production. People with poor gut health miss out on those benefits.

The following symptoms are possible:

  • Abdominal bloating
  • Abdominal cramps
  • Nausea
  • Gas (burping or flatulence)
  • Constipation
  • Fatigue
  • Diarrhea
  • Muscle cramps, spasms or restless legs syndrome.
  • Joint pain
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Multiple food or chemical sensitivities
  • Inflammation of the liver (raised liver enzymes)
  • Skin problems, including eczema, acne rosacea, rashes or itchy skin
  • Strong sugar or carbohydrate cravings
  • Anxiety
  • Brain fog and poor motivation

How to heal your gut and improve your mood

Because yeast and bad bacteria thrive on sugar, it is very important to avoid consuming foods that contain added sugar, as well as refined carbohydrates that are quickly broken down into sugar. It is also important to avoid consuming gluten and dairy products because they promote the development of leaky gut.

It’s also important to avoid consuming foods that contain yeast (such as bread and some alcohol), and limit fruit to one or two serves per day. Therefore it is best to base your diet on protein, vegetables and natural fats.

Diabetics are more prone to yeast infections than the average person because they have elevated blood sugar, and yeast loves sugar. If you are a diabetic and struggling to achieve good blood sugar control, I recommend the eating plan in my book Diabetes Type 2: You Can Reverse It.

BactoClear capsules contain a combination of powerful herbs that help to kill Candida and bad bacteria in the bowel. They address all the symptoms of fermentation in the gut, killing off the microbial overgrowth.

Glutamine is an essential remedy for helping to overcome leaky gut syndrome because it literally helps to heal and seal the gut lining. Glutamine is a type of protein which is used as fuel by the cells lining your entire digestive system. Therefore it has healing and soothing properties and is very valuable for an irritated or inflamed digestive tract.

Constipation is a major barrier to overcoming dysbiosis. If you are not having between one and three thorough bowel movements each day, it means you are not eliminating waste effectively. Your colon is full of wastes that your body wants to eliminate. If you are not getting rid of these wastes quickly enough, you will reabsorb a significant amount back into your body. That can make you tired and cranky and prone to headaches. Also, if you are not getting rid of wastes quickly enough, you are providing food for all sorts of bad bacteria, yeast and fungi in your intestines. Constipated people have much higher levels of all the wrong bugs in their bowel. Fibertone powder is a gentle bulk laxative that sweeps the colon clean.

Most people with dysbiosis do not produce sufficient Digestive Enzymes or bile. This means food doesn’t get digested thoroughly and scraps are left behind, encouraging microbial growth. Digestive Enzymes and ox bile can be taken with meals to counteract this.

A probiotic is a good bacteria supplement and will help to restore levels of beneficial bacteria in your intestines. Once you have overcome a Candida or bacterial infection, it is good to include foods high in good bugs, for maintenance of good health. Examples of suitable foods include yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso. If you don’t consume those foods regularly, you may need a good probiotic supplement.

References:

Clapp, M., Aurora, N., Herrera, L., Bhatia, M., Wilen, E., & Wakefield, S. (2017). Gut microbiota’s effect on mental health: the gut-brain axis. Clinics and practice, 7(4), 131-136.

Pimentel, M., Saad, R. J., Long, M. D., & Rao, S. S. (2020). ACG clinical guideline: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 115(2), 165-178.

Quigley, E. M., Murray, J. A., & Pimentel, M. (2020). AGA clinical practice update on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth: expert review. Gastroenterology, 159(4), 1526-1532.

Leite, G., Morales, W., Weitsman, S., Celly, S., Parodi, G., Mathur, R., ... & Pimentel, M. (2020). The duodenal microbiome is altered in small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. PloS one, 15(7), e0234906.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.