Gut health and Brain Fog
The gut is also known as the Gastrointestinal tract / Digestive system. It comprises various organs that extend from Mouth to Rectum — in the order: Mouth, Esophagus, Stomach, Pancreas, Liver, Gall bladder, Small intestine, Colon, and Rectum.
Approximately about 100 trillion bacteria live inside the digestive system, which is together called Gut microbiome/ Gut microbiota. These bacteria could be either good or bad bacteria. Good bacteria have some positive affirmative effects on our body, while bad bacteria show negative effects that might lead to cause diseases or infections. The Gut microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and vice-versa.
A healthy gut contributes to huge impacts on the improved immune system, brain health, sleep patterns, mental health, prevents autoimmune diseases, effective digestion process, prevents various cancers, and improved the overall health of an individual.
An adult human brain weighs about 3 pounds and stretches at 13 to 15 centimeters in length. It is made up of 75% water and has some billions of neurons, that sends and receives signals from various part of the body. It is a command center for the human nervous system.
Three important areas in the brain are responsible for human memory. They are Hippocampus, neocortex, and Amygdala. An average human brain has the ability to store the equivalent of 2.5 million gigabytes of digital memory.
Brain fog
To put brain fog simply, it is mental fatigue. It is the inability to have a sharp focus or memory. The person lacks clarity in the thought process and it might ultimately put in other various medical conditions and issues.
There are various causes of brain fog. It includes Sleep disorders, chronic stress, Depression, bacterial overgrowth, overconsumption of sugars, thyroid, inactivity, poor diet, irregular eating patterns, hectic work schedules, eating too much or too often, etc.,
Brain fog can be a primary symptom of Anxiety. People encountering this symptom often feel tired, have difficulty in focusing, unclear hazy thoughts, and forgetfulness.
Brain fog and Gut bacteria
Researchers found a significant relationship between brain fog and gut bacteria. Increased amounts of bacteria inside the Gut than that of a healthy gut causes Brain fog. This condition is called Small Intestinal Bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
The Gut is also responsible for our daily mood. On the other hand, a condition that is commonly seen known as Leaky Gut Syndrome results in Brain fog. A leaky gut can be caused when the lining of the small intestine is destroyed. The undigested food, bacteria, and other fluids in the small intestine are flooded into the bloodstream, causing inflammation throughout the body. It also keeps the serotonin levels down. Such situations lead to various medical conditions like brain fog, allergies, and skin problems.
Probiotics are usually taken to improve the body’s health condition. But probiotics increase the number of bacteria inside the small intestine. Hence it may lead to SIBO. Researchers say that Probiotics should be treated as a drug, rather than a food supplement.
Unlike the brain inside a skull, the enteric nervous system which is present in the Gut cannot itself be capable of thought processes. But the Gut health is capable to dictate brain functionality.
Nutrition plays an important role in increasing or decreasing the symptoms of brain fog. It includes the elimination of toxins, restoration of the microbiome to maintain its balance and reduce inflammation. Eating healthy food that fights against inflammation, eliminating foods that trigger the food tolerances and sensitiveness that cause inflammation, feeding the Gut- flora with high or whole fiber foods, fermented foods, foods rich in antioxidants, prebiotics and probiotics that improve digestion, restoration of microbial balance and repair the intestinal walls prevents brain fog.
Hence there is a significant relationship between the Gut microbiome and Brain fog.
Your gut is your second brain with feelings. Listen to it !!
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