SOUND MIND DOWN TO GUT INSTINCT

all want a happy gut and recent pandemic and financial stress has played havoc with the digestive system of many Aussies. The reality is our organs constantly interact — and some experts say the brain and gut are bodily besties. Diana Jenkins shares the expert’s tips to a top tummy.

Dr Jim Kantidakis, founder of the Gut Centre, specialises in brain-gut treatments to help patients reduce thehe symptoms and psychological distresstress of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and digestive disorders.

Both Dr Kantidakis and leading nutrition scientist and dietitian Dr Joanna McMillan say patients suffering from gut issues like IBS experience reduced quality of life, meaning their mental health takes a significant hit too.

“Psycho-gastroenterology is a relatively new term, where it looks at working with individuals using a psychological or behavioural treatment to manage the gastrointestinal problem,” Kantidakis says.

“In terms of causes of IBS … these people have very sensitive digestive systems. Stress or food exacerbates this, it irritates their gut because it’s sensitive. Maintaining or reducing that anxiety can be translated to managing stress and improving wellbeing with everything.

“Regular exercise is really vital in terms of mental health. If our mental health is well, and we’re not as stressed, overwhelmed or anxious, that’s going to have a beneficial impact on our digestive system, whether we’ve got IBS or not.”t.”

Improved wellbeing might include things like yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, gutdirected hypnotherapy, exercise, more water, better sleep and a broad wholefoods diet.

“The top line is you want a plant rich diet, but you want it to be a wholefoods diet,” McMillan says. She particularly cautions against too much red, cured or processed meat without the balance of diverse plant foods.

“You don’t need to cut out meat altogether. It’s about the right proportions on the plate,” she says.

“A lot of people are just bored at home (and) food is lovely in the moment … especially fatty and sugary types of food. A lot of those things are not good for our gut, so although it feels good in the short-term, it’s causing real problems.”

Dr Jim Kantidakis If our mental health is well, that’s going to have a beneficial impact on our digestive system

Dr Joanna McMillan A lot of f people are just bored at home (and) food is lovely in the moment