FOREVER YOUNG
A broken internal communication system is making millions of women tired. Here, the feel-better-fast fixes
As we age, fatigue, brain fog and digestive troubles can start to seem like the new normal. But science has revealed that for the majority of women over 50, the problem is actually an easily remedied glitch with the body’s internal communication system. Called the gut-brain axis, this communication pathway enables the brain and “second brain” (a network of neurons in the gut) to “talk” by sending chemicals and hormones back and forth. When this pathway is hindered, metabolism, immunity and memory suffer. “Dysfunction of the gut-brain axis affects about 60 percent of the women I see,” says Harvard-trained physician Sara Gottfried, M.D. “But most doctors miss it.” The cause of the dysfunction: Sugary carbs and stress allow bad bacteria and yeast to thrive in the gut, creating inflammation that disrupts signaling along the gut-brain axis.
There’s no gold-standard test to assess the function of the gut-brain axis, but Emeran Mayer, M.D., author of The Mind-Gut Connection, says if you have persistent bloat, fatigue, food sensitivities or yeast overgrowth, you likely suffer from some level of dysfunction. Here, easy strategies that have been shown to help:
SEASON WITH GARLIC
Just one clove of garlic daily kills yeast and delivers gut-healing probiotics. The key: Each clove must be crushed and left to sit for 10 minutes before being heated, mixed with an acid (like lemon juice) or eaten.
TIME YOUR MEALS
One day a week of intermittent fasting can “reboot” the gut-brain axis and restore energy, says Dr. Gottfried. In fact, science in the journal Nature Communications revealed that mini fasts (during which all the day’s calories are consumed in an 8- to 10-hour period, like 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.) reduce growth of harmful microorganisms to promote a healthy gut environment — the key to a well-functioning gut-brain axis. As a welcome “side effect,” intermittent fasting has been shown to stimulate metabolism and increase energy by 180 percent. (Drinking water, tea or coffee is fine during fasting periods. As always, check with your doctor before starting a new food formula.)
BREATHE OUT STRESS
Daily deep breathing cuts the stress and inflammation that disrupt the gut-brain axis in half, say scientists at the University of South Carolina. To do: Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting your belly expand, then exhale through your mouth. Repeat 10 times whenever stress strikes.
“[I] have garlic sitting out on the counter all the time…
I find it not only tastes great but helps with digestion and metabolism.”
Valerie Bertinelli, 57