FUEL UP
Feeling hangry? These nutrition tips will fix that.
The gut, or digestive tract, has been deemed our “second brain.” Together, the 100 trillion species of microorganisms living in the gut form a community, or microbiome, in the small and large intestines. It’s estimated that only 10 percent of our body’s cells are human; the rest belong to microbes, primarily those in the gut. We’re talking about pounds of bacteria here. This volume of bacteria is necessary to protect us from the harmful microbes and germs we come across on a daily basis through our environment. In addition to developing and protecting our immunity, the gut microbiome plays a major role in overall human health by metabolizing nutrients and medication, making important vitamins and minerals, and digesting our food.
All of these processes present various pathways through which our gut microbiome communicates with the brain. The gut is a sensory organ and home to its own nervous system, called the enteric nervous system. Imagine your enteric nervous system is a sock surrounding your gut. It contains many small nerves that communicate with a larger vagus nerve, the mediator that carries signals to and from the brain. These signals range from sending messages to your stomach muscles to contract and push food through, to using the products of digestion to create mood-boosting hormones.
The gut is meant to help the body maintain a steady state, so we aren’t supposed to notice this gut-brain connection unless something is amiss. Dr. Chad Larson integrates naturopathic medicine with cutting-edge laboratory testing to provide a holistic approach to treating his patients, many of whom have health concerns that point to the gut-brain synergy being off. According to Larson, signs of an imbalance in the gutbrain connection include physical examples like bloating, as well as cognitive or hormonal abnormalities that do not appear to be related to the gut, like brain fog or mood swings.
Think about a time you’ve felt “hangry,” or angry due to being hungry, says Larson. This reaction occurs when the lack of food in your system is communicated with appetite regulating hormones in your brain. Something similar occurs when you’re ill or under the weather — we lack an appetite and our instinct is to retreat, curl up under the covers and sleep, similar to behavior shown when we feel emotions of sadness.
One major link between the gut and brain is the food we eat and the way it is digested by gut bacteria. The gut is highly specialized tissue tasked with sucking nutrition out of food without sucking in pathogens that could lead to inflammation, autoimmune conditions or illness. The entire gut microbiome is still being mapped by scientists, and there’s a lot we don’t know about it. What we do know is that consistent nutrition intervention has the potential to help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and positively impact the gut-brain connection, leading to better mood, improved cognition and a happy digestive tract. Focus on these bullet points as some literal food for thought:
• Emphasize an overall eating pattern: Ideally, your plates are full of colorful fruits and vegetables, fibrous whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado and olive oil. This should be the foundation of fuel for your gut and brain. For example, in the gut, the building blocks of protein form the basis of the four main neurotransmitters involved in mood. The Mediterranean eating pattern is the most well-studied eating pattern full of mood-boosting foods.
• Focus on fiber: Fiber survives the acid in your stomach and stays intact to sail through your digestive system, into your colon, where it feeds your microbiome. Gut bacteria munch on fiber found in whole grains, bulgar, quinoa, brown rice, oats, vegetables and fruits to fuel the creation of molecules that travel to your brain to enhance communication. If the base of your meals is fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you should be right on target with daily fiber intake.
• Consume prebiotic-rich foods: Prebiotics — not to be confused with probiotics — are food for your gut bacteria. Things like chicory, artichokes, lentils, asparagus, beans, lima beans, onions, garlic, leeks, bananas, beets and broccoli can all enhance protective gut bacteria and inhibit the development of pathogens. If you can include at least two fistfuls of these foods on your plates per day, you’ll hit the daily prebiotic goal. It’s important to mention that the greater the diversity in your diet, the greater the diversity in your microbiome — nature’s reward for being adventurous with food choices.
• Try some fermented foods: Not only does the fermentation process fight pathogens, but it actually enhances the vitamin composition of some foods by introducing live bacteria, or probiotics, to the food and allows it to multiply, which nourishes the gut. There are different categories of fermented foods, such as bean-based ferments like tempeh, miso, chocolate and coffee, as well as cabbage ferments like sauerkraut and kimchi. Kombucha and kefir are examples of fermented beverages. Pickled foods, like fruits, vegetables and fish, go through the same process. Fermented milk products, like Greek yogurt and aged cheeses, are also excellent probiotics. When grocery shopping, look for the “Live and Active Cultures” seal on food labels to confirm you’re getting a source of probiotic-rich food.
• Choose prebiotic and probiotic food sources over supplements: People often turn to supplements before food, but most health professionals, including myself, advocate for a food-first approach. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so unless they’ve been third-party tested by an accredited lab, what is on the label is likely not what is in the product. One alarming study showed that out of 13 commonly available probiotic supplements, only four contained what was listed on the label. In research, taking a probiotic supplement has only shown to be effective with specific bacterial strains and health conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome.
Food is the best form of medicine when it comes to gut health. Our gut bacteria protect us and enhance our cognitive function in exchange for food and a place to live — feed them optimally with these tips.
Emma Willingham is a registered dietitian who practices in an outpatient hospital clinic and through her private practice, Fuel with Emma. Willingham specializes in sports-performance nutrition, weight management and nutrition counseling, and aims to promote a resilient relationship between food, mind and body. You can find her on social media at @fuelwithemma.