The Science of a Gut Feeling

That gut feeling that creeps up at times is more accurate than most people realize. The gut-brain axis is a system of communication between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the brain that goes both ways and is responsible for monitoring physiological homeostasis. It connects both the emotional and cognitive areas of the brain with functions associated with the intestines including immune activation, intestinal permeability, and endocrine signaling.

Bi-directional communication between the gut and brain is largely carried out by the vagus nerve, which carries a wide range of signals between the gut and brain and is involved in many bodily processes ranging from swallowing to heart rate regulation to digestion. Other systems also contribute to the gut-brain axis, including the sympathetic nervous system, enteric nervous system, parasympathetic nervous system, endocrine and immune systems. The gut-brain axis is being increasingly studied for its role in the development, but also the therapeutic treatment, of inflammatory bowel disease, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.  Yes, depression and PTSD can be helped if you heal the gut.  

The role of of healthy gut microbiome in the gut-brain axis

The gut microbiome is an extremely important part of the GI tract, and as such, a critical player in the gut-brain axis. Bacteria in the gut microbiome synthesize and produce important metabolites that affect the brain, including the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, GABA, acetylcholine, and histamine.

These metabolites can signal at the local level or travel to the brain where they affect signaling and function in brain cells.  Other components of the gut microbiome, including healthy fungi, also contribute to the communication along the gut-brain axis.

Bacteria in the GI tract also synthesize compounds that may act as neuro-mediators in the brain, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), aromatic amino acids, and bile acids. SCFAs indirectly affect the gut-brain axis through inducing the release of several gut hormones, including leptin, which interact with the vagus nerve and receptors in the brain. SCFAs also contribute to the maintenance of physical barriers including the intestinal barrier, via tight junctions, as well as the blood brain barrier. Tight junctions are critical to the maintenance of intestinal permeability, preventing pathogens from entering the bloodstream and causing immune and inflammatory responses, including neuroinflammation.  In our office we do a lot to help heal the intestinal wall.  When it leaks we call it leaky gut and a lot can be done with food to heal it.  We also do a lot to help heal a leaky brain too. 

Imbalance in the composition of the gut microbiome, called dysbiosis, can affect the gut-brain axis and peripheral organs. Unhealthy diet, stress, infections, and antibiotics contribute to dysbiosis, leading to altered SCFA production and gut permeability, which induces systemic inflammation, increases blood brain barrier permeability, and ultimately results in neuroinflammation, an important step in the development of neurological conditions such as depression and even Alzheimer’s disease.

Gut hormones

The gut-brain axis is heavily involved in the digestion process, including regulating the rate of nutrient absorption and release of gut hormones. Gut hormones are regulatory peptides that influence the control of food intake by regulating satiety, gastric emptying, and energy balance. Signaling molecules released after ingestion of food are communicated to the brain via the gut-brain axis and the brain can then signal for the release of hunger-regulating hormones, such as ghrelin and leptin, to help with the digestion process via the gut-brain axis.

The Gut-Brain Axis and the HPA Axis

The gut-brain axis and the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which coordinates the response to stress, both involve signaling in the brain and the ability to respond to stimuli. Signaling molecules that are generated by the HPA axis in response to stress travel throughout the body and affect the gut microbiome and gut microbiome conversely influence HPA axis response to stress. The vagus nerve is critical in coordinating the connection between these axes as it is able to detect different metabolites produced by the gut flora responding to stress and generate a response in the central nervous system.

Because the HPA axis and gut-brain axis are closely connected, improper activation of the HPA axis affects the gut-brain axis. Dysregulation of the HPA axis can alter the composition of the gut microbiome, negatively affecting intestinal barrier integrity, and negatively influence the metabolism of tryptophan metabolites, important modulators of the gut-brain axis. Improper activation of the HPA axis can also lead to increased intestinal, systemic, and neurological inflammation.  

Disorders Related to the Gut-Brain Axis

Because the gut affects so much we specialize in creating a healthy gut microbiome by first helping patients detox and then kill bad gut flora.  After that is accomplished we then put good gut flora in.  Even when it comes to depression and anxiety, we help patients heal the gut and they feels so much better! To understand more about the 4 steps to heal the gut watch this video: https://youtu.be/83xHeFqR62w.

The composition of the gut microbiome and diet, among other lifestyle factors, can lead to emotional balance and mood disorders. However, mood disorders and emotional balance are also linked to changes in gut microbiome and to a poor diet, which can further exacerbate the issue. When patients first come to Healing Arts they are stuck in a cycle where they don’t feel good so they eat poorly and end up feeding the bad gut flora that grows and continues to make them feel bad.  Stopping this cycle is the first thing we have to do.  

Probiotics

Treatment with probiotics has been shown to decrease stress-induced inflammatory responses, reducing symptoms of stress including anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Probiotics may be able to restore neuroplasticity in certain areas of the brain as well as restore intestinal barrier integrity and help regulate the HPA axis. So not only does it work in the gut but also the brain. Probiotics with anti-inflammatory effects that may be useful in treating patients with psychiatric disorders have been given a new grouping, called psychobiotics. There are lots of different types of probiotics and getting muscle tested for the specific one for your body is important.  

Dietary components

Diets high in saturated fats, including the Standard American Diet, can lead to gut microbiome dysbiosis and obesity, characterized by high levels of inflammation. This can lead to changes in neurotransmitter metabolism, further impacting the gut-brain axis.  A high fat diet may also result in impaired neuroplasticity in key brain regions and impair the intestinal barrier and mucus layer of the gut.

Conversely, the Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids, nuts, whole grains and lean protein foods, provides many dietary compounds that support both brain and gut health. If you aren’t going to get muscle tested for your specific diet then you may want to consider the Mediterranean diet.  A Mediterranean-style diet can reduce intestinal inflammation, cognitive impairment, and risk of certain neurological diseases. The diet is also full of dietary fiber which helps promote SCFA production, increases the diversity of the gut microbiome, and inhibits neuroinflammation induced by a high fat diet. Healthier diets also tend to contain more fruits and vegetables which are naturally higher in prebiotics and polyphenols. Polyphenols exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and can also modulate the gut microbiome.

Exercise

Engaging in regular exercise, including aerobic exercises and yoga, supports the health of the gut-brain axis. Exercise improves cognition and can improve symptoms of both mood and psychological disorders.  It can also boost the diversity of the gut microbiome, leading to an increase in SCFA production, which promotes healthy functioning of both the gut and brain, decreasing depression and anxiety and increasing HPA axis balance.

The gut-brain axis connects emotional and cognitive areas of the brain with gut functions. What was once thought to be two distinct systems of the body are intricately connected and regulated, with important consequences for the rest of the body. A healthy gut = a healthy brain and emotional life.

Watch video on Leaky Gut Causes, Symptoms, Prevention

Stress Relief

At Healing Arts we have helped thousands of people with anxiety and depression by detoxing and supporting the body with the right nutrition.  A lot of times their personalized nutrition programs include repairing the microbiome in the gut because the neurotransmitters for the brain are made in the gut.  For more info on the gut/brain axis, read here.

It is with the pandemic hitting that of course anxiety rose but after 2 years that anxiety has stayed and depression has followed.  After 15 years in practice I am seeing worse and worse cases of anxiety and depression in ways I never have before.  That’s why I designed a new supplement called Stress Relief that can address both anxiety and depression because often a patient has both.   

You would think because we’re almost through the pandemic and things are opening back up and people are starting to go back to the office that collectively our anxiety and depression would go away but it has seemed to stay with us.  The stress started two years ago with the fear of getting COVID-19 and now I think it’s a different type of stress of managing our lives and finding a new normal.

In order to fully understand stress management and to discover a place of balance with out daily stress, it is important to understand a hormone in the body called cortisol. Cortisol is known as “the stress hormone,” but it is also responsible for three major mechanisms that help to keep the body in a state of balance, or homeostasis: raising blood sugar, increasing blood pressure and regulating inflammation. Through these mechanisms, cortisol essentially influences nearly all that we do, and is directly responsible for modulating:

digestion

circulation

sleep/wake patterns

physical activity

sexual response

behavior and mood

So, with this prestigious list of roles and responsibilities, why is it that experts suggest that cortisol imbalance is the most common form of hormone imbalance in the modern world even before the pandemic?

Cortisol is released by the cortex (or outer layer) of your adrenal glands. It is naturally secreted in an ebb and flow rhythm that repeats daily. Ideally, cortisol is highest in the morning to help us wake up in a productive, alert, and energetic manner. It then tapers throughout the day and evening, lowest at night when we are meant to be sleeping soundly, and at which point the soothing, anti-inflammatory hormone melatonin takes over.

In addition to this daily cycle that helps us wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night, cortisol is released as part of the natural human stress response. In threatening situations, a surge of cortisol primes the body to react swiftly and appropriately. This very primal system is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). Whenever a stressor is perceived, the hypothalamus (a gland in the brain) signals to the pituitary (a hormone gland in the brain) that something is up. The pituitary then sends a chemical alarm via a hormone called ACTH, signaling to the adrenals to release a burst of cortisol and other hormones like adrenaline, preparing the body for “flight or fight” mode. This is where cortisol’s three primary mechanisms really come in handy: the surge increases glucose to the muscles so that one can fight or run, and blood pressure is raised to ensure a plentiful supply of fresh oxygen to the brain so that one is able to think clearly. Simultaneously, non-immediate functions such as digestion, sexual arousal and immune system reactions are temporarily suppressed, enabling energy to flow more steadily towards the vital functions that keep us alive. When the threat subsides, the alarm in the hypothalamus is shut off and the body is restored to a state of harmony, recovering and awaiting the next alert.

This method works great when there is an accident or medical emergency. Yet unfortunately the HPA Axis responds not only to those acute stressors, but also to those that are anticipated and perceived- our looming worries and fears. The HPA system is helpless in differentiating between psychosocial stressors like getting stuck in traffic or planning a dinner party, and physical threats such as being in a burning building. Therefore if we aren't careful, our daily life can have stressors everywhere and worry is rampant, so the HPA alarm is almost constantly stuck in the glowing red ON position. I think that’s what has happened to us the last 2 years.  The HPA alarm isn’t made to be stuck ON for 2 weeks let alone 2 years! If cortisol levels soar in an unruly and destructive manner at bizarre times of the day and night, then suddenly small tasks such as packing a lunch or responding to an email, morph into treacherous evil threats that we feel like we just can’t handle.

Over time, the body simply can’t compensate for this hormonal instability and we start to burn out. The adrenals simply cannot keep up with the burden of constantly being told to secrete cortisol, and our systems slowly falter and shut down under such demands. This phenomenon is often called adrenal fatigue, and is coupled with the experience of depression.  This is when someone suffers from both anxiety and depression and should be helped by the right nutritional support for the adrenal glands.  For some people this burn out stage may not include depression but instead other troublesome conditions as heart disease, sleep problems, digestive issues, memory impairment, excessive weight gain and worsening skin conditions.

As much as we might close our eyes tightly and try to resist and control it, stress is an inherent part of life. However, through adequate nourishment and care, we are able to put the body's biochemical systems back on track, shifting the way that we relate to stress so that it does not shatter our everyday experience and stifle our creative expression. Building a nutrient dense diet is essential to healing the adrenals, as is participating in healthy fitness that involves adequate amounts of rest and recovery. That's why practitioners at Healing Arts muscle test, working with the biofeedback from your body to devise a detailed diet and lifestyle plan that works for you. We can now muscle test you for Stress Relief to see if that can be part of your healing plan to get the adrenal gland back on board.  

To help the stress reaction in the body Stress Relief contains herbs and vitamins to support the nervous system and the HPA axis response to stress so anxiety doesn’t get out of hand causing depression, insomnia, weight gain and other symptoms.  Stress Relief contains red sandalwood, SAM-e, vitamin B12, ashwagandha, kava kava, glutamate, lemon balm, passionflower, and vitamin D.

Red Sandalwood is known for it’s anti-aging properties and healing the skin by purifying the blood.  Red sandalwood has nutrients in it that can cross the blood brain barrier allowing the blood in the brain to be purified as well, helping with anxiety and depression. However it is contraindicated for people with amenorrhea.  

SAM-e is very well known to help with both depression and anxiety.  SAM-e stands for S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine and is a naturally occurring molecule present in all living human cells that plays an important role in cellular metabolism. SAM-e is an important methyl donor, an essential step in the synthesis of several neurotransmitters for the brain. The antidepressant effects of SAM-e are probably related to multiple mechanisms of action including increased brain levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The synthesis of these neurotransmitters by SAM-e requires vitamin B12.  Many depressed individuals are deficient in B vitamins, thus individuals taking Stress Relief for depressed mood will benefit from the added vitamin B12 in the supplement.  Do not take SAM-e and therefore do not take Stress Relief if on a narcotic or cough syrup.

Ashwagandha is perhaps best known for its ability to reduce stress. It’s classified as an adaptogen, a substance that helps the body cope with stress and helps with both anxiety and depression. Ashwagandha appears to help control cortisol which is exactly what we need to do in order for the body not to have a stress reaction. If the body has a stress reaction and the anxiety cannot get back in control then it leads to depression which we are trying to prevent. That’s why when patients come in with both anxiety and depression I know their HPA axis has been not working properly for months.  Besides helping to control cortisol Ashwagandha also controls and reduces the activity of the HPA axis to start working correctly again. This calms the nervous system down.

Kava Kava is another herb that can calm the nervous system down.  Studies have been done to show that kava kava could be used as an alternative to certain anxiety drugs and other antidepressants. Kava Kava is also known to help people sleep better if taken right before bed.

Glutamate is a type of neurotransmitter that acts in the brain.  Almost all brain cells need glutamate to communicate with one another. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter helping people when they are feeling depressed. Glutamate can also do the opposite and calm the nervous system down because the body can use glutamate to make GABA, a different neurotransmitter that has a very calming affect and is helpful when feeling anxious.  GABA calms and glutamate stimulates, the two are counterparts and an imbalance in one impacts the other. So if the body has glutamate it will do what it needs with it, either use it directly to excite the nervous system or convert to GABA to calm the nervous system.  

Lemon Balm contains chemicals that seem to have a sedative and calming effect to help people with anxiety but research shows it is also good for depression. Being part of the mint family lemon balm is really good for the stomach and for people who put their stress in their gut.  I’ve seen many different versions of IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, where constipation and diarrhea alternate and get worse when stress occurs.  The way the body works it is very easy to put stress in our stomach.  that’s why we have so many sayings, ‘I’m so nervous I could throw up,’ ‘I have butterflies in my stomach,’ ‘I have a knot in my stomach,’ etc. Lemon balm’s essential oils, polyphenols, and tannins work together to stimulate digestion and strengthen your gut when taken consistently over time.  It might also reduce the growth of some viruses and bacteria.  Having less bad gut flora is important for the body to make the right amount of neurotransmitters; for the neurotransmitters for the brain are made in the gut.  I have used lemon balm successfully for cold sores, anxiety, stress, insomnia, indigestion, poor memory and depression.

Passionflower has certain phytochemicals and alkaloids that  promote feeling energized and positive.  Passionflower contains quercetin and kaempferol which are widely accepted as mood enhancers and recognized for their ability to actually reduce the level of stress hormones in the body. Studies show it is as good as oxazepam to reduce anxiety without the side effect of drowsiness.

The last ingredient, Vitamin D, is added because when stress goes high, immune system goes low and vitamin D is an immune booster.  Plus people who are feeling depressed usually run low on vitamin D.     

With 15 years experience in holistic healthcare I saw how something new was needed for these trying times and am so grateful for the results I see patients getting with Stress Relief.