Research on gut health has been exploding! It feels like every week another study is showing how one’s gut health can impact something different. Lately one of the most popular topics is the connection between gut health and overall brain health. Short term and long term brain health can both be impacted. Don’t ignore the power of the gut and like most things, the sooner you start the better long term results.
Review factors impacting gut health
Surprise surprise, what you eat impacts your gut health. Consuming quality foods is key with a focus on veggies and fruit! Ensure you have decent fiber rich food items which will fuel the good bacteria in the gut to maximize their benefits. Quality omega-3s from fatty fish will help reduce inflammation in the brain as well to help keep it feeling and functioning optimally. None of this is to say that you can’t ever have a donut or else your gut health is ruined. You’ll rarely see me turn down a good donut! It’s the overall consistency that is key. One single moment doesn’t erase all the hard work done before it. That being said, one salad doesn’t correct a diet otherwise full of candy and fried food so make sure that you’re eating your broccoli regularly!
Brain and cognitive benefits
The gut is the gatekeeper for what is allowed into the body. For all the energy that your brain and body needs the gut needs to let that in while also keeping the bad stuff out. Proper nutrition is key for optimal brain function and growth just like for our muscles. Looking at older individuals suffering from memory related issues, one fairly common factor is poor gut health. Dementia is one situation in particular getting a lot of attention and justifiably so. There’s still a lot to learn in that area but prioritizing your nutrition sooner will help stack the odds to avoid that. While changes like that don’t happen over night but short term benefits can still be shown with a good diet aiding memory to encourage starting to prioritize things now. It’s always annoying forgetting where the keys are!
Helping your brain starts with the gut
Reiterating, it’s always better to start sooner than later. Having more veggies and fruit will rarely ever be a bad thing and especially in this case, your noggin will thank you. In addition to veggies, fruit and fatty fish like salmon, some supplements can play a role too. Specifically, probiotics can be very beneficial to aid gut health in certain situations. Antibiotics can crush your gut health by killing the good bacteria in there along with the bad bacteria. So depending on medications you are taking, double check to ensure if there are any additional impact on gut health to be mindful of. Staying mindful will help you to repair your gut health quicker and set things up for continued wellness. Again, none of this occurs quickly but you want to be sure to help your future self by prioritizing things now. Time flies!
Study referenced: click here