In Chinese medicine the health of our digestion is directly linked with all aspects of our bodies health – skin, reproduction, and even our thoughts and behavior. It is a long held belief in Chinese medicine that our thoughts are governed by our digestion’s ability to transform and transport foodstuffs, and the nutrition within them. A poor digestion is associated with a “foggy” mind and/ or an anxious – over pensive – mind state.
This concept of the mind being linked to the digestion, for many, seems common sense. When our gut feels sluggish or overactive, in any way, our mind may also feel the same. But of course, like many age-old beliefs nothing is true unless it can be proven in the “laboratory” setting first – which is exactly the stand many Doctors take in our modern world.
Common sense, or the ability to actually listen and attune to ones own body is left to the physicians to tell us their “expert” opinion. They tell us how and why we feel the way we do, which to them may not have anything to do with our digestion and/ or diet. Instead of making the connection that certain foods, which may be associated with certain digestive sensations, are also contributing to certain mind states – like depression and anxiety – many people are put on anti-depressants.
The reason so many Doctors do not see the correlation between ones gut and ones mind is solely due to the lack of “published” research – which is what most modern Doctors base their clinical assessments on. Thousands of years of clinical experience and/or a patient’s relationship to their own body is of a much lesser regard.
Well lets hope that the new study published in Gastroenterology, which shows a direct link between the health of our gut with that of our brain, will help build awareness to the modern physician’s inquiry. Basically the researchers found that when the bacteria of the gut – which is in the 1000’s of trillions, is usually kept in a balanced state and is a major contributor to a healthy digestion – is altered, say through the use of antibiotics, then measurable changes in both behavior and in brain chemistry were noted.
Although the study focused on altered gut states induced through drugs and infection, in reality anything we put into our bodies – like the everyday food we eat – may also influence the guts bacteria balance and thus our behavior.
The best way to know if your mood may be related to your gut is to just take a few moments, put your hands on your belly, and ask “how I am doing in there? How well am I digesting my food? Do I have regular bowel movements? Are they easy to pass, formed, and complete? Overly stinky? Loose and watery? Do I get cramping, bloating, or feel full easily?” Any of these symptoms can signify that the gut just isn’t right and that your mood may be related to this. (Actually the mere practice of placing our hands on our bellies and checking in, is healing to our minds in and of itself!)
So before you reach for that mind altering drug, like prozac or the newest line of antidepressants, to lift you out of a depressed or anxious state, why not focus on your digestion and see if it makes a difference.
Dr. Trevor Erikson, May 18, 2011
Copyright © 2019 Dr. Trevor Erikson