Gut Health For A Happy Mind

Positive Mindset

A Mindset is the result of one’s experiences, perception and opinions, be it positive, negative and neutral (facts and information without judgment. ie things one sees for what it is, without tagging them as good or bad). 

To filter out only the positives may sound like a good idea. But one must realize that the negative aspects give meaning to all things positive. We cannot ignore a negative mindset because it is based on deep–seated emotions. 

For example emotions like Fear of failing or losing.

Practicing a positive mindset in excess may lead to ignoring reality, pretending everything to be fine when it’s not. All will never be well. Hurdles and obstruction are part of the journey which add meaning and make the experience valuable. 

Without actions nothing will change so in that context a positive mindset alone might not help. Moreover, avoid using a positive mindset as an escape hatch.

Therefore, keep a neutral mindset and switch to a positive mindset as a means to inspire and motivate yourself or simply to express your feelings.

Try to keep yourself in a neutral state of mind, meaning you express joy or excitement only when needed and go back to being normal (neutral). Because joy, excitement and happiness are mere spikes in emotions that don’t last.
Peace on the other hand is steady and lasting. 

I see a neutral mindset as a balance between the two extremes of the mind, peace if you will.

Everyday problems are better handled with a calm outlook towards life and taking things slow and steady.

You may have heard that we are made of the same material as those stars millions of light-years away. This is a reminder that everything is interconnected.

What you eat can influence how you feel and how you feel can make or break your state of mind or health. Research has shown how a positive mindset directly affects gut health and therefore wellness.

Gut health is mental health

The Gut-Brain axis is a two-way connection between the Gut and the Brain.

The gut is a complex system, having the largest number of immune cells, largest number of nerve cells outside the brain and the largest number of hormonal cells.

The gut produces hormones like serotonin(mood) and dopamine (feel good) and a majority of immune cells live in the gut.

Those butterflies and things you feel from the gut are real!

Studies have shown that people with a positive mindset tend to have a healthier gut microbiome composition.

Here is more from studies related to the gut and mind.

The gut-brain axis can influence metabolism (conversion of food to energy) in a number of ways, including:

• Regulating appetite and food intake: The gut microbiome can produce hormones and other signaling molecules that influence appetite and food intake. For example, the gut microbiome produces the hormone ghrelin, which signals hunger, and the hormone leptin, which signals fullness.
  
• Regulating energy expenditure: The gut microbiome can also influence energy expenditure, which is the number of calories that the body burns at rest. For example, Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) can increase energy expenditure by promoting the activity of brown adipose tissue, which is a type of fat that burns calories to produce heat.
  
• Regulating glucose metabolism: The gut microbiome can also influence glucose metabolism, which is the way that the body processes sugar. For example, SCFAs can improve insulin sensitivity, which helps the body to control blood sugar levels.

As we can see, health is made in the gut and all of this point at maintaining a healthy body and mind.

Rather than target the brain for all our mental health issues, a more tangible candidate would be the gut. I am not talking about shoving one with pills. But targeting the gut with nutrition and cultivating a positive outlook towards one’s lifestyle.

A lot of importance is given to the brain and mind. Similarly gut health deserves even more attention. From a holistic view, what difference could one see between the mind and the body?

A gut with happy microbes is a person with a happy mind.
If fixing the gut can fix our mind, I suppose we must do it right away.

I will see you soon in another post.
For wellness