Your gut is the center of your entire problem. Having a healthy gut is equal to having a healthy life. Infect it is said that a person can cure his depression by healing his gut. Well, this might not be entire truth but there is a ray of light in this long dark tunnel and it had worked for many, they got rid of depression by getting rid of their gastrointestinal problems. There is scientific experimentation getting done on the relation to the gut and mental health. The medication of irritated bowel syndrome consists of both gastrointestinal and antidepressant medicines. I think these are the reason why the phrase ’gut feeling’ came into existence and Trust Your Gut became a popular slang.
What is unhealthy gut and how can it lead to depression?
Your stomach or gut is much more than a digestion system, it is your powerhouse or the protective wall between the inside and the outside world. But like every system, it has its own weakness. Your stomach has a thin lining, a barrier which is called gut lining. This barrier is a fragile layer of protein cells which guards the undesirable elements against entering the digestion system. These particles include undigested food, microscopic bugs and foreign body particles that have entered the body through food and drink.
Unfortunately, the epithelium is easy to be damaged leaving leaky holes in this otherwise tight junction. With the leaky status of epithelium, bacteria get excess to the entire body as they enter the bloodstream. Thus the symptoms of leaky gut can be shown anywhere from joint pain to depression apart from common symptoms like bloating, gas and abdominal pain.
The main reason behind all these issues is toxic overload. Usually, our lever deals with toxins but when the pressure is more than it could handle then epithelium become porous and increases inflammatory bowel disorder and other celiac diseases. Diseases like arthritis, eczema, and depression are also included in the list.
One of the major reasons of depression is inflammation and it is mainly caused by bacteria. When bacteria enter into the bloodstream due to leaky gut and releases a toxin called endotoxin. Endotoxin gets the immune system into motion and thus inflammation in the body starts taking place. There is growing evidence that inflammation leads to depression.
The inflammation is able to increase depression in humans by altering activities that can affect moods. This leads to fatigue and lethargic behavior.
Root causes of the gut problem
Depression has become a global disease. According to the world health organization, depression is the leading source of workforce disability in the world. The percentage of people living on an antidepressant is increasing with every passing year.
The reason of this growing epidemic may be different and is a subject for research but one thing is certain that modern lifestyle and food habits are in the core of all this chaos and there is no doubt about it. The root causes behind this situation are-
- Certain medication- some drugs and pharmaceuticals have characteristics to trigger inflammation in the body. Researchers have shown that people who consume NSAID medicines like aspirin have leaky gut.
- Stress- no explanation required, stress and anxiety are the main source of leaky gut and irregular bowel. Even it is hard to understand who is responsible for what? Whether stress is responsible for leaky gut or leaky gut is the reason behind stress. Together they release harmful chemicals in the body.
- Diet- what we eat is directly related to what we feel, how we feel and our lifestyle. Having an increased percentage of sugar, alcohol, crabs and saturated fats will only put pressure on your digestion system. Try to take balance diet with eating right things at right time. Having fresh, home cooked food with high protein and omega 6 will make you and your gut healthy.
- Lifestyle- our lifestyle is the main culprit that has made our life miserable. We might feel cool with night outs, late night activities but actually, we are doing harm to our body. Unhealthy lifestyle increases dysbiosis in our body. The meaning of Dysbiosis is an imbalance between good and bad bacteria in our gut.
How to heal
Action plan for having a healthy life starts with having a healthy gut. If you have a fit and perfect digestion system then you are happier than the majority of people in the world. In order to ensure a healthy gut, you must make an action plan and work hard towards achieving it. The action plan must include following a right diet plan that includes fresh fruits, vegetables and lots of protein. Taking probiotics is also a good option, also exercise regularly as workout helps the body in flushing out bad bacteria from the body.
So work on your gut if you want to have a healthy life.