Good Gut Health = Good Brain Health

Here are some of the signs you would never guess are often related to your gut health.

• Brain fog

• Days where you feel like your brain is moving through sludge

• Problems with memory retention

• Struggling to find words

• Low energy

• Mood swings & anxiety
  

And even depression, to name a few.

These problems can be early signs of cognitive diseases, like dementia, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer’s. These early signs can start 30-40 years before you know you have the disease. 

Therefore it’s important to pay attention.

These symptoms can also be signs of autoimmune diseases like hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's, which is what I have and I believe I’ve had for 16+ years.

Unfortunately, because of the way our medical system is set up, it took many years of doctors, tests, many trials & errors, some begging and pleading for help (which didn’t help). But most importantly years and years of my own research, and the determination to never give up on finding answers that finally lead to a diagnosis that made sense to me. 

It is important to question the assumptions about health issues being solely due to aging or being considered normal, or something we just have to live with.

The good news is, there are things we can do to heal and help our bodies, and in turn prevent cognitive decline.

Here are 3 of my favourite and most simple things we can do.

These may sound overly simplistic, but that doesn’t make them less impactful to our health. In fact, the research says they are vital.

#1 Throughout your week, eat a wide variety of whole foods.

Different fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, proteins, and fermented foods, are what your gut bacteria need to survive and thrive. Many people, especially when “dieting” eat the same things and think, if I just eat chicken and broccoli I’ll reach my goals and get everything I need, focusing only on a couple macronutrients. But what ends up happening is you can starve your microbiome. In a healthy gut, there are typically around 300 to 500 different species of bacteria. However, some estimates suggest that the number could be as high as 1,000 different species. The diversity of bacteria in the gut plays a crucial role in maintaining digestive health, immune function, cognitive health, and overall well-being.

#2 Slow down when you eat. It is so much more important than it sounds.

Chewing is a prerequisite for the breakdown of nutrients in our gut. The same nutrients that feed the microbiome and fuels the rest of our system. It’s a practice many of us don’t do because of this go go go society we live in. Fortunately it’s one of the easiest ways you can support your health.

Another bonus with taking your time at a meal is you’ll often eat less because it takes time for your brain to register that you're full. 

Simply take a bite, then put your fork down, every time. 

#3 When we are thinking of the future of our brain health, and fighting things like Alzheimer’s for example. We have to treat our brain like any muscle we want to maintain.

Reading, cognitive problem solving games/apps/crosswords are just some of the things that will actually help fight cognitive disease. Mixing it up is also important. If you’re thinking, well I’ve been doing crosswords for years, I’m good then. That’s not entirely true. The brain has many pathways, and working on all of them is just as important as working on any one.

This is especially true for the things we are “bad at.” Not good with numbers? Practice math equations. Terrible speller? Get a spelling app and practice 3-4 times per week. We want to strengthen the weaker pathways in our brain, because those will be the gateways for disease to enter through. 

BONUS: Exercise Exercise Exercise! It has been studied and proven by many that exercise, especially anabolic and aerobic exercises. The brain needs four main things to thrive. Oxegen, glucose, fat, and cognitive exercises. Just like the body, you want to use parts of your brain you don't use as often as others to have an overall "workout" for the mind. And just like the body, this is how we keep our brains healthy, and avoid diseases like Parkenson's and Dementia.

And of course, just because you have a day where you're struggling to find words to complete a sentence, or low energy, or any of the symptoms named-doesn’t necessarily mean you have the early signs of a serious cognitive disease. Our mind, body, and spirit is a highly intelligent system. We can heal, prevent disease, and optimize our lives.

By taking our health seriously, supporting our systems to do what they do best, and listening to our gut ; ) We can greatly improve the quality of our lives as a whole.

Let me add, I am not a medical doctor. The information I share comes from my own years of research into my own health challenges and the challenges I witnessed in my family. And my education in various disciplines, including Holistic Nutrition, Mobility Coaching, and now as a Wellness Counsellor. I encourage anyone who is curious or has their own questions to be your own doctor. Collect a wide variety of information, listen to your body, ask professionals and extract what makes sense for you.

Trust me on this, no one knows you better than you do.