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What does the Gut have to do with your Mood?

March 17, 2014 by Refinery Fitness

Happy Saint Patty’s Day Everyone!

I hope you celebrate today with a Green Juice instead of Green Beer.  Your gut will thank you for it and you mood will reflect it.

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Your gut, aka “inside your belly”, has been proven to be your bodies literal “second brain”.  For years the medical world has been trying to figure out what causes our moods to change and what causes common problems that most of us face like stress, anxiety, and even depression. These are common problems and we know they are linked to serotonin, but did you know that 95% of serotonin isn’t even produced in the brain? Serotonin is actually produced in the gut. 

What is serotonin?  

Serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter, a type of chemical that helps relay signals from one area of the brain to another.  Serotonin is also known as a happiness hormone because it contributes to feelings of well-being.

Serotonin is involved in regulating:

  • MOOD
  • appetite
  • sleep
  • behavior
  • temperature
  • memory
  • muscle contraction
  • cardiovascular function
  • aging

What we put inside of our bellies is directly related to our emotional health. Our gut consists of bacteria, and we need that bacteria to have a healthy balance or the rest of us will not be balanced, including our mood. Your gut and your brain work together so if one is out of balance the other will be also.

Have you ever had an upset stomach because your mind was stressed? Well, think about it, if it works one way it works both ways. Their have been many scientific studies that have linked mood problems to gut problems and vice versa.

Is your gut balanced with 85% good bacteria and 15% bad bacteria? That is the recipe for a healthy gut and a healthy mood. The best way to make sure your body has healthy bacteria for your gut is to feed your gut healthy bacteria.

Some symptoms of an unhealthy gut include:

  • gas
  • bloating
  • nausea
  • sugar cravings and more

The best way to make sure that your gut is getting the healthy nourishment it needs is through probiotics. Probiotics can be in pill form, or you can get them right through your diet. Excellent sources of probiotics include kefir and fermented or cultured foods and beverages.

Probiotic Rich Foods include:

  • Kefir
  • Sauerkraut
  • Kimchi
  • Miso
  • Tempeh
  • Kombucha
  • Kevita Sparking Probiotic Drink (my personal favorite is Mojito Lime Coconut)

Mojita_152-Bottle_12-19-12_S

This is another great non-alcoholic option to celebrate Saint Patty’s Day with.  Pour it into your favorite wine or martini glass, add a lime wedge and enjoy!

Keeping a healthy gut in check will help you:

  • Digest food properly
  • Absorb vital nutrients
  • Maintain a healthy state of mind aka, your mood. 

If you want to learn more,  you will want to sign up for the Bliss Detox Spring Fling!  The detox is ALL about restoring gut health and giving your digestive system a break.  Learn more by clicking here: www.detoxwithabby.com

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This is a friendly reminder that Early Bird Pricing ends this Saturday, March 22nd.  As a Refinery client you also get to use Promo Code REFINERY20 to receive 20% off of price.

I hope you have a great week ahead!

In Health and Happiness,

abby-signature-withsite

 

Filed Under: Nutriton Tips, Uncategorized

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Portland, OR 97213 | Map
503-341-4781

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