Exercise: Gut health

Spend a few days paying attention to how you eat your meals and how you feel before, during, and after eating. Do you think you tend to eat and digest more often while your sympathetic nervous system (“fight or flight”) or parasympathetic nervous system (“rest and digest”) is in action? Are you able to turn off your stress response easily or is it challenging for you?

As you reflect, consider the following:

• Do you often eat while doing something else (e.g., watching TV, checking your email, or driving)?

• How often do you sit at a table to eat a meal?

• Do you often find yourself quickly and/or mindlessly eating your food and then wondering where it all went?

• Do you often experience GI discomfort after eating?

• Do you tend to eat when stressed, sad, or angry?

• What strategies (e.g., gratitude, body awareness, dining in pleasant surroundings) can you implement to help become more mindful before, during, and after meals?

When the gut is in a state of inflammation or dysbiosis (imbalanced microbiome), mental and emotional well-being may be affected. Some hormones and neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are produced by beneficial strains of gut bacteria and stored in the gut. Disruptions to this environment may affect signaling to the brain along the vagus nerve. This has been linked to mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety.

Much Love, 
Marine Sélénée