How to Fix Your Brain-Gut Connection: Anxiety and the Brain-Gut Microbiome Axis

Improve your brain-gut connection to reduce anxiety. Learn how gut health, microbiome balance, and stress management enhance mental well-being.
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Learn more about your gut brain axis from Dr. Nikki DiNezza here: https://www.youtube.com/@gutmicrobiomequeen/featured

Your gut health directly impacts your mental health. From nutrient absorption that impacts the physical building blocks of the brain, to inflammation which can lead cytokines to damage the brain, to your microbiome which impacts your physical and mental health, your gut health is actually a huge contributing factor to your mental health. So in this video you’ll learn 4 1/2 ways to improve your gut health, which can improve your mental health. So real quick, let’s talk about the gut-brain-microbiome axis.
Every emotion has a brain component and a gut component- notice how many emotions are described as “A gut feeling, a kick in the gut, gut wrenching, sick to my stomach, butterflies in the stomach, etc.” During sleep, and when we dream the gut reacts to emotions and processes them, the gut literally works through the feelings of the day. So when the brain is healthy, and works through emotions, the gut can process emotions too. And vice versa.

We can help our gut be healthier by decreasing stress and increasing positive experiences. And we can help our brain be healthier by improving our gut health. And one of the best ways to do that is to foster a healthy microbiome.

00:00 Intro
00:44 The Vagus Nerve
02:27 Emotions
03:28 Gut Microbiome
04:00 Prebiotics
04:42 How To Improve Prebiotic INtake
05:11 Probiotics
05:57 Inflammation
06:42 Stress
07:07 Fecal Transplants

Click the link below to access the transcript:
https://therapyinanutshell.com/improve-the-brain-gut-axis/

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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.
In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.
And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

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