According to Dr. Raphael Kellman, author of The Microbiome Diet, there is a direct connection between the trillions of bacteria in your gut and your brain.
This bi-directional line of communication between the gut bacteria and the brain works in conjunction with all the systems of your body.
By improving your gut health, you can keep the brain healthy, make it even healthier, and optimize cognitive health. You can even help heal numerous neurological issues. Many of the neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's) are also impacted by the gut.
Dr. Kellman says the best method for treating depression and anxiety is through the microbiome. Doing so not only reduces and eliminates symptoms of depression, but activates a positive psychology that you don't see with just using anti-depressants.
It will not happen overnight; it's a step-by-step process. Overall, however, you must improve the diet, and not just in the sense of reducing processed, packaged, refined foods... your diet has to be one cognizant of the microbiome. It's not just about what YOU want to eat, what does your microbiome want to eat?
The four fundamental steps for improving both gut and brain health, says Dr. Kellman, are the following:
- Remove the over-abundance of unhealthy bacteria.
- Start introducing microbiome superfoods (i.e. prebiotics).
- Heal the gut wall.
- Use targeted probiotics.
