Mental Health & Your Gut Health

The month of May brings thoughts of spring and new beginnings – and it is also designated as Mental Health Awareness month.

The topic of mental health has really come to the forefront of discussions over the last year or so and with good reason. More and more people have experienced some sort of challenge that has lead them to explore how they are dealing with the situation emotionally and how it may be effecting their mental health as well. Discussing mental health has become less stigmatized over, which can lead people to seek help when they need it without feeling ashamed.

There are many contributing factors to mental health including the following:

Environmental hazards

Physical trauma

Emotional stress

Hereditary predisposition

Lifestyle choices

Any one or a combination of these could affect our mental health. What is often overlooked is our gut health. We have heard “the gut/brain connection” verbiage used frequently, but do you really know what that means? Let’s explore.

National Institutes of Health has many publications discussing the gut/brain connection. Basically it means signals are sent from gut to brain and brain to gut and that the a healthy gut microbiota could play a substantial role in making sure this communication runs smoothly. The gut is also responsible for producing neurotransmitters that support brain function and can support brain activity.

We each have a unique gut microbiota composition (sort of like our fingerprint) that consists of tens of TRILLIONS of microorganisms that we host. These are not human cells but other organisms that play a role in keeping us healthy – mentally and physically. It is important to understand that keeping this vast number of cells in balance can pose a challenge at times. We frequently hear about pre-biotics and probiotics, however recently we have heard the term “post-biotics”. All three of these “biotics” are important for maintaining your individual gut microbiota balance.

Post-biotics are really the metabolites that the pre-biotics create that provide nourishment for the body. There is a researched ingredient, Epicor® dried yeast fermentate, that not only supports keeping your individual microbiota in balance, but also is considered a post-biotic. It has been found that at 630 mg per day Epicor® dried yeast fermentate can help the body produce the short chain fatty acid butyrate, which is important for the lining of the gut. It has also been shown to help balance the gut microbiome, and has been recognized as an immune system modulator.

The exciting news is that Country Life Vitamins has an entire line of products containing this amazing ingredient – Gut Connection! Not only does each product contain the 630 mg of Epicor® dried yeast fermentate but also contains key ingredients that will also support some condition specific challenges you might have – like stress, mood, cognition, or sleep.