In today’s Psychologist Calgary post, I’m talking about the emerging discovery of how the human gut is strongly linked to a human’s emotional well-being.
The more time I spend in the mental health field, the more I learn about just how intertwined our physical and psychological health are. Recent research has begun to point more clearly to the connections between the health of our gut (e.g. the digestive tract between our mouth and colon) and our mental health. The gut is considered the “second brain” by many due to 100 million or so neurons located in the enteric nervous system that runs along our entire digestive system and which, in fact, is the site of the majority of the body’s serotonin (a neurotransmitter which contributes to mood). The implications for this research are wide-spread in that it might affect how psychologists such as myself might look to incorporate assessing and treating some mental health concerns.
Depression is one area where gut-health might be quite important. People who suffer with depression may choose to address their concerns through self-help books, exercising, seeking a counsellor they connect with, spending time with supportive friends and family, taking up a new hobby, or making additional time to relax. However, evidence is adding up which suggests that another area that might help with depression (especially chronic, treatment-resistant depression) is your gut (e.g. inflammation in the digestive system).
One of the benefits of being a patient at the Healthy by Nature clinic is that you have a multidisciplinary team of holistic practitioners at your disposal to support you in achieving mental and physical health. If you are curious about how your mental health might improve through counselling as well as through improvements in your gut health, you may consider booking a free meet-and-greet or a full counselling session.
If you find this topic interesting and you would like more information on the link between gut health and depression, be sure to check out this article.