Gut and Mental Health
Increasing evidence has linked gut microbiota to both gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal diseases. Dysbiosis and inflammation of the gut have been linked to causing several mental illnesses including anxiety and depression, which are prevalent in society today. Researchers say controlling the bacterial population of the gastrointestinal tract may help improve symptoms of mental disorders.
Your gut microbiome even helps create neurotransmitters and metabolites that act on your brain. This has lead to a wave of new studies investigating how the gut microbiome influences our brain and how we can leverage this to improve our mental health.
Pyrroles indicate oxidative stress, which changes gut function.
Bio Balance Health has supported research of the urinary pyrrole test which has resulted in separation of two measures in urine, both pyrrole and urobilinogen.
Urobilinogen flow can be reduced by gallstones or blocked bile duct or some medications. Too much urobilinogen can indicate problems with the kidneys. Either imbalance changes the gut function which impacts how food is digested and how well nutrients are extracted. Clinically this test is seeing a strong link between urobilinogen flow and anxiety. Having a separate measure for urobilinogen helps target treatment accurately.
This is why we request our doctors ask all patients to have a urinary pyrroles test from their first visit. Treating urobilinogen and other issues like Urinary Tract Infection is a different process than reducing pyrrole levels.
BBH trained doctors are not just treating the symptoms, they are looking for the underlying, contributing biochemical causes. Addressing underlying biochemical imbalances can help a patient return to optimal health. By understanding there are underlying biochemical issues that may contribute to symptoms, helps to take the stigma away from a mental health diagnosis.
Knowing which foods can contribute to a healthy gut and which can potentially cause problems is also a great place to start. Try replacing highly processed, high-sugar, and high-fat foods with various whole foods that offer myriad benefits.
These foods include:
Collagen-boosting foods. Foods like bone broth and salmon can help protect your intestinal wall and improve digestion.
High-fiber foods. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, oats, peas, avocados, pears, bananas, and berries are full of fiber, which aids in healthy digestion.
Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, mackerel, and flax seeds are packed with omega-3s, which may help reduce inflammation and in turn help improve your digestion.
A book which can help you choose and cook good foods is Eat Well, Be Well by Matthew Simpson. https://www.renbro.com.au/
Renbro Publishing have kindly donated part of the sales from this book to support research.