You may have seen that many of my favorite products have titles including the letters "GBX". But what does that actually mean?
It stands for the Gut Brain Axis. This is a "communication" network in your body that links the brain to the gut. This network is very important for so many of our body's functions like: digestion, emotions, hunger, sleep, and more.
This communication network is made up of the Nervous System, Immune System, Hormonal System, and Vagus Nerve (which physically connects the brain and gut). As you can tell, these are many of your most important body systems!
When the communication between the gut and the brain is interrupted, it can lead to so many health challenges. This is why it has been shown that gut health directly affects mental health. With a disrupted GBX, you might experience higer levels of anxiety, depression, or stress. You may also experience things like constipation, diarrhea, idigestion, GERD, IBS, and more.
So, how do we keep our GBX healthy?
#1 Eliminate inflammatory foods from your diet. This can include gluten and dairy if you are intolerant, sugar, chemicals in un-organic or processed foods, and non-hygrogenated oils like canola or corn oil.
#2 Prebiotics & Probiotics help keep the healthy bacteria in your gut thriving. Probiotics are found in fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, kombucha, and sourdough. A healthy diet of vegetables will also contribute to your gut health. You can also supplement with probiotics to cross one more thing off your checklist.
#3 Choose supplements that have clean ingredients (to avoid inflammation) and are targeted to strengthening your GBX. Here are a few of my favorites:
- GBX Food System by Amare
- Vita GBX by Amare
- Digestion GB by Pure Encapsulations
-Reboot+ by Amare
-Brain Factors by Thorne
As we continue to take care of our bodies, our bodies will take care of us! I've personally seen this in myself and in my clients! Now that you know how important your Gut-Brain axis is, what will you do to take care of it?
-Merilee Ford, M.A.
For more information, read this post written by Fullscript about Inflammation and Gut Health.
To see more of my top recommendations in the world of supplements, click here.