Mung Dahl with Coconut Rice and Fennel Kraut
August 10, 2023
Delicious Certified Organic Ferments
Delicious Certified Organic Ferments
Hey! We knew you’d be back for Part Two of Lactobacillus Plantarum (LP), because we know that you’re keen to look after yourself, your health and your body. We know that you want to know exactly what you’re putting into your body when you’re eating our raw, delicious, vegan and 100% Aussie made Love Organics ferments. That’s why we do these blogs. So you can stay informed and up to date on important findings to do with how and why we use the ingredients that we use to keep our ferments delicious and good for you.
So, you’ve probably heard of trusting your gut, or having a gut feeling. Did you know that the brain and gut connection is so strong that these senses that we have that tell us to avoid something or go toward something, often feel like they’re coming from our gut or chest, but are actually coming from our brain! And our gut microbiome has more to do with it than you might think!
According to The Huberman Lab (1), it’s because of the chemistry that occurs between the brain and the entire digestive system through that little guy, the Vagus Nerve. While much of the digestive system’s performance of breaking down foods and creating waste seems to be an automatic one, the brain is actually driving how dynamically it’s working. From how quickly you digest your food, to the hormones that are secreted at times of stress, your brain is controlling everything your digestive system is doing and how effectively it’s doing it. This means that your brain, if you need it to, can adjust the chemistry of your gut. However, it also means that your gut, if it’s not properly being taken care of, can impact the chemistry and performance of your brain. It’s a two way street and when they’re working in symbiosis, it works perfectly, but when they’re not, well that’s when things can get a little weird.
Mood, memory, academic performance and physical capability are all affected when the brain and the gut are going haywire. This connection is often called the gut-brain axis (2). In fact, the gut has sometimes even been called a “second brain” because of its ability to produce the same neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid. If you didn’t already know, these neurotransmitters play a huge role in mood regulation. In fact, it’s estimated that around 90% of serotonin is made in the digestive tract (3). So it’s no wonder that we humans have such a huge connection to food. Not only does it connect us to things like family and culture, but it also connects us to those warm fuzzy feelings we get when serotonin is coursing through our bodies.
This gut-brain axis also connects us to the food that we both need and crave, and sometimes that food isn’t the best for us. In fact, in the last ten years there have been studies finding cells named neuropod cells that are responsible for sending sensory signals through to the brain (4).
That means that these signals can tell the brain that the gut, or the body, still seriously wants that last piece of chocolate cake and you best believe that trusty brain is going to shout at you until you take it. In fact, studies into neuropod cells found that the majority of people have a selective preference for sweet foods regardless of how sweet the food actually tastes on the tongue because of the way that the gut behaves when it’s activated by the sugars (5). So, it’s kind of not really your fault that the chocolate cake calls to you, it’s just a cell preference. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take responsibility for your health and wellbeing by both enjoying that piece of chocolate cake as well as some gut microbiome activating goodness like Love Organics’ ferments. It’s all about balance.
When we ingest probiotics like LP in their raw and natural state, this encourages that gut-brain axis to get busy and get healthy. Incorporating more natural, organic and raw foods that contain this biota into your diet has shown that it can enhance your brain performance in memory, academics and ability to regulate stress (5). Coupled with good habits like less screen time and more you time, means your brain gets to chill a bit on the stress train and can start to re-regulate your gut and digestive health, and vice versa. That two way street is a sunny one to walk one when you’re looking after yourself.
Love Organics uses our 100% vegan, organic and Aussie made probiotic strains to support that gut-brain axis. We know that life is busy and we know that it can be hard sometimes to always find the healthiest food when you’re on the go. We are trying in our way to make these foods as accessible as possible because we LOVE you to your guts and back.
We LOVE bringing you well researched and informative articles that help you to make healthy decisions and form great habits, but we’re not doctors. Sadly, for our mums, we never have been, we’re just really passionate about holistic health. But our information and advice is not intended as a substitute for professional or personal medical advice and should not be relied upon as such. Always seek allied professional medical guidance should you have any health concerns or a medical condition.
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