SELF HEALTH + HEALING

Scientists are becoming increasingly certain that all the stuff we put through our digestive system is making a major impact on our state of mind. 

The basic gist: There's a keen physiological link between the brain and digestive system. Here's how Dr. Helene M. Savignac, an expert in neuropsychology, cognitive, and behavioral science, explains it:

“Scientists are now revealing that there is a strong link between what happens in the gut and the brain. The bacteria that reside in the gut appear to play an important role and are able to communicate with the central nervous system notably through neural, endocrine, and immune pathways. By influencing the balance and types of bacteria present, studies show that it may be possible to lower stress, [and] affect cognition/brain processes and mood.” 

Kombucha has many health benefits. It's not just a delicious alternative to soda, it's a health tonic.

I started drinking the kombucha six years ago when I learned about all the health benefits.

Kombucha is so much better than soda. Why have a fizzy drink with aspartame and caramel coloring when you can have a drink rich in B vitamins and probiotic bacteria that helps to heal your gut and build your immunity?

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a naturally carbonated, fermented tea. As you may know, fermented foods are very good for you.

Farting. There, I said it.

Here at uBiome we often refer to the microbiome as the bacteria that live in and on your body, but according to a paper co-authored just last month by James Meadow, a former University of Oregon researcher, we really ought to add a third microbial environment to this – the space around the body.

You see, according to Meadow each of us is surrounded by a personal “cloud” of bacteria, at least some of which is generated in the form of flatulence.

And when you fart, your emissions contain a cocktail of different gases accompanied by a liberal side-order of gut bacteria.

"Our guts contain trillions of bacteria, all of which control our minds in order to get the foods they want. Controlling them back may help fight obesity,"

"The next time you can’t figure out why you’re suddenly craving a huge slab of ultra-decadent chocolate cake—consider the possibility that it’s not just you doing the craving. New research suggests that the armies of bacteria living in our guts can pull the strings in our brains to get what they want."

We’ve all heard about the bacterial universe within our bodies, but what’s less well known is just how vast this universe is in comparison to the rest of us: bacteria outnumber all of the cells in our body 100 to 1. And just like us, certain bacteria have a taste for certain nutrients, and they’ve developed ways of influencing their hosts to deliver more of their preferred vittles to the dinner table.

"Be honest: when was the last time you thought about how healthy your digestive system was?"

The truth is that we only tend to think about it when something goes wrong, but Gut Week is all about focussing on how important it is to consider what you eat.

Think of the digestive system as the pistons of an engine - to get the most amount of energy, and to ward off future illnesses, it's important to keep it running right.