STRESS - Is it all in your head?

As the research into the impact of our gut microbiome on health wellbeing is expending, I wanted to highlight the relationship between our microbiome and stress.

Our digestive system contains its own neural network called the enteric nervous system, which provides direct communication between the gut and brain - the ‘gut-brain axis.’

The health of the communication channel is essential for our ability to manage stress and is dependent on the health of our microbiome.

The microbiome as you may know, is comprised of an entire community of microorganisms - both good and bad bacteria, living within our large intestine.

When the balance of bad bacteria outweighed the good, our microbiome becomes imbalanced and impairs our ability to manage stress by changing the communication within the gut-brain axis.

Including foods that are naturally rich in prebiotics- food that feeds the good bacteria - has been shown to reduce perceived stress.

So all you busy ladies - make sure to prioritise your intake of fibre & fermented foods.

In winter you can batch cook some soups / stews with a base of prebiotic onions (red, white and / or green - the more colours the better diversity for your microbiome), garlic, leeks, and add in any combination of veggies - my favourites are carrots, squash, mushrooms and spinach. Then stir in some cooked quinoa, chickpeas or any lentils for some protein. And perhaps top it with some kimchi when you’re ready to eat!

Batch cook it, freezer it because who CBA to be cooking all day!