It's common to talk about a 'gut feeling' or 'following our gut instinct', but the link between this area of the body and the brain is more than just metaphorical. If you've ever felt sick to your stomach when you're stressed or anxious, you know exactly what I'm talking about; that's a prime example of the brain-gut connection at work. These two areas of the body are connected by an extensive network of neurons, chemicals and hormones which help to support our overall health and wellbeing; our digestive system contains more than 70% of the body?s immune system cells and billions of bacteria that work hard to help stop toxins and harmful substances passing into the body. In recent years there's been a lot of buzz about the positive impact looking after your gut can have on the rest of your wellbeing, with it having the potential to aid weight loss as well as improving mood, the appearance of skin and even immunity.
The ideal ratio of bacteria has been estimated at 85% good to 15% bad, but if an imbalance occurs it can have a negative impact on our digestive systems (causing bloating and Irritable Bowel Syndrome) as well as our overall health. Extremely common, these imbalances (caused by simple diet and lifestyle factors) can be addressed with the addition of a probiotic into your daily diet, helping to keep everything working as it should. You may have heard of those little bottles of yogurt drink that are full of sugar and dairy, but a far superior method of addressing ...