The gut is quite literally the second brain with the ability to significantly influence mind, mood and behaviour. Researchers find that depression and a wide variety of behavioural problems appear to stem from nutritional deficiencies or imbalance of bacteria in gut.
A recent article by the Weston A Price Foundation, titled ''Violent Behaviour. A solution in Plain Sight", highlighted the impact of nutrition on brain health and behaviour reviewing the importance of a number of dietary factors.
- Fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A and K2
2. Water soluble vitamins like B1, B6, B12
3. Minerals such as iodine, iron, magnesium, zinc, chromium, manganese
4. Specific brain nutrients like choline, ARA, DHA
Excitotoxins constitute a worse threat in the food supply. Examples of excitotoxins involve monosodium glutamate and aspartame. People who live on processed foods and who drink diet sodas are exposed to various mind altering chemicals.
Throughout the years environmental trends have played a dominant role in the diet. Consumption of high quality probiotic and non pasteurised, traditionally fermented foods is an effective way to maintain a gut flora that encourages good level of health. Such foods involve Fermented Vegetables, Lassi (indian yoghurt drink), Fermented Milk (kefir) and Natto (fermented soy).
The ideal is the consumption of a wide variety of fermented foods to maximize the variety of bacteria. Gut bacteria are an active and integrated part of the body thus they are vulnerable to every type of lifestyle. Overall processed foods compromise the gut bacteria and feed bad bacteria and yeast. In addition to this gut bacteria express high sensitivity to:
- Antibiotics
- Chlorinated Water
- Antibacterial soap
- Agricultural chemicals
- Pollution
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