microbiome Archives - Be Well Solutions

Butterflies in Your Stomach – A Great Example of the Gut-Brain Connection!

Have you ever felt "butterflies in your stomach" before a significant event or during moments of stress? This sensation is not just a metaphor but a vivid illustration of how closely our gut and brain communicate, influencing our overall health and well-being. The notion that gut health and well-being are connected is not new. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, famously stated, "All disease begins in the gut", over 2000 years ago. Throughout history and across various cultures, dietary practices have long been devised with a focus on promoting overall health. Your Brain and Belly talk in several ways. Your brain and gut have bidirectional communication through several different mechanisms including: Direct nerve connections. The vagus nerve, a key player in the autonomic (“fight or flight”) nervous system connects directly to nerves lining the intestinal walls. These nerves are sometime called [...]

Gut-Lung Axis

Health starts in your gut – listen to it! Lots of different types of bacteria, viruses, and fungi call your body home, and most of them live in your gut. This bacteria in the gut, or the gut microbiome, is responsible for much more than just digestive problems. In fact, bacteria get a bad reputation - some causes disease but others are important for your health. They help dictate how we feel and how our bodies function. When there isn’t enough diversity in your gut microbiome, it increases the risk of chronic diseases. What is the gut-lung axis? You may have heard that there is a connection between your gut and your brain, but did you know that there’s also a connection between your gut and your lungs? Long-term digestive problems can make you more likely to develop breathing problems. [...]