The Experts Weigh In: Not Just A Gut Feeling!

Image via getresponse.com

BY: CYNTHIA HENRICH, CONTRIBUTOR

"The primary seat of insanity is generally in the region of the stomach and intestines." - Philippe Pinel, 1807

Imagine for a moment that you find yourself in a strange room. Surrounding you are heaps of garbage which are oozing a rather disturbing Love Canal-like substance onto the floor that even the bugs are avoiding. And the bugs; hoards of bugs munching on some sticky, sugary stuff wedged into the nooks and crannies of the floor boards. There’s a cleaning lady frantically trying to mop up the mess, but it’s impossible to keep up. You’re starting to feel a bit nauseous and unable to focus. Out of the corner of your eye you notice a rather shady looking gang of people and notice the flash of a weapon here and there on their bodies. Your tend to really absorb the energy of your surroundings, so at this moment you are teetering between a soul-sucking depression and a massive breath-stealing anxiety attack. There were a couple of policeman patrolling a moment ago, you seem to remember, until you notice that they are tied up over in the corner. You suddenly have a flash of clarity and see that there are gaping holes in the walls and that you can escape through them. No sooner are you through the nearest breach, when you are assaulted, asked for your ID (which no one can decipher) and pinned to the ground. You are told that you have triggered a security alert and have been determined a threat to the community. And your nightmare is just beginning.

That’s what conditions are like in an imbalanced digestive system. 

The villi lining your intestines - Image via flylib.com

Your intestinal system is a complex environment that is truly the core of your health. What you eat is only a part of the picture. What you absorb and what you can produce and defend against are the other big parts of this puzzle. A healthy small intestine is lined with villi, small finger-like projections that if spread out over a surface would be equivalent to the area of a tennis court. These villi are responsible for absorbing what we consume, by letting nutrients seep into our bloodstream so the body can use them for energy. 

Throughout our intestinal system, we have bacteria that function almost as an independent organism. This is known as our microbiota. Eating fermented foods and taking different probiotics can help to keep this system balanced and healthy. These bacteria fight for real estate on the lining of our intestines. This can get challenging, because the typical diet tends to feed the bad bacteria and give them the edge in the battle. The good guys prefer to eat non-sugary, green based foods, and the bad guys just want sugar and junk. Guess who usually wins the battle?

These microbiota are where the story gets very interesting. They help to regulate inflammation in our body by controlling certain inflammatory markers known as cytokines. Cytokines are like the special forces warriors that support the bad bacterial troops with flame throwers. They run the good guys out of town and invite over their friends... the yeast, viruses, fungal colonies and (if the party is really happening) the parasites get in the game. At this point, it’s the Animal House fraternity party of epic proportions, and you know what that’s like to clean up. Our inflammation gets out of control, and the good bacteria cannot produce the neurotransmitters that are crucial for a calm and balanced mood and brain. So the holy war going on in our intestines is mirrored in our brain, which is literally so inflamed that it feels like it’s on fire. 

Image via nicecarmrslarusso.blogspot.com

Now that we’ve broken the proverbial windows and punched holes in the sheetrock of our intestines, food that is not properly digested is making its way into our bloodstream. This is known as a leaky gut and these undigested proteins are being coded as invaders by our immune system. The immune system now initiates an attack which is the basis of many of our autoimmune conditions. This is similar to my example earlier where you were trying to escape the room but security considered you a threat to the environment. You know that you’re a good guy, but no one recognizes you anymore.

The gut is the production and storage facility for approximately 90% of the neurotransmitters that enable our brains to perform with clarity. Some of the top offenders responsible for throwing our system out of balance are:

•  chemically laced processed foods
•  foods treated with pesticides and fertilizers
• genetically modified foods
•  sugar and substances digested as sugar
• antibiotic usage
•  unrecognized or ignored food allergies and intolerances
•  stress
•  hormonal imbalances
• resultant nutritional deficiencies

There is a relationship between certain neurotransmitters and our microbiota. Different strains can reduce anxiety, reduce inflammation in bowel conditions, like colitis, IBD and IBS, regulate those inflammatory cytokine warriors, and importantly regulate the neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. If we think of serotonin as being responsible for a happy mood, then we should think of dopamine as being in charge of the rush associated with risk taking. This risk taking could come in the form of gambling, risky sexual behavior, drinking, drug use; these behaviors wash your deprived brain in dopamine. Your brain then craves more dopamine because it is not getting it from a balanced gut system, and this leads to addictive behaviors to constantly provide the pleasure chemical of dopamine to your thirsty brain. Similarly, those feelings of being choked with emotion are due to a release of serotonin in our esophagus; the feeling of having to run to the bathroom is also due to a release of serotonin, but in our intestines (often why Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRI’s, are prescribed off label for constipation).

The key is achieving and maintaining the health and balance of your digestive system and the over one hundred million neurotransmitters that line its length, which incredibly is approximately the same number as in the brain. So when you have a gut feeling about something, it’s not just a saying - it’s the reality of your physiology.

Cynthia Henrich is a Certified Holistic Health Coach specializing in healing gastrointestinal conditions, inflammation, and cancer with an integrative approach. You can join her "tribe" on Facebook at Holistic Health Insider and follow her latest project on Facebook at Urban Homesteading - The Sanctuary on the Glen Project. I've been blessed to call Cynthia my personal Health Coach and she has helped me immensely.

Flash Those Pearly Whites: Spread the LOVE!

Image courtesy of craftedesign.com

I visited New York City for the first time during my sophomore year of college. Courtney B. Minton (yes, the 'B' is important), my very best friend and former hall mate in the dorm, accompanied me on my adventure. The trip was EPIC. We saw a hit-and-run up close and personal, made our TV debut during a shout-out on MTV's Total Request Live, tried (and failed miserably, I might add) at buying a fake I.D. in Chinatown, accidentally ate someone else's dinner at a communal-style meal on Canal Street and met some real live New York City firefighters, who subsequently snuck us into a club since our fake ID attempt was a debacle. But that is neither here nor there (sorry, mom and dad!).

The one thing that stuck out to me on my New York trip was that no one was smiling! Not one person.

Courtney and I decided it was our mission to fix this horrible crime against humanity. We hit the streets early (while bagel-hunting for breakfast), and made a valiant attempt to smile and say 'good morning!' to everyone we passed. It went something like this -- Good morning! Good morning! Good morning! - gasp for air - Good morningggggg! So many people! So little time!

Me and the infamous Courtney B. (aka. Trouble with a Capital 'T')

It worked though! People started to smile, after recovering from their confusion, of course. It was emotional contagion at its best. Emotional contagion is the simple concept that says emotions are, in fact, contagious. This concept is painfully obvious in children. When a young child falls down and scrapes their knee, they often look to their parent for a reaction. You look horrified... they scream bloody murder. You speak to them in quiet, soothing tones... they calm down. It's emotional contagion for dummies.

We have a tendency as humans to mimic the non-verbal cues expressed by those around us. If a co-worker woke up on the wrong side of the bed, suddenly your day may seem a little less than stellar. If your significant other comes home from work with their panties in a wad, you can count on the onset of a crappy mood, followed by a crappy evening, possibly leading into a crappy morning. But if your friend meets you for lunch giving off positive vibes and sharing uplifting thoughts, you, my friend, will leave lunch feeling like you just won the lottery.

Image courtesy of liberationfromthelie.com

This should excite you because it means YOU have the power to cause physiological changes in the people around you. While doing them a favor, you're also causing changes in your OWN body at the same time. Studies have shown that when you give a Duchenne smile (an authentic smile categorized by your eyes wrinkling and your pearly whites flashing), you start to experience the health benefits automatically. Your body releases serotonin and dopamine (the 'happy' hormones), your immune system gets a boost, your stress levels subside and your blood pressure comes down.

Just the simple act of allowing your face to express a positive or negative emotion has physiological affects on your body. When your nose creases and your eyes narrow (aka. the angry face), your adrenaline kicks in and your heart rate changes. Likewise, when the corners of your mouth turn upwards and your eyes brighten, the 'happy' hormones set in. You can basically trick your body into being happy just by controlling your facial expressions.

Image courtesy of killerforfashion.blogspot.com

Yeah, that's right, we're gettin' all hippie up in here today! Monday is one of those days that's short on smiles, so I ask you today to go forth and spread the vitamin L (that's short for LOVE)! Or, as my favorite bumper sticker says, 'Live the life you love'. People will notice your smile and be inspired to follow suit. 

Today, I'd like to leave you with something I wrote a few years ago that seems to apply to our topic perfectly. So read it while sipping your morning coffee and give that 'case of the mundays' a run for it's money.

Hate is such a strong word.

It should never leave the tongue.

It tears into the heart, my friend,

And cannot quickly be undone.

The heart that feels it, festers,

Crumbles 'till it dies.

And when the heart is dead, my dear,

No pain it can disguise.

Love's the language of the wise.

It bolsters and it listens.

It rarely finds a fault, my friend,

And quickly offers forgiveness.

The heart that shows it, swells,

Grows until it bursts.

And when the heart is full, my dear,

It will never put itself first.

Compassion's a gift to hurting hearts.

It always comes in time.

It understands a wrong, my friend,

And rarely chooses to remind.

The ones that lives it, learns,

Reaps the blessings given.

And when they need compassion, my dear,

It always declares them forgiven.

Furry Friends: Why Pets are Good for your Health

I stayed home from work sick today (boo), but my little Walter (or should I say 'Nurse Walter') took good care of me. He showed me lots of attention and made sure I stayed hydrated. He even offered to whip up some chicken noodle soup for me...but hey, I didn't want to be too needy.

But all this furry attention got me wondering... Why do pets just make you feel so much better?


Here are just some of the surprising benefits of owning a pet...


Spending time with your pet elevates your serotonin and dopamine levels, chemicals associated with well-being. At the same time, it lowers your cortisol levels, a hormone associated with stress. - Kind of hard to have a panic attack when your furry friend is around!

Studies show that pet owners have lower blood pressure when undergoing stressful situations. - The cutest cure for high blood pressure on the market!

Pet-owners who've had heart attacks tend to survive much longer than those without pets. - Pets are good for your heart!

People with pets tend to find themselves in more social situations - whether at the dog park or on the street talking with other pet owners. They tend to be less isolated and have more positive interactions with others, thereby improving mood. - Furry friends get YOU more Facebook friends!

Dog owners specifically are generally more physically active and tend to be less overweight than those without pets. - Man's best friend AND best workout partner!

And last, but definitely not least, pets can be 'date magnets', getting the attention of the opposite sex and providing a conversation starter. - Who needs online dating?


And on top of that, they're just so darn cute! On that note, I will leave you with a photo montage of my main squeeze, Walter the Wondercat.

What's your furry friend's name and what's the best part about having a pet? Post a comment or a pic!