Bone broth is the ultimate stairway to luminous skin and a slim physique. But the true power of this cleansing diet lies in its ability to serve as a natural antidepressant.
Surprisingly, this flavorful bowl can relieve feelings of anxiety, mild depression, and mood swings. How is that possible?
In case you haven’t heard, the health of your stomach can directly influence the state of your mind. In this article, we explore the relationship between the gut and the brain and how bone broth is the missing piece that holds them together.
The Truth About ‘Gut Feeling’
Your gastrointestinal tract houses over 500 million neurotransmitters that directly send signals to the brain. They are connected through the vagus nerve, which cuts across all your internal organs, namely, your heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and intestines.
So, with the presence of sensory neurons in your gut, whatever you take in makes a huge impact on your central nervous system. The food you consume can actually make or break your gut-brain axis, which is crucial in maintaining your overall well-being
How can your diet wreak havoc in your system? Your gut microbiome is covered with trillions of good and bad bacteria. However, when you eat unhealthy food, you disrupt your microbiome, increasing the number of bad bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. This imbalance of bacteria can cause a lot of problems, most especially when it comes to your mood.
When your gut is not healthy, it cannot produce the right amount of “happy hormones” your body needs.
The microbes in your gut are in charge of producing 90% of serotonin. These naturally-occurring chemicals in your body that are in charge of regulating your mood. By not taking care of your microbiome, you hamper the release of serotonin, causing feelings of depression, anxiety, stress, and other mood disorders to your body.
More so, with the lack of a smooth communication line between the gut and the brain, it becomes harder for your gut to send the right signals to your central nervous system.
It’s Not All in Your Head
If you feel as if you’re on cloud nine, it’s probably because of the balanced levels of serotonin in your body. By communicating signals to your nervous system, serotonin is responsible for stabilizing your mood.
Aside from improving sleep, aiding in digestion, and promoting bone health, serotonin primarily works to ensure your body’s overall well-being.
So, a deficiency in serotonin can remarkably affect your behavior in more ways than one. Low levels of this chemical can lead to mood disorders such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsiveness, and many more.
If you want an unbridled route from your gut to your brain, refraining from ingesting endless junk can actually improve the state of your mind big time.
A Hearty Bowl for a Healthy Gut
If you want to press your gut’s reset button, get yourself a warm bowl of bone broth.
Bone broth is made from animal protein or fresh vegetables simmered for 24-48 hours to draw out its nutritious juices. Health buffs run to bone broth when in need of a thorough full-body detox because this cleansing ritual has been proven effective in strengthening skin collagen, enhancing bone health, reducing inflammation, and stifling appetite.
But bone broth is most famous for its role in gut healing. This hearty bowl is filled with gelatin, which is a crucial component in restoring your organ’s connective tissues. It is reported that gelatin can heal those damaged mucosal linings in your gastrointestinal tract, aiding in improved nutrient absorption as well.
Moreover, this delicious soup can greatly restore the health of your gut as it helps maintain the right balance of bacteria in your microbiome. According to research, you can manipulate your gut bacteria in a matter of weeks through a change in diet. So, a daily bowl of bone broth can serve as an effective probiotic juice for your gastrointestinal tract.
In fact, the same research claims that improved digestive conditions resulted in enhanced mood and energy levels. A healthy microbiome paves the way for proper production of serotonin, just like how antidepressants were designed to uplift your spirits by ramping up the levels of serotonin in your body.
Aside from serotonin, a conducive gut microbiome allows the release of dopamine, GABA, and other chemicals that influence your focus, motivation, and anxiety levels.
So, it’s safe to say that with a fully functioning gut, you can stabilize these hormones and reduce the likelihood of experiencing sudden dips in emotion.
If you want to balance the chemicals in your body that are crucial for maintaining your well-being, regularly cleansing your gut with bone broth can be a good first step. Just think of your gut as a backyard in need of lawn installation services to flourish better.
So, aside from popping pills or doing meditation to balance your mood, it can be helpful to focus down there—on your stomach.