Stretch PT & Wellness - May 2018

A YOGURT STATE OF MIND BOOST YOUR MOODWITH Probiotics

Your body plays host to thousands of types of bacteria. The gastrointestinal tract alone is a remarkable ecosystem, filled withmillions uponmillions of microscopic organisms. These organisms play a key role in your ability to digest and process nutrients. But they also play another important role that’s not so obvious: They influence your mood and the way you think. Researchers are studying the“how”behind the connection, but they suspect it has something to do with the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a major nerve that connects the brain and stomach. Bacterial activity in the gut may stimulate the nerve, causing it to produce chemicals in the brain that can change your state of mind.

sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha. When you eat these foods, the cultures they containmay be able to influence your mood. If you need a mood booster, yogurt might help. Studies in bothmice and humans show promising results. In one Caltech study, researchers observed a decrease in anxiety inmice given certain probiotics. In another study published inThe British Journal of Nutrition, researchers observed the effects of specific probiotics on humans. Over a 30-day period, they noted a decrease in the signs of depression and anxiety. Many more studies are currently underway. The future of probiotics for the brain is promising. As we learnmore about the connection between the gut and the brain, we may even be able to treat specific psychological conditions using probiotics.

For now, though, if you want to boost your mood, reach for the yogurt. Just be sure to skip the sugar-laden processed stuff. Go straight for a high-quality Greek yogurt or, if you can find it, an Icelandic-style yogurt called skyr. Both varieties are packed with helpful probiotics andmay help you change your state of mind.

Probiotics—a helpful type of bacteria—are abundant in Greek yogurt and other cultured foods, such as

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