My journey with gut and mental health started years ago.
I work brings me purpose and joy
At the time, I didn’t realize what was happening. I developed IBS back in the early 90’s and was immediately treated with medication, which helped but…..
I then developed depression. Basing it on the fact I had a difficult relationship and moved away from friends and work I loved, I agreed to antidepressants which helped, but….
I would later again develop gut related stress symptoms, that made me look at what types of food I was eating. I chose to eliminate the common foods that can cause gut issues like gluten, dairy, corn, eggs, and legumes. It helped but…..
Santa Fe River
My gut and my brain were experiencing stress related symptoms, as I was living a very stressful life. The gut and brain are related. When our gut isn’t functioning optimally, our brain experiences symptoms like depression and anxiety (which are on the rise). Treating our gut or mental health without looking at the other doesn’t make sense.
It wasn’t until I learned that my daily choices and lifestyle were at the root cause of my diseases.
Dr Casey Means, author of Good Energy states: Hoards of scientific studies have suggested that diet and gut health have a profound impact on our mental health outcomes through the “gut-brain axis” as well as by the way in which our gut lining can protect our bodies from system-wide inflammation that can then trigger symptoms in the brain.
Some of the symptoms that are related to gut/brain imbalances are
Depression & Anxiety
Chronic Fatigue & Brain Fog
All Digestive Symptoms
Chronic pain anywhere in the body
Sleep disturbances
These symptoms are rapidly becoming “normal” in our society, but they are far from normal! They are common which is different and most people do what I did - they take medication to fix their symptoms without looking under the hood as to why they have them in the first place.
For me it was not realizing how I pushed myself daily, didn’t deal with my stressful situations, and kept moving at 100 miles an hour each day, falling into bed exhausted, and doing it all again the next day.
The body can’t handle it and over time it will start showing symptoms. Especially when we move toward perimenopause time.
So what to do?
First, look at your daily choices and the way you live your life. Are you taking quiet time each day for meditation or contemplation or prayer? Are you eating clean whole nutritious foods regularly? Do you rest when you are tired?
Then spend more time doing what you love. Women have been taught to do for others and put themselves last, but for true vibrant health, especially during perimenopause and beyond, the opposite is true. Like when you fly and the airline steward tells you to put your oxygen mask on first before helping others.
At the heart of all dis-ease and imbalances is our daily choices. What time we go to bed, what we watch on TV, who we spend time with, and what and how we eat all have an impact on our health.
Sometimes it’s hard to see our own crazy. Sometimes we need support. If you have someone, go talk with them. If not, you can talk with me. I have experience personally with this issue AND I have education to help others.
I work through the lens of Ayurveda and Yoga, but I also have a background in health and wellness. There are things you can do right away to subside or even eliminate your symptoms.
You CAN have a happy, healthy, vibrant life!
Ocean is my happy place