In this day and age where everything is instant, it is crucial to take care of our mental and physical fitness. One of the ways to achieve a well-balanced and healthy mind and body is by taking care of what we eat. After all, we are what we eat. So for us to be healthy, we have to maintain a robust digestive system. 

In today's episode, we're joined by Dr Amy Loughman of the Food & Mood Centre. We’ll talk about the importance of the gut microbiome and how it affects and maintains our mental health. She will also discuss psychobiotics and how they affect our brain functions.

Tune in to the show to learn how healing can start in our guts! 

About Our Guest:

Dr Amy Loughman is a post-doctoral research fellow who leads the microbiome research team at the Food & Mood Centre. She is clinically trained in neuropsychology and is an expert in memory function and brain diseases.

The Role of Gut Microbiome in Our Wellbeing

Understanding Mood and Memory Changes 

• There can be fluctuations across our lifespan, and a lot of them are normal.
• If you are experiencing low mood and other symptoms that are bothering you, it is not always a sign of dementia. 
• Failures in your memory could be due to many things such as high level of stress.
• Depression can change the clarity of your thinking and the way your brain works.

Importance of Nutrition and Sleep 

• Sleep can maintain cognitive health and fitness.
• High levels of nutrition throughout the lifespan, and particularly as we age, can significantly affect our susceptibility to cognitive decline and dementia. 
• Sleep, physical activity, and stress combined provide a risk profile for people in terms of brain health in their older age.

What Is a Microbiome?

• It is usually referred to as the gut microbiome.

• The microbiome is a collective community of microorganisms that comprises mostly of bacteria, as well as fungi, algae, and other microscopic life forms.
• It is approximately a kilogram of massive microorganisms living mostly in the large intestine and throughout the digestive tract.
• It’s also important in the oral cavity.

Recommended Diet for a Healthy Brain and Gut

• The Australian Dietary Guidelines is a useful resource.
• Some recommended foods are plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean animal proteins.
• Limit your consumption of processed food and snacks. 

Psychobiotics 

• It is a gut-directed therapy that aims to target the brain positively.
• Probiotic: living organism or bacteria that we take to add to the community of organisms
• Prebiotic: a type of fibre that feeds the bacteria or the probiotic
• Symbiotic: a combination of the two
• There have been animal studies which show that specific gut-directed microbiomes changed their brain function and improved their behaviour.
• It is, however, tricky to recommend a particular probiotic or prebiotic.

Maintaining the Robustness of Our Microbiome

• Take care of your physical health.
• Even if you drink antibiotics, the gut bacteria bounces back and replenishes with proper diet.
• Avoid foods which contain artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, and preservatives.

How Bacteria Communicates with Our Brain 

• The vagus nerve connects the brain to almost all the organs of the body, including the gut. 
• Bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids when they metabolize food. These byproducts can signal directly to the brain, as well as cells around the body, about the state of the gut.
• It signals the brain through the bloodstream that there's inflammation in the body.
• We can experience more inflammation as we age. We can mitigate this by keeping our health in check. 

How the Gut Influences Disease Process

• An inflammatory response is also a factor.
• Bacteria are involved in the accumulation of amyloid beta-protein, which accumulate in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. 
• There are bacteria present in the brain tissue of people who have died without Alzheimer's disease.
• The bacteria found were in quite high levels that correspond to bacteria in the mouth. It again suggests that it’s not just the gut bacteria but also the oral cavity.

The Healthy Brain Project

• It is a project run by Florey students for the people of Melbourne who might be interested in knowing more about brain health and taking part in an annual survey.
• It seeks to understand the lifestyle and biomarkers that relate to a risk of Alzheimer's disease in healthy middle age.
• They are looking at the earlier part of life to see whether they can identify the factors that are increasing or decreasing the risk.
• They are also finding specific biomarkers to give an insight into how the brain changes well before symptoms emerge.
• The project aims to generate preventive strategies for factors that impact the gut microbiome and the brain. 

Resources

Book

• Memory-Wise by Dr Anne Unkenstein

Websites

• Gut Microbiota For Health
• Australian Dietary Guidelines

You can reach out to Dr Amy by sending her an email. You may also connect with her on Twitter and Instagram. Check out the Mind Body Microbiome and Food and Mood Centre to know more about the microbiome and how it affects our wellbeing.

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Grab a free copy of the Memory Health Toolkit today and know what you can do to reduce your risk for memory loss. You can reach me on my website and connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Disclaimer: The purpose of Memory Health Made Easy Podcast is to educate and to inform. It is no substitute for professional care by a doctor or qualified professional. This podcast is provided on understanding that it does not constitute medical or personal professional advice or services. Instead, we would encourage you to discuss your options with a health care provider who specializes in your particular needs.