The Gut Brain (Your “Mood Thermostat”)
What it does
- Humans have about 30 trillion human cells
- The gut contains about 38 trillion bacteria
So it’s roughly a 1:1 ratio with slightly more bacterial cells than human cells.
We are more "foreign" bacteria than human cells.
Your gut contains 100 million neurons and that huge community of bacteria produce-
Serotonin
- Your mood stabilizer.Helps you feel calm, steady, emotionally balanced.
Dopamine
- Your motivation spark.Drives focus, rewards, follow-through.
GABA
- Your “calm-me-down” brake pedal.Reduces anxiety, quiets the nervous system.
Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)
- Your brain’s anti-inflammatory fuel that supports memory, mood, and protects against brain aging.
When the gut is inflamed, You may feel-
- More anxious
- More depressed
- More reactive
- Hungrier with more cravings
- Bloated, constipated, or unable to lose weight
- “Tired but wired” at night
How to support it the FitnHealthy way -
- Eat whole, unprocessed foods 80-90% of the time
- Add fermented foods (sauerkraut, kefir, "real" yogurt, therapeutic "human sourced" probiotics)
- Eat 25-30g + of fiber daily
- Eliminate seed oils, processed snacks, and alcohol
- Hydrate well before caffeine
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