Digestive Health and Anxiety or OCD
The gastrointestinal system with its nutrient gathering function is the starting point for everything our body does, and good health is reliant on it working well and being in balance. Along with nutrient connections there is an abundace of data confirming that gut health and gut microbiome are strongly tied to mental and neurological health. Gut health is a critical component of any anxiety or OCD plan.
How gut health is evaluated:
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- Stool Testing - Identifies dysbiosis, infections, and digestive imbalances.
- Food Sensitivity Testing
- Diet History
- Genetic Testing - Reveals biochemical and detoxification predispositions.
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Treatment Priorities:
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- Supplements and medications to eliminate infections.
- Nutrient supplements or botanicals to restore healthy function.
- Nutrition and diet therapies.
- Healthy microbiome restoration.
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Some fun GI facts:
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- The human intestines are 20+ feet long.
- Around 80% of our body’s serotonin (the neurotransmitter often associated with depression and anxiety) is in your gut.
- A majority of your immune cells reside in the GI tract.
- There is enough surface area to cover a tennis court.
- More information goes from your gut to your brain than from your brain to your gut.
- It is referred to as the 'second brain' because of all the neurological activity it has.
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