Can It Really Help Your Brain?

Yes! Whilst it seems crazy, the latest research does show that what happens in the gut does crossover and affect the blood brain barrier, and - when things are good in your gut - your mental health and brain gets a boost. Studies done at Harvard Medical found that the two closely interact, and in fact, "a person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression. That's because the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) system are intimately connected."

And Your Vagina?!?

Also true. Something known as the ‘gut-vagina-axis’ allows the overall health of the gut to interact with the health of the vagina - namely the amount of lactobacillus (the bacteria responsible for keeping your vagina healthy and your vaginal pH in balance) present. Lower levels of lactobacilli in the gut can allow pathogens like E.coli and strep to colonise, and make their way to the vaginal canal, resulting in infection. As more and more studies are done, we can see how the gut plays a significant role in keeping our overall health in check!

The gut microbiome also plays a major role in regulating the body’s immune system. When the immune system in the gut is balanced, it can affect local immunity in the vaginal area as well. For instance, a healthy gut microbiome can lead to a stronger immune defense in the vaginal environment, protecting against infections like bacterial vaginosis (BV) or yeast infections. Disruption of the gut microbiome (dysbiosis) can lead to systemic inflammation. This inflammation can affect the vaginal microbiome by altering local immune responses or promoting microbial imbalances, which might lead to conditions like BV or even increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

And that's not all! The vaginal microbiome plays a role in protecting against UTIs by preventing the colonization of harmful bacteria. A healthy gut microbiome, by promoting overall immune function, might also help reduce the incidence of UTIs.

Hormones, particularly estrogen, influence both the gut and vaginal microbiomes. Estrogen plays a role in the vaginal environment by promoting the growth of Lactobacillus species, which help to maintain a healthy, acidic pH and protect against infections. Hormonal fluctuations, such as those occurring during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, can lead to changes in the microbiome composition of both the gut and vagina.

You can learn more about the link between the vaginal microbiome and gut health from Dr. Robyn by watching the video below:
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What Foods Actually Help Increase GOOD Gut Bacteria?

And why does this matter for your vagina? Well, The gut microbiome produces a range of metabolites, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate. These metabolites are critical for maintaining health in various parts of the body, including the vaginal ecosystems. SCFAs are known to lower the pH in the vaginal environment, which is an important defense mechanism against pathogenic microbes. A balanced gut microbiome that produces SCFAs can help maintain a healthy acidic pH in the vagina, which helps to prevent infections like BV.

This list is foods that specifically help to increase the good bacteria in your gut and thus reduce what is known as gut 'dysbiosis' wherein the balance of good and bad gut bacteria get out of balance.

1. Yoghurt - Live yoghurt is an excellent source of so-called friendly bacteria, also known as probiotics.
2. Kefir - This probiotic yoghurt drink is made by fermenting milk and is packed with good bacteria (which can help to reduce a leaky gut).
3. Miso - Miso is made from fermented soya beans, plus barley or rice, and contains helpful bacteria and enzymes.
4. Sauerkraut - This is finely chopped cabbage that has been fermented. This is a great source of probiotics, fibre and vitamins.
5. Kimchi - This Korean speciality of fermented vegetables brings the benefits of probiotic bacteria along with vitamins and fibre.
6. Sourdough - Made by fermenting the dough, it’s more digestible than regular bread and its energy releases slowly.
7. Almonds - These have good probiotic properties, which means they are a treat for your gut bacteria – high in fibre, and full of fatty acids and polyphenols.
8. Olive Oil - Gut bacteria and gut microbes like a diet of fatty acids and polyphenols. These are found in olive oil. Studies have shown that it helps reduce gut inflammation. Some studies have also found olive oil to be beneficial in easing indigestion problems and can also benefit your pancreas through lowering its requirement to produce digestive enzymes.
9. Kombucha - Kombucha is a fermented tea drink thought to have originated in Manchuria that is full of probiotic good bacteria.
10. Peas - Gut bacteria need fibre to flourish, so the more fruit and vegetables you consume the better. Peas are full of soluble and insoluble fibre to help keep your system in balance.
11. Brussel Sprouts - Much more than a festive staple, they contain the kinds of fibre that good bacteria like and sulphur compounds which help combat unhealthy bacteria such as H pylori.
12. Bananas - Bananas are full of the kind of fibre that good bacteria enjoy. They also contain healthy minerals.
13. Garlic - Garlic, with its antibacterial and antifungal properties, can help keep “bad” gut bacteria under control and help balance yeast in the gut. The properties within garlic act as a fuel source to allow the bacteria to do their job better which overall improves gut function and can help heal your gut.
14. Ginger - Fresh ginger can help in the production of stomach acid and it stimulates the digestive system to keep food moving through the gut.

What Else Helps?

The foods mentioned above are ones that really promote good bacteria, often due to their fermentation, however, there are other things that can be done to ensure that gut health is optimized.

• Overall diet - a plant heavy, mediterranean diet is considered to be one of the best diets out there, not just for health and longevity, but also for overall gut health. This diet has little to no processed foods, is high in both good fats and plants, and has only small amounts of meat and dairy.
• Limiting Antibiotic Use - whilst antibiotics are necessary when we are struggling (think, that UTI from hell), we want to avoid misusing antibiotics, i.e., stopping the course half way, taking old antibiotics, or self prescribing. Antibiotics should only be used when we really need to use them, as they do wipe out both good and bad bacteria.
• Exercise - It really does help! "Recent studies suggest that exercise can enhance the number of beneficial microbial species, enrich the microflora diversity, and improve the development of commensal bacteria. All these effects are beneficial for the host, improving its health status."