{"id":104,"date":"2017-11-07T06:02:05","date_gmt":"2017-11-07T06:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/healing-health-wellness\/?p=104"},"modified":"2020-01-24T22:12:13","modified_gmt":"2020-01-24T22:12:13","slug":"more-than-a-gut-feeling-how-the-critters-that-live-inside-our-bodies-influence-our-minds-microbiome-brain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/healing-health-wellness\/2017\/11\/more-than-a-gut-feeling-how-the-critters-that-live-inside-our-bodies-influence-our-minds-microbiome-brain\/","title":{"rendered":"More Than a (Gut) Feeling: How the Critters That Live Inside Our Bodies Influence Our Minds"},"content":{"rendered":"

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That \u201cGut Feeling\u201d Gone Bad<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many have used the expression, \u201cI have a gut feeling about\u2026\u201d to explain an intuitive sense of a situation or an impeding sense of danger. Although not a fully explored or understood topic in research, it appears that this \u201csense of knowing<\/a>,\u201d combined with experience\/expertise, is an effective approach for situations that require quick, intense decisions. (1,<\/a> 2<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Several studies<\/a> have suggested that depressed individuals tend to have an inability to access their intuition, making them compromised decision makers. This can negatively impact<\/a> their relationships, self-esteem, self-care, and ability to appreciate<\/a> and adapt to various social and work situations.<\/p>\n

Healthline<\/a> reports:<\/p>\n

The <\/em>NIMH<\/a> estimates that in the United States, 16 million adults had at least one major depressive episode in 2012. That\u2019s 6.9 percent of the population. According to the <\/em>World Health Organization<\/a> (WHO), 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. It is a leading cause of disability. <\/em><\/p>\n

Data from the <\/em>National Survey on Drug Use and Health<\/a> highlights the problem among young adults. From 2008 to 2010, more than 8 percent of young adults between the ages of 18 and 22 reported a major depressive episode in the previous year. <\/em><\/p>\n

Although social scientists may debate the psychological<\/a> theories for this, and biochemistry has sought to correct depressive moods through neurotransmitter manipulation and other methods<\/a>, there are many reasons that the brain may be \u201coff-tune.\u201d<\/p>\n

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(The Overwhelming Amount of) Factors That Influence Brain Health and Mood <\/strong><\/p>\n

In a previous blog<\/a>, I discussed the complexity of factors involved in brain health. Manipulating only one has its limitations and can create even more imbalances than were present to start. Some of the factors include:<\/p>\n