March 3, 2025 • 20 mins
Did you know your gut is your “second brain”? The connection between your gut and brain, known as the gut-brain axis, plays a huge role in your mental health. In this episode of Not Your Therapist, we explore how what you eat can impact anxiety, depression, and your overall mood.
Learn why your gut health matters, the signs of gut imbalance, and the foods that can either harm or heal your microbiome. We’ll also share simple, practical steps to improve your gut health, like incorporating probiotic-rich foods, managing stress, and staying hydrated. If you’re ready to take a deeper look at the connection between diet and mental wellness, this episode is for you.
Tune in to discover how small changes to your diet and lifestyle can lead to big improvements in your mood and mental clarity.
👉 Grab your FREE Audio Training: Get Unstuck- 3 Strategies to Break Free from Unhealthy Patterns
👉 Follow me on social @notyourtherapist.kayla
👉 Ask me a question hello@kaylareilly.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey y'all, welcome back to Not your Therapist.
If you have listened to thispodcast before, welcome back.
Thank you so much for thecontinued support and if you've
never listened to a podcast,welcome welcome.
Let's have some fun.
We're going to dive into areally cool topic today and I've
(00:27):
got to admit something to you.
As a therapist, we are trainedto evaluate the whole person.
However, we don't have amedical degree.
We've got a master's degree sixyears of college education and
then two years working under aclinical supervisor.
However, there's not enoughtime to learn everything about
(00:49):
the human psyche and the medicalbody.
We all know it's connected andwe all know it's important, but
this really wasn't an area ofexpertise of mine, so I had to
do a lot of research and thelearning was so cool.
It is so cool what I've learned.
Today.
We're talking about thegut-brain connection, how your
(01:10):
diet impacts your anxiety anddepression.
Here's a fun fact to get usstarted 90% of your serotonin,
the happiness chemical, isproduced in your gut.
Ah, isn't that wild.
I had no idea.
Jeez, that's so cool.
If you've been struggling withanxiety, depression or just
(01:32):
feeling a little off, your gut,health might be a part of the
puzzle, and a big one a big oneif 90% of your serotonin is
produced down there.
Okay, in this episode we'regoing to talk about the science
behind the gut-brain axis.
Have you heard of it?
Neither had I, but I did a lotof research about it and it's
(01:53):
pretty darn cool.
We're also going to talk aboutthe signs that your gut might be
affecting your mood and simple,practical ways to improve your
mental health through your diet.
And I meant simple.
I know y'all are busy.
I know y'all don't have time tobe going to your Whole Foods
store and your co-ops lookingfor quinoa and shit.
(02:17):
Although quinoa is actuallydelicious.
I throw some in with my rice.
Anyways, let's dive in.
We've got a good one today.
Hey there, and welcome to Notyour Therapist the no BS podcast
, where I ditch the therapycouch and get real about life,
love, work and all the messyin-betweens.
(02:37):
I'm Kayla Riley, a licensedtherapist and founder of a group
practice that now runs withoutme, giving me freedom to spend
more time with my littles and toshare the secrets of wellness
I've learned with people likeyou.
This isn't therapy, it's yourgo-to for real talk, practical
tips and the occasional truthbomb to help you thrive.
(02:59):
And the best part no diagnosis,no insurance company
constraints.
I get to take off the whitegloves and tell it like it is,
because I'm not your therapist.
If you're ready to break freefrom unhealthy patterns,
navigate the messiness of lifewith more ease and uncover the
magic in your everyday moments,you're in the right place.
(03:20):
Welcome to your healing era.
Friends, let's do this.
Let's start with the basics.
The gut-brain axis is thecommunication system between
your gut and your brain.
The two organs are constantlychatting through the vagus nerve
(03:41):
and other biochemical pathways.
Chatting through the vagusnerve and other biochemical
pathways.
So your gut is home totrillions of bacteria known as
the gut microbiome.
I had heard that word before,by the way.
Microbiome Okay, these littleguys in the microbiome play a
huge role in regulating yourmood, digestion and your immune
(04:05):
function.
So here's the kicker when yourgut is out of balance, like when
there's too much bad bacteriaand not enough good bacteria, it
can send distress signals toyour brain, contributing to
anxiety and depression.
Makes sense.
Think of your gut as like yoursecond brain when it's inflamed
or it's unhealthy.
Think of your gut as like yoursecond brain when it's inflamed
(04:26):
or it's unhealthy.
It's like, static on the line,the messages between your gut
and brain get scrambled and youfeel it emotionally.
That's why healing your gutisn't just about digestion, it's
about mental health too, and Ithink we can all resonate with
that.
I know that when I eat likeshit, I'm going to feel like
shit, and sometimes I do itanyways, because there's nothing
(04:50):
like a pizza binge on a Fridaynight.
So how do you know if your gutis messing with your mood?
Here are some signs to look outfor.
So the physical signs includebloating, indigestion or
irregular bowel movements.
If your gut's struggling todigest food properly, that
imbalance can ripple throughyour whole body.
(05:11):
And Lord have mercy, do I knowso?
So, so so many of my friendsand my family members and my
clients who have mental healthissues and also have digestion
or poopy issues.
If you don't have regular BMsand you have a mental health
(05:32):
issue, hello, there's your sign.
It's all connected.
Some emotional signs might bepersistent fatigue, brain fog,
irritability or mood swings.
These can all be linked toinflammation or an imbalance in
your gut microbiome.
So here's the catch Stress canalso mess with your gut health,
(05:56):
creating a vicious cycle.
So if stress is impacting yourdigestion, which is impacting
your mood, which creates morestress.
Fun times, right?
The good news is you can breakthat cycle and we're going to
get to how we do that in just alittle bit.
(06:18):
Let's talk food the good, thebad and the downright ugly when
it comes to your gut.
So I know and I think you allknow that little like rule that
if you stay on the outside ofthe grocery store then you're
doing pretty good because that'swhere your fruits are, your
perishables basically.
(06:39):
But if you're going up and downthe aisles and you're getting
cereals and bars and stuff likethat, you're at risk of grabbing
a bunch of processed crap, andprocessed food is one of the
number one things to avoid.
So they're loaded withunhealthy fats and sugars that
can really disrupt your gutbacteria.
(07:00):
Of course, we all know this.
Next one If you're drinkinglike crazy caffeine or alcohol,
then you are consuming gutirritants and you can throw off
your microbiome balance that way.
Microbome I said microbiome,I'm not even going to edit this
out You're going to throw offyour microbiome balance, not
(07:22):
your microbiome balance.
Jeez, all right.
The other one is artificialsweeteners.
So studies suggest that theyharm the good bacteria in your
gut.
And here's something reallyfascinating to me.
We were doing Weight Watchers awhile back when we got pregnant
with Margo.
Obviously, I say we.
I got pregnant, but Robert andI both gained weight sympathy
(07:47):
weight, hey-o.
So when we were trying to losethat baby weight weight,
sympathy weight, hey-o.
So when we were trying to losethat baby weight, we were doing
Weight Watchers and I saw it asa challenge.
I was going to eat as much ashumanly freaking possible with
the lowest amount of points.
I think Weight Watchers isincredibly intelligent with the
way they've done it, becauseit's all about points and it
feels like a little bit of agame.
(08:08):
So fun.
I lost a ton of weight onWeight Watchers.
I think I will do it again if Iever need to lose some weight.
But then there's also toxic dietculture.
We'll talk about that in adifferent episode.
Let's get back to it.
So artificial sweeteners are intons of stuff that's low
calorie.
(08:28):
So if you're like light and fityogurts, for example, tons of
artificial sweeteners.
So all the stuff that makes iteasy to be on a diet is usually
full of this crap which couldimpact you feeling worse, which
might make it less likely foryou to stay on your diet.
So just another reason why,instead of dieting, we should
(08:53):
all just be trying to focus onmore fruits and vegetables and
good for you foods and lessprocessed sugary crap.
So hard to do, especially whenyou're craving a pizza binge on
a Friday.
By the way, when I'm recordingthis, it is a Friday and I am
really craving pizza.
There's a local place that doessourdough um wood fire oven.
(09:20):
You know those fancy pizzasthat are wicked expensive but
they're delicious.
Anyways, let's talk about gutfriendly foods, what you should
be eating instead of 500bazillion pizzas.
Probiotic-rich foods.
Yogurt.
Kefir is what was listed.
I don't even know what the hellthat is.
(09:40):
Let's Google it right now.
Why not?
We're at a computer.
Pause, please.
Kefir.
Kefir is a type of fermentedmilk that let me try again.
That just did not sound good tome at all.
Kefir is a type of fermentedmilk that may help manage blood
(10:01):
sugar, lower cholesterol andboost digestive health.
Super healthy for you,wonderful.
Don't let me yuck someone's yum, but yuck Pass.
But y'all go ahead, but I'mgood, okay.
Another one is kimchi.
Can't stand it.
Can't stand it.
My husband loves kimchiSauerkraut.
(10:24):
I'm here for the sauerkraut.
We went to Germany and I'm allabout that.
Sauerkraut, life and alsokombucha.
No, thank you, another hardpass.
But these probiotic rich foodshelp replenish the good bacteria
in your gut, so they're likehealthy and bonus, yay, gut,
(10:46):
okay.
And where there's probioticrich foods, there are also
prebiotic foods, which I thinkis interesting.
I never knew that, butprebiotic foods include things
like bananas, garlic, onions,asparagus, oats all of which
sound delicious to me.
But you can think of thesefoods as food for your
(11:07):
probiotics.
Prebiotic is for food for yourprobiotic Makes sense.
I like it when they name thingsin a logical way.
Okay, next one's omega-3s.
We all know this is healthy foryou Salmon, walnuts, flax seeds
Flax seeds are not that bad, bythe way, if you grind them up
(11:29):
and put a little bit in youroatmeal Pretty darn good.
Omega-3s actually act asanti-inflammatory and they
support your brain and guthealth.
Of course we've got fiber-richfoods like fruits, vegetables
and whole grains, which keepyour gut moving along.
Get those healthy poops.
We all got to have nice,healthy poops.
(11:54):
And then water Hydration is keyfor digestion and flushing out
toxins that can affect your mood.
And I don't know about y'all,but in the wintertime I have a
lot harder of a time rememberingand prioritizing drinking water
.
In the summertime it's easy forme because I feel thirsty, I'm
drinking lots of water, it justkind of feels like an automatic
thing.
But in the wintertime I reallyhave to be conscious about
(12:18):
drinking water.
Small changes can make a reallybig difference here.
So if you start by swapping outone processed snack that you
usually have for a gut-friendlyoption, you're going to see a
difference over time.
And I'll say this again andagain and again small, easy
(12:40):
changes are more sustainable andtherefore better for us than
big, dramatic changes that wecan't keep up with.
That's true for mental healthstrategies, that's true for diet
changes, that's true forrelationship strategies and
skills.
It's just true.
Small changes that can besustained over time make a
(13:05):
bigger difference and are betterthan big, flashy changes that
you're going to just stop.
Okay, let's get practical.
Here are some easy steps thatyou can take to support that gut
of yours and, in turn, yourmood.
So if you add one gut-friendlyfood to each meal maybe it's a
(13:29):
handful of berries withbreakfast and a side of kimchi
for dinner that can be a reallynice way to start small.
Another one is limit stress.
Good grief, I did the researchfor this.
It sounded good, but then whenI just said that out loud.
We all know that limits stress,but really, truly, truly
(13:51):
mindfulness practices likemeditation or deep breathing can
really actually help improveyour gut health by reducing
stress hormones.
If you haven't already, hopover to one of my older episodes
.
It's called Mindfulness, thatWon't Make you Want to Eye Roll
and that has some strategiesthat you can really incorporate
into your busy life so that youcan reduce the stress without
(14:14):
having to like sit on a cushionand snort incense.
You can also considersupplements like probiotics and
omega-3s can be really helpful,but always talk to your doctor
first and remember that you area whole being.
So I had someone in my life I'mnot going to tell you who,
(14:35):
because that would ruin theiranonymity but I had someone in
my life that would take anexorbitant amount of supplements
.
You would open her cabinet andshe had supplement upon
supplement upon supplement uponsupplement, but she was always
complaining that she wasconstipated and she was always
complaining that she needed tolose weight and she was always
(14:58):
complaining that she was anxiousand didn't feel right.
Right, but if you paidattention to how she was eating,
it was like okay, lady, she wasalways drinking soda which is
full of caffeine, full of sugar,full of chemicals just not
great for you.
And she would only eat tanfoods.
(15:19):
Where are the fruits?
Where are the vegetables?
Where's the water?
No wonder you can't poop.
You're probably backed up since1999.
Good grief, all the supplementsin the world are not going to
be able to save you if you'rechugging Mountain Dews and
eating french fries Just sayingAll right, the other one is
(15:41):
moving your body.
So regular exercise supports ahealthy gut microbiome.
Even a 20 minute little walkcan really help.
And for those of you mamas, youdon't even need this advice,
because if you're doing threeloads of laundry a day, like I
do some days, you're gettingplenty of exercise just being
around the house.
You're getting plenty ofexercise just being around the
(16:04):
house.
Funny plug in here I got awhat's it called?
A Fitbit.
I got a Fitbit a while backbecause I wanted to record my
steps and I know the like madeup.
I don't know if it's made up ornot, but it sounds made up.
Rule of thumb is 10,000 steps aday and I was like there's no
way I'm getting that of.
Thumb is 10,000 steps a day andI was like there's no way I'm
(16:24):
getting that.
Well, one day I had my Fitbiton and I was just doing a stay
at home day.
So I work Mondays, wednesdays,fridays, and Tuesdays and
Thursdays I stay at home with mydaughter and I just do domestic
shit.
So I was doing domestic shitone day with my daughter.
I think I did like severalloads of laundry emptied, the
dishwasher was tidying up, was,you know, organizing the kids
(16:46):
clothes, all the things moms do.
There's so much that we do andsure as shit, 12,000 steps, holy
cow.
But on the days I was working,3,000 steps.
So be mindful of that.
If you're somebody who works ina situation where you're sitting
down, you're on the computer oryou're in meetings or you're a
(17:10):
therapist, for example, try toincorporate movements into your
day.
Walk to the printer, do squatsevery time you stand up right,
whatever it might be for you.
I know walking pads at desksare really popular right now.
So like you can buy fairlycheap now the little walking
pads for like 80 bucks on Amazon.
(17:32):
If you have a little walkingpad, that way when you check
your emails you can be walking,that's pretty cool.
I might be getting one of thosesoon.
It's a really cool idea.
The last tip is is being patient.
It takes time for yourmicrobiome to shift.
So think of this as a marathon,not a sprint.
It's what you do consistentlyover and over and over again.
(17:56):
It's not like the one-offs.
So if you are consistentlymaking small changes that build
on themselves, you're eventuallygoing to feel amazing.
Going to feel amazing.
Let's wrap this one up with someinspiration.
(18:16):
Research shows that improvinggut health can significantly
reduce symptoms of anxiety anddepression.
It's not a quick fix, but it'sa sustainable, science backed
way to support your mentalhealth.
I've seen this firsthand withclients and even in my own life.
When you start taking care ofyour gut, you'll likely notice
more energy, fewer mood swingsand just an overall sense of
(18:39):
better balance in your life, inyour well-being.
It's like maybe not in yourlife, but in your well-being.
Life is like an ocean.
Sometimes it's just stormy andthat's just life.
But if you Sometimes it's juststormy and that's just life, but
if you have a better balancewithin yourself, that's what
we're striving for here.
So if you've got a betterbalance in your gut, for your
gut health, it's like givingyour brain and your body the
(19:03):
tools that they need to thrive.
Your gut and brain are alwaystalking, so let's make sure
they're having a healthyconversation.
Whether it's swapping soda forwater, adding a probiotic food
to one of your meals or taking10 minutes to breathe and relax,
small steps can lead to bigchanges.
If this episode resonated withyou, please share it with a
(19:25):
friend or a family member whomight benefit.
Maybe it's your family memberwho has a cabinet full of
supplements and hasn't been ableto shit since 1999.
And don't forget to subscribeand leave a review for me.
It really helps me to reachmore listeners like you.
So for more tips, check out myfree audio training.
(19:47):
Get Unstuck Three Strategies toBreaking Unhealthy Patterns.
You can get it over atkaylarileycom.
Until next time, take care ofyourself and your gut.
I'll see you soon.
Hey y'all, welcome back to Not your Therapist.
If you have listened to thispodcast before, welcome back.
Thank you so much for thecontinued support and if you've
never listened to a podcast,welcome welcome.
Let's have some fun.
We're going to dive into areally cool topic today and I've
(00:27):
got to admit something to you.
As a therapist, we are trainedto evaluate the whole person.
However, we don't have amedical degree.
We've got a master's degree sixyears of college education and
then two years working under aclinical supervisor.
However, there's not enoughtime to learn everything about
(00:49):
the human psyche and the medicalbody.
We all know it's connected andwe all know it's important, but
this really wasn't an area ofexpertise of mine, so I had to
do a lot of research and thelearning was so cool.
It is so cool what I've learned.
Today.
We're talking about thegut-brain connection, how your
(01:10):
diet impacts your anxiety anddepression.
Here's a fun fact to get usstarted 90% of your serotonin,
the happiness chemical, isproduced in your gut.
Ah, isn't that wild.
I had no idea.
Jeez, that's so cool.
If you've been struggling withanxiety, depression or just
(01:32):
feeling a little off, your gut,health might be a part of the
puzzle, and a big one a big oneif 90% of your serotonin is
produced down there.
Okay, in this episode we'regoing to talk about the science
behind the gut-brain axis.
Have you heard of it?
Neither had I, but I did a lotof research about it and it's
(01:53):
pretty darn cool.
We're also going to talk aboutthe signs that your gut might be
affecting your mood and simple,practical ways to improve your
mental health through your diet.
And I meant simple.
I know y'all are busy.
I know y'all don't have time tobe going to your Whole Foods
store and your co-ops lookingfor quinoa and shit.
(02:17):
Although quinoa is actuallydelicious.
I throw some in with my rice.
Anyways, let's dive in.
We've got a good one today.
Hey there, and welcome to Notyour Therapist the no BS podcast
, where I ditch the therapycouch and get real about life,
love, work and all the messyin-betweens.
(02:37):
I'm Kayla Riley, a licensedtherapist and founder of a group
practice that now runs withoutme, giving me freedom to spend
more time with my littles and toshare the secrets of wellness
I've learned with people likeyou.
This isn't therapy, it's yourgo-to for real talk, practical
tips and the occasional truthbomb to help you thrive.
(02:59):
And the best part no diagnosis,no insurance company
constraints.
I get to take off the whitegloves and tell it like it is,
because I'm not your therapist.
If you're ready to break freefrom unhealthy patterns,
navigate the messiness of lifewith more ease and uncover the
magic in your everyday moments,you're in the right place.
(03:20):
Welcome to your healing era.
Friends, let's do this.
Let's start with the basics.
The gut-brain axis is thecommunication system between
your gut and your brain.
The two organs are constantlychatting through the vagus nerve
(03:41):
and other biochemical pathways.
Chatting through the vagusnerve and other biochemical
pathways.
So your gut is home totrillions of bacteria known as
the gut microbiome.
I had heard that word before,by the way.
Microbiome Okay, these littleguys in the microbiome play a
huge role in regulating yourmood, digestion and your immune
(04:05):
function.
So here's the kicker when yourgut is out of balance, like when
there's too much bad bacteriaand not enough good bacteria, it
can send distress signals toyour brain, contributing to
anxiety and depression.
Makes sense.
Think of your gut as like yoursecond brain when it's inflamed
or it's unhealthy.
Think of your gut as like yoursecond brain when it's inflamed
(04:26):
or it's unhealthy.
It's like, static on the line,the messages between your gut
and brain get scrambled and youfeel it emotionally.
That's why healing your gutisn't just about digestion, it's
about mental health too, and Ithink we can all resonate with
that.
I know that when I eat likeshit, I'm going to feel like
shit, and sometimes I do itanyways, because there's nothing
(04:50):
like a pizza binge on a Fridaynight.
So how do you know if your gutis messing with your mood?
Here are some signs to look outfor.
So the physical signs includebloating, indigestion or
irregular bowel movements.
If your gut's struggling todigest food properly, that
imbalance can ripple throughyour whole body.
(05:11):
And Lord have mercy, do I knowso?
So, so so many of my friendsand my family members and my
clients who have mental healthissues and also have digestion
or poopy issues.
If you don't have regular BMsand you have a mental health
(05:32):
issue, hello, there's your sign.
It's all connected.
Some emotional signs might bepersistent fatigue, brain fog,
irritability or mood swings.
These can all be linked toinflammation or an imbalance in
your gut microbiome.
So here's the catch Stress canalso mess with your gut health,
(05:56):
creating a vicious cycle.
So if stress is impacting yourdigestion, which is impacting
your mood, which creates morestress.
Fun times, right?
The good news is you can breakthat cycle and we're going to
get to how we do that in just alittle bit.
(06:18):
Let's talk food the good, thebad and the downright ugly when
it comes to your gut.
So I know and I think you allknow that little like rule that
if you stay on the outside ofthe grocery store then you're
doing pretty good because that'swhere your fruits are, your
perishables basically.
(06:39):
But if you're going up and downthe aisles and you're getting
cereals and bars and stuff likethat, you're at risk of grabbing
a bunch of processed crap, andprocessed food is one of the
number one things to avoid.
So they're loaded withunhealthy fats and sugars that
can really disrupt your gutbacteria.
(07:00):
Of course, we all know this.
Next one If you're drinkinglike crazy caffeine or alcohol,
then you are consuming gutirritants and you can throw off
your microbiome balance that way.
Microbome I said microbiome,I'm not even going to edit this
out You're going to throw offyour microbiome balance, not
(07:22):
your microbiome balance.
Jeez, all right.
The other one is artificialsweeteners.
So studies suggest that theyharm the good bacteria in your
gut.
And here's something reallyfascinating to me.
We were doing Weight Watchers awhile back when we got pregnant
with Margo.
Obviously, I say we.
I got pregnant, but Robert andI both gained weight sympathy
(07:47):
weight, hey-o.
So when we were trying to losethat baby weight weight,
sympathy weight, hey-o.
So when we were trying to losethat baby weight, we were doing
Weight Watchers and I saw it asa challenge.
I was going to eat as much ashumanly freaking possible with
the lowest amount of points.
I think Weight Watchers isincredibly intelligent with the
way they've done it, becauseit's all about points and it
feels like a little bit of agame.
(08:08):
So fun.
I lost a ton of weight onWeight Watchers.
I think I will do it again if Iever need to lose some weight.
But then there's also toxic dietculture.
We'll talk about that in adifferent episode.
Let's get back to it.
So artificial sweeteners are intons of stuff that's low
calorie.
(08:28):
So if you're like light and fityogurts, for example, tons of
artificial sweeteners.
So all the stuff that makes iteasy to be on a diet is usually
full of this crap which couldimpact you feeling worse, which
might make it less likely foryou to stay on your diet.
So just another reason why,instead of dieting, we should
(08:53):
all just be trying to focus onmore fruits and vegetables and
good for you foods and lessprocessed sugary crap.
So hard to do, especially whenyou're craving a pizza binge on
a Friday.
By the way, when I'm recordingthis, it is a Friday and I am
really craving pizza.
There's a local place that doessourdough um wood fire oven.
(09:20):
You know those fancy pizzasthat are wicked expensive but
they're delicious.
Anyways, let's talk about gutfriendly foods, what you should
be eating instead of 500bazillion pizzas.
Probiotic-rich foods.
Yogurt.
Kefir is what was listed.
I don't even know what the hellthat is.
(09:40):
Let's Google it right now.
Why not?
We're at a computer.
Pause, please.
Kefir.
Kefir is a type of fermentedmilk that let me try again.
That just did not sound good tome at all.
Kefir is a type of fermentedmilk that may help manage blood
(10:01):
sugar, lower cholesterol andboost digestive health.
Super healthy for you,wonderful.
Don't let me yuck someone's yum, but yuck Pass.
But y'all go ahead, but I'mgood, okay.
Another one is kimchi.
Can't stand it.
Can't stand it.
My husband loves kimchiSauerkraut.
(10:24):
I'm here for the sauerkraut.
We went to Germany and I'm allabout that.
Sauerkraut, life and alsokombucha.
No, thank you, another hardpass.
But these probiotic rich foodshelp replenish the good bacteria
in your gut, so they're likehealthy and bonus, yay, gut,
(10:46):
okay.
And where there's probioticrich foods, there are also
prebiotic foods, which I thinkis interesting.
I never knew that, butprebiotic foods include things
like bananas, garlic, onions,asparagus, oats all of which
sound delicious to me.
But you can think of thesefoods as food for your
(11:07):
probiotics.
Prebiotic is for food for yourprobiotic Makes sense.
I like it when they name thingsin a logical way.
Okay, next one's omega-3s.
We all know this is healthy foryou Salmon, walnuts, flax seeds
Flax seeds are not that bad, bythe way, if you grind them up
(11:29):
and put a little bit in youroatmeal Pretty darn good.
Omega-3s actually act asanti-inflammatory and they
support your brain and guthealth.
Of course we've got fiber-richfoods like fruits, vegetables
and whole grains, which keepyour gut moving along.
Get those healthy poops.
We all got to have nice,healthy poops.
(11:54):
And then water Hydration is keyfor digestion and flushing out
toxins that can affect your mood.
And I don't know about y'all,but in the wintertime I have a
lot harder of a time rememberingand prioritizing drinking water
.
In the summertime it's easy forme because I feel thirsty, I'm
drinking lots of water, it justkind of feels like an automatic
thing.
But in the wintertime I reallyhave to be conscious about
(12:18):
drinking water.
Small changes can make a reallybig difference here.
So if you start by swapping outone processed snack that you
usually have for a gut-friendlyoption, you're going to see a
difference over time.
And I'll say this again andagain and again small, easy
(12:40):
changes are more sustainable andtherefore better for us than
big, dramatic changes that wecan't keep up with.
That's true for mental healthstrategies, that's true for diet
changes, that's true forrelationship strategies and
skills.
It's just true.
Small changes that can besustained over time make a
(13:05):
bigger difference and are betterthan big, flashy changes that
you're going to just stop.
Okay, let's get practical.
Here are some easy steps thatyou can take to support that gut
of yours and, in turn, yourmood.
So if you add one gut-friendlyfood to each meal maybe it's a
(13:29):
handful of berries withbreakfast and a side of kimchi
for dinner that can be a reallynice way to start small.
Another one is limit stress.
Good grief, I did the researchfor this.
It sounded good, but then whenI just said that out loud.
We all know that limits stress,but really, truly, truly
(13:51):
mindfulness practices likemeditation or deep breathing can
really actually help improveyour gut health by reducing
stress hormones.
If you haven't already, hopover to one of my older episodes
.
It's called Mindfulness, thatWon't Make you Want to Eye Roll
and that has some strategiesthat you can really incorporate
into your busy life so that youcan reduce the stress without
(14:14):
having to like sit on a cushionand snort incense.
You can also considersupplements like probiotics and
omega-3s can be really helpful,but always talk to your doctor
first and remember that you area whole being.
So I had someone in my life I'mnot going to tell you who,
(14:35):
because that would ruin theiranonymity but I had someone in
my life that would take anexorbitant amount of supplements
.
You would open her cabinet andshe had supplement upon
supplement upon supplement uponsupplement, but she was always
complaining that she wasconstipated and she was always
complaining that she needed tolose weight and she was always
(14:58):
complaining that she was anxiousand didn't feel right.
Right, but if you paidattention to how she was eating,
it was like okay, lady, she wasalways drinking soda which is
full of caffeine, full of sugar,full of chemicals just not
great for you.
And she would only eat tanfoods.
(15:19):
Where are the fruits?
Where are the vegetables?
Where's the water?
No wonder you can't poop.
You're probably backed up since1999.
Good grief, all the supplementsin the world are not going to
be able to save you if you'rechugging Mountain Dews and
eating french fries Just sayingAll right, the other one is
(15:41):
moving your body.
So regular exercise supports ahealthy gut microbiome.
Even a 20 minute little walkcan really help.
And for those of you mamas, youdon't even need this advice,
because if you're doing threeloads of laundry a day, like I
do some days, you're gettingplenty of exercise just being
around the house.
You're getting plenty ofexercise just being around the
(16:04):
house.
Funny plug in here I got awhat's it called?
A Fitbit.
I got a Fitbit a while backbecause I wanted to record my
steps and I know the like madeup.
I don't know if it's made up ornot, but it sounds made up.
Rule of thumb is 10,000 steps aday and I was like there's no
way I'm getting that of.
Thumb is 10,000 steps a day andI was like there's no way I'm
(16:24):
getting that.
Well, one day I had my Fitbiton and I was just doing a stay
at home day.
So I work Mondays, wednesdays,fridays, and Tuesdays and
Thursdays I stay at home with mydaughter and I just do domestic
shit.
So I was doing domestic shitone day with my daughter.
I think I did like severalloads of laundry emptied, the
dishwasher was tidying up, was,you know, organizing the kids
(16:46):
clothes, all the things moms do.
There's so much that we do andsure as shit, 12,000 steps, holy
cow.
But on the days I was working,3,000 steps.
So be mindful of that.
If you're somebody who works ina situation where you're sitting
down, you're on the computer oryou're in meetings or you're a
(17:10):
therapist, for example, try toincorporate movements into your
day.
Walk to the printer, do squatsevery time you stand up right,
whatever it might be for you.
I know walking pads at desksare really popular right now.
So like you can buy fairlycheap now the little walking
pads for like 80 bucks on Amazon.
(17:32):
If you have a little walkingpad, that way when you check
your emails you can be walking,that's pretty cool.
I might be getting one of thosesoon.
It's a really cool idea.
The last tip is is being patient.
It takes time for yourmicrobiome to shift.
So think of this as a marathon,not a sprint.
It's what you do consistentlyover and over and over again.
(17:56):
It's not like the one-offs.
So if you are consistentlymaking small changes that build
on themselves, you're eventuallygoing to feel amazing.
Going to feel amazing.
Let's wrap this one up with someinspiration.
(18:16):
Research shows that improvinggut health can significantly
reduce symptoms of anxiety anddepression.
It's not a quick fix, but it'sa sustainable, science backed
way to support your mentalhealth.
I've seen this firsthand withclients and even in my own life.
When you start taking care ofyour gut, you'll likely notice
more energy, fewer mood swingsand just an overall sense of
(18:39):
better balance in your life, inyour well-being.
It's like maybe not in yourlife, but in your well-being.
Life is like an ocean.
Sometimes it's just stormy andthat's just life.
But if you Sometimes it's juststormy and that's just life, but
if you have a better balancewithin yourself, that's what
we're striving for here.
So if you've got a betterbalance in your gut, for your
gut health, it's like givingyour brain and your body the
(19:03):
tools that they need to thrive.
Your gut and brain are alwaystalking, so let's make sure
they're having a healthyconversation.
Whether it's swapping soda forwater, adding a probiotic food
to one of your meals or taking10 minutes to breathe and relax,
small steps can lead to bigchanges.
If this episode resonated withyou, please share it with a
(19:25):
friend or a family member whomight benefit.
Maybe it's your family memberwho has a cabinet full of
supplements and hasn't been ableto shit since 1999.
And don't forget to subscribeand leave a review for me.
It really helps me to reachmore listeners like you.
So for more tips, check out myfree audio training.
(19:47):
Get Unstuck Three Strategies toBreaking Unhealthy Patterns.
You can get it over atkaylarileycom.
Until next time, take care ofyourself and your gut.
I'll see you soon.
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