Our emotional state and gut bacteria work together to heal.
Is the food you are eating affecting your emotional state? Does anxiety and stress bring on gut discomfort, bloating or pain for you? Are you aware the diet you choose can contribute towards how you feel?
There is emerging science about the links between gut bacteria and the brain which is explored by Nutrition Scientist Dr Joanna McMillan as she helps Victoria who suffers from debilitating anxiety and gut pains described on the wonderful show The Catalyst on the ABC “Victoria’s Story”.
We talk about our ‘gut instincts,’ and about having a ‘gut feeling.’ Dr Joanna McMillan explores the possibility that these feelings may be explained more fully in a scientific way.
The food we eat directly or indirectly affects the micro bacteria in our gut. That is why they are there, what we eat is nutrition for them. They are our friends, because they produce our vitamins, digest our food and help with our immune system.
We need to have a combination of a healthy diet and stress reducing practices to keep our gut healthy, otherwise the micro bacteria could trick our body into being tempted to a cycle of habits which may not be of benefit to our emotional or physical health.
An imbalance in our gut bacteria can also affect our emotions.
How Dr Joanna McMillan helped Victoria
After having observed Victoria’s diet, and tested to discover the imbalance of the bacteria in her gut, they introduced a change in her diet in a gradual way, and included gentle stress management practices. When combined, within six weeks, they were able to make a considerable improved difference to the way Victoria was experiencing her life.
I commend Victoria for opening her life to allow us to view this change within her and am grateful for the amazing Dr Joanna McMillan and her team for their wonderful work in this field.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet is considered to be one of the best for gut health and Dr Joanna helped Victoria using the Mediterranean Diet as a guide. It was introduced to Victoria slowly, as she took her time to introduce small amounts of extra vegetables, fruit etc into her day. She also included a daily spoonful of honey.
This was a struggle for her at first because she was afraid of the pain this extra food would cause. The fear of the pain in her gut added to her anxiety which was also a part of the negative cycle she had been experiencing. She made that change slowly and to help improve her emotional state, did her best to view the food as delicious and a good experience instead. She persisted, and it worked.
The Mediterranean Diet is abundant in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and the use of olive oil. Lean sources of protein like fish and poultry is preferred over red meat.
Including heaps of vegetables for your meals, snacking on nuts, seeds, eating fruit for desert and a daily spoonful of honey are all dietary habits which will help with improving the balance of the bacteria in your gut.
Meditation and Hypnotherapy
Dr Joanna also included meditation and hypnotherapy to help Victoria, and within six weeks, she was able to improve the balance of the bacteria in her gut and the health of her emotions. In this time, Victoria gained employment, her anxiety and physical pain reduced and you could see although still having a long journey ahead, she now has a clear plan and confident with how to manage her health from now on.
Yoga
Dr Joanna introduced Yoga as an exercise to Victoria as it combines a form of meditation together with the body movement which helps with gut health, the movement of your energy and helps relieve the feelings of stress and anxiety. There are heaps of YouTube Yoga for beginners video’s, here are two examples: 10 minute yoga for beginners, and Five Minute Mobility and Stretch Routine, which may appeal more to men.
My experience
I too have a regular practice of yoga. Apart from the relaxation benefits, the movement and energy flow helps shift the waste through my body. I know, because when I stop for an extended time, my body tells me.
Watching this program confirmed that I am on the right track for my health and well-being which was a great feeling. I am automatically drawn to a Mediterranean Diet, having had an Italian mother, I guess that shouldn’t come as any surprise.
Unpleasant emotions, life events and life lessons are inevidible, however through the mindfulness meditations, it helps me manage the way in which I live with them. This inspired me to create specific meditations to also help others.
Client Case Study – Jill
Jill came to me having suffering from anxiety. She wasn’t sure what the source of this feeling was. She was inclined to cry easily, feel burdened, and described her heart as feeling painful, and solid like a rock. She knew something was wrong, but wasn’t sure why or how.
After guiding Jill through a meditation, she determined what the emotion was that she was feeling. I led Jill to go inside her body and find where in her body this emotion is being held, and as predicted she went straight to her heart.
She then asked her heart what memory in the past led to this emotion and discovered it was from a Facebook post she had clicked onto weeks prior. At the time she was disgusted with the small video which was being shown and had trouble shaking away the negative thoughts and angry feelings she was feeling from this post. She was horrified of a situation which made her very angry with a particular leader by the atrocities which were happening in his country at the time.
I led her to speak with the soul or higher self of this leader and by using her imagination, she explained to him that he had a responsibility and duty to use his position of power for the good of his people. After expressing what she needed to express, she used her imagination to listen to his response. The conversation continued until such time as she was able to forgive him.
She replaced the memory of the Facebook post with a scene of this leader being kind to his people and making positive change to help the world instead.
Her anxiety eased and within days left completely.
Listen to your body wisdom
If you sense yourself feeling anger, rage, fear or have a judgement or belief of what is right and wrong – recognise you have thoughts that are adding fuel to holding you back.
Every inspirational leader began their journey by listening to their intuition. You can activate this within you too – it’s easy and life changing.
The ‘Open to your Heart Power’ masterclass video will help you with transforming those thoughts each time you are triggered, so you can move forward with what you love to do.
My Guides explain:
“We in the higher planes see the changes that are taking place, we can see how each and every one of you is making a difference by shining your light.”
How to open to your heart power
If my words resonate with you, or feel good to you, the below ‘Open to your Heart Power’ Masterclass video may just be your perfect next most important step.
What you will experience…
You will be gently guided in how to:
- Co-create your life with your best friend – your Soul, to see your life through the lens of a higher perspective.
- Confidently ‘listen’ to the words of your Soul, have conversations, asking investigative questions – to ‘determine’ the highest way forward for you in every situation you face.
- Enlist the support of your Soul to release any emotions holding you back.
- Let your annoying or painful thoughts go with an easy practice you can do at any time during your day.
- Reframe your belief system so you feel supported by your thoughts rather than held down.
- Listen to the inner healer within you, so you are inspired to care for your body and listen to its needs.
- How to open to the most incredible heart journey of inner harmony, inner power, and, in doing so, you become… an inspiration to those around you in living a heart powered way of being – just by being you.
You can experience ‘Open to your Heart Power’ in your own time
Make sure you have a pen and notebook ready, because you will be channeling your Soul and your Inner Healer and it’s more effective if you write the answers down.
It’s surprising when you re-visit what you have written at a later time, because you experience the answers with fresh eyes, and a different frame of mind.
Have fun with it, I find the higher dimensions have a great sense of humour.
Hugest love,
Robyn
Intuitive teacher and channeler
Helping people develop their intuition to reclaim inner strength and power in a heart-centred way.