Gut Health Is Mental Health, Plain And Simple

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My journey with gut health unwittingly started early. 

You see, I was one of those kids who played regularly outside, grew up in the woods and was barefoot most of the time. Growing up in the south, that was something I could get away with.

I will never forget the day, under my friend Shari’s swingset we dared each other to eat dirt. I won the bet. I pinched some well packed earth beneath the swings and poured it into my mouth. We laughed and I joked that I was now a worm since I knew at age 7 that worms ate dirt. 

It was meant to be a secret between Shari and myself but apparently I had dirt on the corners of my mouth when I went home that night, because in those times, you stayed out until it was dark. 

My mom asked why I had dirt on my mouth. She didn’t care so much about the dirt covering every other inch of my body, just the stuff on the corners of my mouth. I was scared to tell her that I was dared to eat dirt and I indeed did.

But, I also knew that lying to my mom was not in my best interest either so I reluctantly told her as I walked away to start my bath, hoping she would not hear me. Also, we bathed at the end of the day back then, not at the beginning of the day!

She indeed heard me and jokingly said, “oh, well eating a little dirt is good for you.” I remember thinking, “what did she just say?!”I was just relieved she wasn’t upset and I wasn’t in trouble.

It wasn’t until years later that I would understand her wisdom. 

Fast forward to now, as a medically trained physician assistant and licensed therapist, I now know what it was she was suggesting. However, at the time, medical science had not uncovered the gut-brain connection just yet. Her point was that a little dirt is good for you and “strengthens your immune system”.

She was right. There were all kinds of bacteria in the dirt I just ate and she knew then that a diverse bacteria-filled gut was somehow good for me. 

Now, I am not suggesting anyone eat dirt, but there is now truth to understanding that eating dirt probably has more health benefits than some of the “foods” on the shelves in the grocery stores today.

The connection between mental health and gut health.

There seems to be an epidemic of anxiety and depression both in this country and around the world. Unfortunately, we live in a high stress lifestyle which keeps us in a high stress state of mind while wreaking havoc on our overall health. There has been more and more research done over the past decade to try and understand why the rise in mental health and overall physical health issues have increased. It seems we are not getting any healthier.

This gut-brain connection has quite a big factor in this research because it serves as an explanation for so many health concerns such as brain fog, fatigue, confusion, anxiety, depression, and many other mental health issues.

Living in such a disconnected way, separated from the wholeness of who we are as physical, emotional and energetic beings, has led to physical and emotional disease and dis-ease in general with our lives.

Learning to connect mind, body and soul leads to true balanced wellness. Wellness from the ground up…from the soles of our physical body to the elevation of our souls. Learning to live in harmony with all the parts of ourselves is the mission.

Ten years ago…

I decided to concentrate my career into the mental health field and begin what is now my mission with my businesses to educate people on the connection between the mind and the body and how the foods we eat not only affect our mental health, but can help us heal not only our bodies but our minds. 

We now know through the last decade of research that the mind and body are in constant communication and that the gut actually is the seat of our mental health and wellness. It is our gut that produces what our brains need to function well. And, often mental health symptoms manifest in our bodies and using the body as a tool to calm and heal the mind is another way they are inseparable.

Gut health is mental health, plain and simple. 
You might say, it’s as plain as dirt.

The Gut Reset is HERE!

Within the pages of this ebook, you will find the resources you need to understand the relationship between gut health and mental health.

You’ll also find 30+ gut-friendly recipes, 7 pages of printable food logs, and resources to help you on your journey to heal your gut.

It’s time to take care of your health. Grab a copy of The Gut Reset today!

-Jada Butler