Atlanta Legal Nurse Consultant At "Gut Brain" Seminar

Understanding the Gut Brain: Stress, Appetite, Digestion & Mood

Atlanta, Georgia – WEBWIRE – Thursday, October 23, 2014

Atlanta, Georgia -- Atlanta legal nurse consultant Liz Buddenhagen, RN, CLNC, educated with Lisa E. Goehler, PhD, Associate Professor of Nursing Research, Neuroimmunology and Behavior at the University of Virginia during an Institute for Brain Potential seminar presented in Athens, Georgia on October 2, 2014.

About the Gut Brain Seminar:

Dr. Goehler began by explaining that the close collaboration between the gut and brain maintains both physical and mental health. She said that we take our guts for granted until something goes wrong and that gut disorders affect millions of people.

The gut acquires nutrients, regulates the brain and immune system and helps maintain homeostasis.

Goehler referred to the “hidden brain” being the enteric nervous system which populates the entire gastrointestinal system, including the pancreas and biliary system. The neurons ensure that our food is digested, help regulate immunity and keep the brain informed about nutritional status, inflammation and stress.

Goehler discussed “mindful eating,” a way to safely lose weight by paying attention to:
·       Signals from the body about hunger and satiety
·       Emotional needs associated with eating and
·       Taste and qualities of everything you eat.

Goehler pointed out the relationship between gut microbes, the brain and immunity. Regarding gut microbes, she said “most are our friends.” They synthesize vitamins, ferment things we can’t digest, collaborate with our gut immune system and produce hormones, neurotransmitters and nutrients.

Therefore, when gut microbes are disordered “so are we.” An example of this is a known complication of antibiotic use that sometimes results in C. Difficile infection which can cause permanent gut damage. Disordered microbes are also associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Pathogenic bacteria can cause anxiety, possibly other mood disorders, increased sensitivity to pain and cognitive impairment.

For breaking the cycle of stress and bowel disorders, Goehler suggested nutritional approaches such as anti-inflammatory foods, pre- and probiotics as well as mind-body approaches for stress management.

Many foods have anti-inflammatory properties particularly colorful foods. These foods include Omega-3 fatty acids, bran, quinoa, resveratrol (found in red wine), quercetin (found in many red fruits and berries plus kale, broccoli and tea), and curcumin (found in tumeric and curries) and certain fruits (especially blueberries).

Atlanta Legal Nurse Consultant:

Liz Buddenhagen, RN and certified legal nurse consultant, assists Atlanta attorneys with the medical aspects of legal cases. For more information view www.Legal-Nurse-Consultant-LNC.com, email Liz@BuddenhagenLNC.com or call 770-725-2997 today.