The Unexpected Genius of anxiety: it is not a Bug, it is a feature!
What if this blog informed you that the sensation you call anxiety-rapid heart beat, focused attention, and the relentless mental chatter-is not a weakness presenting itself, but a profound demonstration of the brain’s brilliance? The usual narratives address anxiety as a flaw and disruption we need to erase. But viewed from a differing more enlightened perspective anxiety is in fact ones survival system on red alert! Imagine being a part of an original human landscape when danger was imminent from a herd of stampeding woolie mammoths! Anxiety became the perfect, high speed neural network designed to maintain life. It ensured hyper-focus to scout for a threat and adrenaline to enable and prepare for physical actions and muscular tension. A genius feature in human evolution……right! But woolie mammoths are now extinct and we have many safe places to avoid danger.
This anxiety known as the fight/flight response is healthy, because this action saves us from potentially dangerous situations. Biologically the brain, lungs, heart & circulatory system are the essential services of the body and fire up under threat to wellbeing or life. Despite the intestinal tract and brain being cohorts during relaxed phases, during high levels of anxiety the gut defers its blood supply to support essential functions. Do you ever feel hungry when adrenaline is saturating your body? The brain and gut has constant communication referred to as the gut- brain axis communicating through several pathways. The gut also known as the ‘second brain’ has transmission from brain via the vagus nerve to a myriad of gut nerve’s.
Most important in this interaction is the fact that 90% of the body’s serotonin (a key neurotransmitter) is produced in the gut under the influence of gut bacteria. Serotonin regulates mood, sleep and appetite and disruption to production can directly impact emotional balance! Additionally other microbiome influence a calming effect on the nervous system, thus reducing anxiety. Further to this is the fact, that two thirds of immune cells are found in the gut and interruption of that balance leads to an imbalance of the microbiome with ongoing stress inducing inflammation.
In review, the connection between these systems is bidirectional. Anxiety = gut problems, poor gut health = anxiety +++!
The outcome indicates to the uninitiated the systems of the body work in unison with each other. And one of those close alliances is brain/gut, with the gut influencing not only immunity but also mental health! So not only is an exercise regime recommended for managing mental health but so is nutrition. In fact, these previous paragraphs are leading to a conclusion that a complete balanced diet may dictate the difference between mental health and mental illness! Easy conclusion, easy remedy for those in the socio-economic classes that have the education, facilities and means to enable the consumption of highly nutritious food!
How can we effect change in that equation for the lower-socio-economic population?
