58. Deep Research Into the Gut Microbes That Keep Us Happy | Jennifer Bramen, PhD

Think Neuro

One thing that makes Pacific Neuroscience Institute an institute is research, and Jennifer Bramen spends all of her time doing just that. Dr. Bramen earned her PhD in neuroscience from UCLA. These days, she is particularly interested in the “gut biome”: all the organisms that live in our digestive system. Strange though it may seem, those bacteria have a lot to do with our brains. That’s because the gut has its own nervous system, and it produces many of the neurotransmitters that regulate our stress levels and mood. But we can’t produce those compounds alone. We need a population of good bacteria to help. Sadly our modern diet of processed foods and cured meats, often consumed quickly at our desks, fosters bad bugs, which can push out the good ones. The key, Dr. Bramen says, is to eat foods that aren’t over-processed, like fruits and vegetables, and to eat them slowly. We should also favor foods that the good bugs like to eat, too: kiwis, bananas and avocado, among them. Dr. Bramen takes two minutes before every meal to slow down her breath, activating the part of her nervous system that helps us digest food. The bottom line: It takes a village (of bugs) to keep our guts and brains healthy. Dr. Bramen’s research is showing just how true that is.