Gut Health, Mental Clarity, and Joyful Nourishment

Part two of my conversation with Linn Thorstensson.

I’m thrilled to share that the second part of my conversation with Linn Thorstensson on her podcast

Joyful + Nourishment

is now live. If you caught part one, you’ll know we explored my personal journey with food and disordered eating, the hard lessons learned, and how those experiences reshaped my approach to health. The response has been incredibly heartwarming, so I’d like to thank everyone who tuned in and shared your thoughts with us, both publicly and in private.

SE4 - Ep3: The Intersection of Gut Health & Mental Health with Dr Miguel Toribio-Mateas

In this second part, Linn and I talk about an area of my work that lies at the heart of my passion: the fascinating world of the gut microbiome and its intricate connection to mental health. We dive into what the microbiome really is, not just as a concept, but as a community of microorganisms that communicate with the brain, especially through the vagus nerve. It’s a bridge between your gut and your mind, with the vagus nerve acting as a messenger that relays signals affecting everything from mood to focus.

We also explore how gut health intersects with mental wellbeing and some of the research I’ve conducted in this field. I share a few practical, accessible tips on ways to nourish your own gut microbes, and we discuss the often-overlooked impact of stress on the gut. If you’re curious about how subtle shifts in gut health can translate to significant changes in mental clarity and resilience, then this conversation is for you. Plus, it’s only just over 35 minutes, so it’s short and sweet. No one has time for 3-hour podcasts! (Sorry Huberman, babes.) After all, time is a precious resource, especially for our stressed-out minds and bodies.

I’m grateful to

Linn Thorstensson

for creating such a beautiful space to explore these topics. Please click on her name to get more from her 💛. If you’re interested in the science behind the gut-brain connection or want to pick up a few simple steps to support your own microbiome, I hope you’ll give this episode a listen.

Thank you, as always, for being part of this journey with me. I’d love to hear about your own experiences or questions related to gut health and mental wellbeing. Also, dropping a like or a comment here on Substack really helps to give my writing more visibility, so I’d appreciate either/both if you have a few spare seconds.

With gratitude,

PS. If you missed Part 1, you can listen to it here. Also, a bit of a content warning. There are a lot of mentions of disordered eating behaviours in these conversations. If that is not something that is helpful for you right now, then click here instead for something lighter.