Basic Counseling Skills
  • Home
  • A. TECHNIQUES
  • Pattern of Sessions
  • Active Listening
  • Body Language
  • Asking Questions
  • Paraphrasing/Tone
  • Summary
  • Note Taking
  • Homework
  • Goodie Bag/Fun Stuff
  • Technique References
  • B. THEORIES
  • Client Centered
  • Holistic/Biopsychosocial
  • Strengths Based
  • Cognitive/Behavioral
  • Solution Focused
  • Existential Therapy
  • Letting Go
  • Theory References
  • C. SAMPLE SESSIONS
  • 1. Client Centered Counseling
  • 2.&3. No Show/Cancellation
  • 4. Strengths Based
  • 5. Cognitive Beh. Counseling
  • 6. Holistic Health Counseling
  • 7. Solution Focused
  • 8. Existential Counseling
  • 9. Becoming Unnecessary
  • D. SELF HELP
  • Journaling
  • Mood Mapping
  • Whole Health Check In
  • Community Resources
  • Ten Things I Like About Me
  • Common Lies We Tell
  • Goal-Setting
  • A Why to Bear a How
  • Happy People
  • Self-Help References
  • E. CONTINUING EDUCATION
  • F. SITE MAP
  • G. CONTACT ME!
  • H. READERS' CONTRIBUTIONS
    • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
    • Alcohol Counseling - Carol G.
    • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
    • Quit Smoking and Alcohol Rehab
    • Reducing Stigma - Patricia S.
    • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
    • Recovery Village - William B.
    • Bereavement Counseling - Sally W
    • Personality Traits - Sally W
    • 3 Solutions to Worst Fears - Paige M
    • 30 Min Reduce Anxiety - Paige M
    • Restorative Power of Arts & Crafts - Sally W
    • 3 Ways - Rid of Sunday Scaries
    • Conquer Fear of Flying - Sally W.
    • Document Anxiety through Journaling - Sally W
    • Career Options - Sally W
    • School Counselor ToolKit - Serena K.
    • Psychology Degrees - Lindsay F
    • Depression and Addiction Rehab - Katherine C
    • Diagnosing Depression - Melissa M
    • PostPartum Depression - Tracey F
    • Assisted Living Options for People with Disabilities
    • Wheelchair Home Safety - Michael M
    • Cerebral Palsy Resources
    • Counseling and Persistent Pain - Sally W
    • Mesothelioma Guide - Corine F.
    • Mesothelioma Resources
    • Finding Start Up Success - Eva B
    • Cleaning House for Better Health - Cheryl C.
    • Destress/Clean Home - Cheryl C
    • Financial Stress - Sally W.
    • Financial Debt - Sally W
    • Be Happy - Hazel G.
    • Gut Health & Mental Health - Sally W
    • How Having a Skincare Routine
    • Counseling the Impoverished - Sally W
    • Conquering Interviews - Eva B
    • Daily Journal Routine - Paige M
    • 4 Journaling Tips for Beginners - Shristi Patni
    • Drug Dangers - Rebecca P.
    • Recall Report - Laura P.
    • Living Mindfully - Mollie Wilson
    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Sally W.
    • Couns. Resources - Tim C.
    • Practical Financial SKills - Johanne H
    • Nutrition to Help Anxiety - Sally W
    • Retirement Career Change - Sally W
    • Managing Phobias - Sally W
    • Healing Power of Pets - Sally W
    • Geriatric Counseling - Sally W
    • Counseling Seniors with Anxiety - Sally W
    • Senior Resources - Claire S.
    • Addiction and Sleep - Jessica S
    • Better Sleep - Better Health - Cheryl C
    • Treating Insomnia - Sally W
    • Tuck Sleep - Kellen S
    • De-Fogging Brain - Sally W
    • Recovery from Sports Injury
    • Improving Mental Clarity - Sally W
    • Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Mental Health - Sally W
    • Stress on Health - Sally W.
    • Stress Management - Sally W
    • Suicidal Thoughts and Alcohol Abuse - Julia W
    • Summer Side Gigs for Teachers - Joyce W
    • Tobacco in 2017 - Mary G.
    • Take Control of Your Life - Dorothy Watson
    • No More Winter Blues - Rufus Carter
    • How I Put Anxiety Attacks on Pause
    • 8 Effective Tips for Improving Mental Health - Camille Johnson
    • Manage And Reduce Stress For Your Employees With These Tips - Rufus Carters
    • Moving Forward When Grief Intrudes in Your Life - Camille J
    • Working Remotely - Emma Grace Brown
    • Unlock Greater Confidence - Rufus Carter
    • Coping With a Mid-Life Crisis - Rufus Carter
    • 6 Self-Care Tips - Laurie Abner
    • Help a Loved One After the Loss of a Spouse - Rufus CarterNew Page
    • Relocating After a Tragic Loss - Lucille Rosetti
    • Guidelines for Teens Who Want to Thrive as Entrepreneurs - Lucille Rosetti
    • 5 Common Lifestyle Habits That Can Cause Skin Damage - Andrew Mark

Is Gut Health Linked To Mental Health And Stress? - Sally W.

​Around 55% of Americans battle stress on a daily basis, with key contributors including work pressure, poor sleep, and the state of the nation. New research indicates, however, that stress and mental conditions like anxiety and depression are also related to poor gut health. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is important for both your physical and mental health. How can stress hamper your gut health, and how can depleted microbiome levels in turn harm your mental health?

The Relationship Between Stress And Gut Health

A review published in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology found that exposure to stress results in changes in brain-gut interactions. These alterations lead to the development of a wide range of gastrointestinal problems - including inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel symptoms, peptic ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Just one of the many effects of stress on the gut involves an increase in intestinal permeability. Because stress has such a powerful effect on health, it is vital to battle it proactively, through proven approaches such as meditation, time spent in nature, yoga and regular workouts. These activities all keep cortisol (stress hormone) levels down, but they also have a wide array of additional physical and mental health benefits.

How Can Poor Gut Health Affect Stress-Related Conditions?

Stress can be considered a risk factor for two of America’s most prevalent mental conditions - depression and anxiety, which also have a proven link to gut health. A 2015 study by Jessica Yano et al found that since gut microbes regulate the levels of serotonin ('feel good neurotransmitters' or 5-HT receptors), altering microbiota can improve symptoms of diseases related to 5-HT - including depression. Another study (by researchers at the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) found that people with depression tended to have low levels of two bacteria in particular - coprococcus and dialister). Scientists stated that it is vital to have a wide array of microbiota for optimal mental health because each type of bacteria plays a different role. Some microorganisms can produce substances that are associated with a better mental quality of life.

Gut Health And Anxiety

Research published in the journal General Psychiatry has found that people battling anxiety can alleviate their symptoms by building a healthy gut microbiome. In the paper, researchers reviewed 21 studies, finding that two approaches (taking probiotics and consuming a healthy diet) can help healthy microorganisms thrive in the gut and thereby alleviate anxiety. Interestingly, the biggest reduction in anxiety was found among those who simply adjusted their diet. Researchers recommend a diet comprising lean proteins, fruit and vegetables, healthy fats, and pulses. A fiber-rich diet is vital for microbiomes to thrive, since fiber provides healthy bacteria with a kind of ‘net’ that can help them grow in numbers.
Recent studies have pointed to an important link between gut and brain health. Depleted levels of microbiota are linked to depression, stress and anxiety. To improve your microbiome, consume a Mediterranean-style diet that is high in fiber and low in sugar and refined products.
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