gut-brain axis Archives %% - Dr Wendy Wells Naturopathic Doctor Online

Vagus Nerve Signaling: The Gut-Brain Superhighway

When you have a ”gut feeling”, you’re not imagining things, your nervous system is actually listening and trying to get your attention. One of the best ways your gut talks to your brain is through the vagus nerve which is a long, wandering nerve that connects your digestive tract to your brainstem. But what most people don’t realize is that around 80% of vagus nerve fibers are afferent, meaning they carry signals from the gut up to the brain, not the other way around! When Vagal Signaling Is Working Well… In a healthy gut, vagal afferent fibers, which are [...]

Vagus Nerve Signaling: The Gut-Brain SuperhighwayWendy Wells2025-07-14T03:01:55+00:00

Probiotics and Short Chain Fatty Acids: The Good News

Good bacteria species such as Clostridia, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia species ferment the fiber from our diet and secrete short chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) that have a positive effect on the body and brain. The names of these are butyrate, propionate, and acetate. Butyrate comes from anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides and Clostridia, these we cannot supplement in a probiotic capsule but we can feed the ones that are already colonized since birth with fiber in our diets. Propionate and Acetate are produced by aerobic bacteria and these are in common probiotic supplements. Here are the actions and [...]

Probiotics and Short Chain Fatty Acids: The Good NewsWendy Wells2025-07-13T01:44:46+00:00

Bugging the Blues: The Gut Microbiome’s Role in Depression

Ever wonder why your mood sometimes sinks for no clear reason? It turns out, the answer might lie deep in your gut—literally. While most people know serotonin as the brain’s “feel-good” chemical, fewer realize that nearly 90% of it is made in the gut. Even more surprising? Your gut bacteria play a major role in how much serotonin your body can produce—thanks in part to a microbial metabolic route called the shikimate pathway. Let’s explore how your microbes may be influencing your mood from the inside out. Serotonin is made primarily in the brain and the gut. [...]

Bugging the Blues: The Gut Microbiome’s Role in DepressionWendy Wells2025-07-06T19:12:43+00:00

The Gut’s Hidden Shield: How EZ Water Protects Your Body From the Inside Out

We know now that gut health is the key to a healthy brain and body. One of the aspects of a healthy gut is a healthy mucus layer over the surface of the gut. The layer of mucus that covers the internal surfaces of the body is super important to keep healthy. Why is the gut mucus lining so important? Because it is the protection from inflammatory stool and digestion material from getting into the bloodstream. It also is home to the immune system of the gut, called secretory IgA, our first line of defense against pathogens. Healthy mucous [...]

The Gut’s Hidden Shield: How EZ Water Protects Your Body From the Inside Out Wendy Wells2025-07-05T00:35:28+00:00

Love Your Brain

Over the past decade there has been a surge of interest in brain health, most likely from the surge of brain related conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and autism. Many more patients are aware of their cognitive health and wanting to optimize their brain function, mostly in regards to memory and focus, and now recently in anti-aging. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019, there were 55.2 million patients with dementia in the world, and this is estimated to increase to 78 million by 2030. This increase in awareness of cognitive health has boosted [...]

Love Your BrainWendy Wells2024-01-02T21:12:14+00:00

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