Gut – April 01, 2024

Affect Your Mood With Your Food

  Have you ever felt that your mind is racing, your mood is off and you’re annoyed for no reason? You want to control these feelings, but you can’t?  I’ve felt that helpless feeling too. If my tooth is hurting, the dentist can fix it! If my skin has a rash, I can use an ice pack and relieve myself of the inflamed feeling. Sometimes just scratching that itch can provide relief. But when it comes to your mind, there’s a bit of a problem - it’s tough to directly access it.  But the good news is that your gut can influence your brain, your mood and your emotions! Studies show that serotonin and dopamine release may all be affected by disturbances in the gut microbiota. (1) There's been very sound research in the last few years pointing to the gut-brain axis. And here’s the thing, while you can’t directly access your brain, you absolutely can access your gut. How, you ask? Through your food and herbs!  Your gut affects your brain and how?  Did you know we have a second brain? Yes, it exists and it’s the Vagus Nerve! The vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve, plays a crucial role in bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain.  The digestive system is remarkably complex. The ENS is composed of millions of neurons in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. These neurons are arranged as intricate layers of nervous tissue that receive messages from the vagus nerve and are responsible for promoting the secretion of digestive juices, permitting food to pass from one area of the digestive system to another, and controlling peristalsis.  While we always knew that the brain affects the gut, research has found that approximately 90% of nerve fibre in the vagus nerve carry information from the gut to the brain rather than the other way around! (2) Though not responsible for complicated thought processes (that's the brain's job), the ENS plays a key role in emotions and gut feelings. Thus, keeping the digestive system healthy is a great way to avoid imbalance of the body and the mind. This happy hormone is produced in the gut  One of the key players in the gut-brain connection is serotonin, a neurotransmitter often associated with mood regulation. While many associate serotonin with the brain, did you know that 90% of this “feel good hormone” supply is found in the gut? (3) When your gut is healthy, it produces and releases serotonin, which helps regulate your mood and promote feelings of happiness and well-being. Conversely, an imbalanced gut can impact serotonin levels and contribute to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Basically, take care of your gut!  Food: One of the generally agreed-upon criteria for a healthy gut microbiome and gut-brain connection has been its diversity and the abundance of microbial species present in it. (4)  However, today having antibiotics for every small concern has become the way of life. Unfortunately, this depletes a lot of the good bacteria as well. You can always resolve this imbalance by incorporating probiotics in your diet! Probiotics are fermented foods that have a high population of beneficial bacteria. Kimchi, sauerkraut and non-spicy pickles are great examples. You can also incorporate traditional foods idli and dosa which are fermented overnight.  While probiotics are important, what is even more essential are prebiotics, which are food for the good bacteria that help them thrive. These are commonly found in your pantry staples such as garlic, onion, banana and whole grains.  Herbs: As a herbalist, studying these guys is what I’m obsessed with doing. Let’s deep dive into classifications of herbs that can help -  Herbs that can help  While probiotics, prebiotics, astringents, carminatives and demulcents can have a big impact on the gut and therefore the brain, here we’ll study the 3 classifications that can have an even larger impact on the gut-brain axis since they have a direct connection with both the nervous system and the digestive system - Bitters, Nervines and Adaptogens. Bitters - Bitter tasting herbs have a very direct relationship with the nervous system and the gut. When bitter taste receptors on our tongue detect the bitter taste, a signal is sent via the gustatory and vagus nerves to the brain to prepare the body for digestion. Thus, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated and digestive secretions are released. In this way, bitters not only improve the digestibility of food, but also have a calming effect on the nervous system, putting us in a more emotionally relaxed state, which has an added bonus: we can slow down enough to enjoy our food! A strong and powerful bitter is Bhumi Amalaki or Gale of the Wind (Phyllanthus niruri). I’ve implemented this herb into our Love Your Liver due to the strong liver-gut connection.  Nervines - Nervines nourish and support the nervous system. Calamus is a great herb in this category!  Adaptogens -  Licorice or Mulethi root is known to provide protection and relief to inflamed tissue along the digestive tract. It can also increase mucus production in the stomach which soothes the stomach lining and increases blood supply to the stomach.  Disclaimer: This blog is intended for educational purposes and while it does contain two product recommendations, they are relevant to the information provided. Thank you for reading along! In case you’re not based out of India and would like to try our mixes, apologies we have not started international shipping as of yet. Feel free to use the other recommendations mentioned in the article. Citations:  (1) -  Kumar, A., Pramanik, J., Goyal, N., Chauhan, D., Sivamaruthi, B. S., Prajapati, B. G., & Chaiyasut, C. (2023). Gut Microbiota in Anxiety and Depression: Unveiling the Relationships and Management Options. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 16(4), 565. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16040565 (2) -  Forsythe, P., Bienenstock, J., & Kunze, W. A. (2014). Vagal pathways for microbiome-brain-gut axis communication. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 817, 115–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0897-4_5 (3) -  Browning, K. N., Verheijden, S., & Boeckxstaens, G. E. (2017). The Vagus Nerve in Appetite Regulation, Mood, and Intestinal Inflammation. Gastroenterology, 152(4), 730–744. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2016.10.046 (4) -   Lozupone CA, Stombaugh JI, Gordon JI, Jansson JK, Knight R. Diversity, stability and resilience of the human gut microbiota. Nature. 2012 Sep 13;489(7415):220-30. doi: 10.1038/nature11550. PMID: 22972295; PMCID: PMC3577372.

Gut – May 30, 2023

Antibiotics, Gut, & Liver Health: What’s The Connection?

We’ve all relied on antibiotics at some point in time to get us out of a bad infection. Whether you were down with the flu, an annoying cough and cold, or were even facing a strange rash, antibiotics swooped in to save the day. While the process was a little slow, most of the time, it was a sureshot way to recover. Simply put, antibiotics are antibacterial medications that are used to fight bacterial infection. This includes treating STDs, ear infections, UTIs, strep throat, and so much more. How do they work? Well, they work in a manner where they destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria. But here’s the catch––they can destroy good bacteria too, which is essential for the human body.  While antibiotics are necessary to fight certain infections, getting rid of all bacteria isn’t essentially good for the gut and liver. Did you know that healthy bacteria helps support your immunity, controls inflammation, supports liver function, aids in digestion, and so much more? The liver and gut are also connected to our mental health and the functioning of other organs such as skin health, heart health, and our overall well being. The moment you pop those antibiotic pills, you are allowing your body to also kill off good bacteria in the bargain, which leads to other health issues. Antibiotics & Your Liver Think of the liver as the flush to your body - it filters, digests, detoxifies, while synthesising protein and storing vitamins and minerals. According to research, 45% of drug induced liver injury is actually caused by antibiotics resulting in damage. Considering antibiotics tend to kill off healthy bacteria too, the reduction in probiotics also reduces your liver’s production of hepatoprotective agents, a chemical substance that protects your liver from damage. So while you fix that cold, your liver is working overtime to fix the damage done by the antibiotics. Now, you might be thinking that the liver regenerates itself right? So what’s the big deal? Well, in reality, the truth is that your liver actually takes time to recover from this antibiotic damage—from weeks to months after you’re done with your course. And it’s even worse for those with chronic health issues such as high blood sugar, as you may be predisposed to liver injury from antibiotics. Antibiotics & Your Gut Fun fact: there are roughly 40 trillion microbes that live in our body and most are in our gut––it’s how our body fights against outside threats like viruses and bacteria. Your gut relies on this microbial diversity to stay healthy. The more the bacteria, the better it functions––the key lies in a balance of good and bad bacteria. When antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria that sends things off balance, resulting in digestive and immunity issues––symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea, fever, stomach pain, loss of appetite and so much more.  So does this mean that you give up completely on antibiotics? No, not really. As we said before the key lies in striking a balance. How To Protect Your System When Taking Antibiotics? #1 - Watch Your Diet Consume foods and herbs that are high in prebiotics and probiotics, to maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Prebiotic foods such as garlic, onions, leeks, oats, apples, flax seeds, seaweed, whole grain breads, Triphala, fruits, nuts and legumes, and high fibre cereals will be a great addition to your diet. Probiotics like kimchi, yogurt, kombucha, pickles, miso, aged cheese also help maintain gut health. "Your gut relies on microbial diversity to stay healthy. The more diversity of bacteria, the better the gut is able to carry out its functions", says Chandrikah Rukh, our in-house herbalist.  #2 - Consume Supplements In addition to your diet, you can also opt for supplements that help support both the gut and the liver function, along with antibiotics. My Happy Gut contains ingredients like triphala and mulethi that can help stop the growth of harmful bacteria, while supporting the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. Mulethi also helps soothe ulcers and increases mucus production in the digestive tract, which in turn eases any digestive discomfort while or after consuming antibiotics. Love Your Liver, on the other hand, contains natural ingredients like milk thistle, lemon, and bhoomi amalaki that all work together to protect the liver from antibiotic damage. The flavonoid present in milk thistle protects the liver from toxins and also hosts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps regenerate new cells. Lemon contains bioactive compounds that help fight oxidative damage and protect the liver from stress and Bhoomi Amalaki improves your liver’s function. The hero ingredient of this supplement, however, is the burdock root. High in prebiotics and a great blood purifier, the burdock root can help reduce swelling around the liver caused by inflammation—making this a great go-to for when you have to consume antibiotics. To Conclude While antibiotics do leave you in a catch 22 situation, having a good mix of pre and probiotics in your diet, along with gut and liver supporting supplements, will help reduce the damage. This way you can have your cake (in this case, get better soon) and eat it too (without damaging your liver and gut in the bargain).

Gut – August 05, 2022

Oral Hygiene & Digestion: Are They Connected?

The consequences of poor oral hygiene are often connected to bad breath, plaque-filled teeth, cavities, and all things related to the mouth — but did you know it also has a very strong connection to our digestive health too?

Gut – August 26, 2021

My Happy Gut: The Gut Health Mix That You Need To Know All About

At Cosmix, we believe that a happy gut leads to happy health. And since you’re here, that means you agree too! Curious about how the My Happy Gut health mix helps your gut and overall health? Have questions? We’re answering some of the most frequently asked questions below. Read on!  What exactly does My Happy Gut do?  With the growing consumption of fast food and the occasional skipping of meals, the gut (intestines) tends to take the first hit. My Happy Gut is a gut health mix that provides an assorted mix of nutrients our body is usually deprived of as a result of these habits, and helps in creating a healthy gut flora. What’s gut flora? Simply put, it’s the good bacteria that reside in your intestine, enabling absorption of important substances from the food, thus keeping you healthy. It promotes healing of intestinal damage, if any, and ensures a balance in the internal environment. How does it work? My Happy Gut is packed with dietary fibres and Prebiotics – nutrients that promote growth of good bacteria, which work to improve gut health at the most basic level. Unlike a regular fibre-based mix, our gut health mix doesn’t just digest the previously consumed or following meal, but also maintains the pH and chemical balance of the intestines so as to avoid growth of harmful bacteria, in turn preventing absorption of not-so-healthy substances we may consume. It supplements the food components and helps in their breakdown for easier absorption. Regular consumption will help reduce the burden on your intestines to do all the work.  When should I take it? You can take our gut health mix whenever it’s convenient for you! However, most of our My Happy Gut users prefer consuming it the first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, to get the best out of the mix. There is no hard and fast rule, except that you consume the mix consistently!  How much is enough per serving?  We suggest about ¼ - ½ teaspoon a day for optimal benefit, as per your preference.  What should I take it with?  The best feature of CosMix super-foods is their versatility. Be it with your daily glass of milk, warm water, or along with your meals, My Happy Gut can work its way into your life and your food effortlessly! As yogurt is a commonly consumed probiotic agent, for those without lactose intolerance, a cup of the mix along with yogurt can be helpful. Most of our customers buy My Happy Gut and consume it  just with water, which also works just as well. Feel free to experiment! Here’s a recipe to get you started! When can I expect results?  Everybody is unique, and responds differently and in their own time.  Most of our customers begin to feel lighter and less bloated within 7-10 days of regular consumption. However, consistency is key, for best results. How can I tell if I need My Happy Gut? Very simple. Do you find yourself feeling uneasy a few hours after meals? Do you eat fast food, and then jump to thinking “I should go on a diet”, the moment it makes your tummy uncomfortable? Is your poop schedule irregular and bowel movements not as great as they should be? If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of the above, then Cosmix's gut health mix is the product for you!  I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Will this help me?  My Happy Gut helps in easing the digestion and absorption process as well as promotes healing of the tissues of the intestine. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition that is stress induced and results in an overactive gut. While the best way to salve the gut would be to address the problem at its primary cause, consuming our gut health mix will definitely contribute towards maintaining existing gut health, if not heal the condition.  Will this help with Diarrhea/Constipation? The ingredients of My Happy Gut have been shown to regulate bowel habits with regular consumption over a period of time. The individual components have various effects that act in a multifaceted manner to provide holistic aid to the intestines. For alterations in bowel movements of short durations, such as 3-4 days, we suggest giving our gut health mix a go along with gut friendly foods, as have our customers who have noticed positive changes. Important note: These products are not cures for any medical condition, diagnosed or undiagnosed, and we would recommend seeking help from your local health care professional regarding bowel irregularities lasting over 1 week and/or presenting with other symptoms. Is this advisable for children? Children’s bodies are capable of regenerating cells much quicker than adults, and as such don’t require further assistance. If your child is suffering from irregular bowel movements, please bear in mind that CosMix is not a treatment of any kind. Is it safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers? While there is no particularly harmful component in the mix, we do not advocate the usage of the mix during pregnancy and breastfeeding.  I am taking other tablets/medication. Can I still take this mix? Yes. My Happy Gut does not contain any active chemicals that would get in the way of your medication. However, it would be advisable to take the gut health mix along with food and not on an empty stomach, in this case, so as to ease the gut from direct exposure to multiple products.  Why goes into the making of our gut health mix? Mulethi, or liquorice root, is known to relieve constipation, stomach discomfort, heartburn, acidity and other stomach problems. It also acts as a mild laxative, playing an effective role in stimulating bowel movements. Ashoka acts as an anti-inflammatory agent in the stomach. Triphala is known to reduce constipation, abdominal pain and flatulence and improve the frequency and consistency of bowel movements. It has also been shown to reduce intestinal inflammation and repair intestinal damage. Papaya and Ginger are known prebiotic agents that provide fibre for healthy growth of gut bacteria. The mix is particularly formulated to provide complete gut health that your body deserves.  Click here to buy your very own My Happy Gut! 

Gut – August 02, 2021

UNDERSTANDING YOUR GUT WITH HEALTH COACH MARIAM BEGG (PART 1)

Even a small dysbiosis in your gut, can lead to skin, mental health, immune and several other issues. It’s that big of a ripple effect! So now you get why keeping your gut mitochondria happy and healthy should be your number one priority?  

Gut – August 02, 2021

BRINGING BALANCE TO YOUR GUT WITH HEALTH COACH MARIAM BEGG (PART 2)

Your gut is the main gateway for nutrients to enter your body and so getting it to functioning to an optimum level, is key. If it's blocked or can't process certain foods, then you lose out on vital nutrients and nourishment. So even if you’re eating really clean nourishing food, your body will not be able to absorb it.