Okay, so maybe not Ridley Scott’s aliens, but there are definitely foreign puppeteers pulling the strings from inside your body.

The good news is that they are fairly happy to coexist with you, instead of bursting out of your chest like Porky Pig at the end of a Bugs Bunny cartoon…

You’re probably aware that there are trillions of bacteria that live in your stomach and intestines, but their importance and influence in maintaining your overall health may not have been highlighted to you…

Your gut microbiome (the bacteria in your gut) play a role in:

• How often and how badly you get sick…
• How well you digest food and extract nutrients…
• How prone your body is to store belly fat…
• Your moods and risk for depression…
• And even the development of ADD/ADHD in kids!

And now, new research suggests that the bacteria in your gut interact directly with your central nervous system, and can even create sugar cravings.

Researchers from multiple universities in the US have concluded that your gut microbiome influences your eating and dietary choices and favours the consumption of the particular nutrients they thrive on rather than passively living off whatever nutrients you choose to send their way.

Some gut bacteria like fiber. Others (like you) loooove sugar.

So depending on the diversity of different bacteria types in your microbiome, you may be compelled to eat one way or another, in order to accommodate your tiny house guests.

When bacteria break down food molecules in your gut, they produce waste materials (just like us). Studies on chocolate cravings have found that even when eating identical diets, people who crave chocolate have different microbial breakdown products in their urine than people who are “chocolate indifferent”. Different ‘breakdown products’ means different bacteria in their tummy.

So what? Well, those ‘breakdown products’ are one of the few substances in our body that are able to slip through the blood-brain barrier and mimic hormones that signal hunger or satiety, amongst other things. That’s right – bacterial poop influences your brain to change when and what you want to eat. Crazy, eh!

Bacteria are also able to produce neurotransmitters – chemicals normally produced by nerve cells to communicate with other nerve cells.

According to some sources, about 50% of the dopamine (your reward hormone) and up to 90% of your serotonin (your happy hormone) is produced in your gut.

Bacteria in your gut may also influence your ability to learn and form new neural connections (and maintain old connections).

Mice studies have shown that mice lacking a gut microbiota have decreased levels of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) in the learning and memory centres of the brain. BDNF is primarily responsible for maintaining the strength of connections between neurons and maintaining older connections.

So if your gut bacteria are dictators, controlling your thoughts and feelings to further their own agenda, how do we harness this influence to make it work for us?

Install The Right Bacteria With Probiotics

One of the few dietary supplements we recommend at The Wellness Group is probiotics. The bacteria contained in Life By Design Approved probiotic supplements will help to support your digestive, immune and nervous systems in a healthy way.

Cut Out Added Sugar

Feeding those bacteria that cause you to crave sugar will only strengthen their grip on your mind.

Eat Fruits And Veggies High In Fiber

Broccoli, brussel sprouts and berries are not only packed full of nutrients, many healthful gut bacteria thrive on high fiber, low sugar diets.

Eat More Fermented Foods

Fermented foods such as kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi come complete with healthful bacteria that colonize well in your gut.

Eat By Design

Eating By Design not only supplies you with the essential nutrients your body needs, it is also the diet of choice for many of the healthful bacteria in your gut. The more you feed them, the more they grow. And the more they grow, the more that they will suppress the cravings coming from those bacteria who want you to eat chocolate all the time.

Click below to download your copy of the Eat By Design Quick Start Guide.

Dr. David Hawkes is a wellness expert and martial arts enthusiast. Born and raised in Perth, Western Australia, Dr Hawkes’ passion for health and wellness has led him here to Kanata, literally halfway around the world. After graduating from Murdoch University, Dr. Hawkes ran a successful practice in Perth’s western suburbs before moving to Ottawa. Dr. Hawkes has a special interest in family wellness, as well as Peak Performance. He is passionate about helping individuals and families lead their extraordinary lives.