Gut Bacteria & Maternal Stress | A Mother's Legacy
We know that gut bacteria are critical for nutrient absorption and for immunity, and I have discussed their role in mental health and wellness, but this study and others explore how we may be set up from very early in life to deal with a suboptimal intestinal environment.
- Mice stressed by fox odor, temporary restraints, and nighttime lighting, during their first trimester were found to be vaginally colonized by different bugs than those leading a more typical existence.
- These bugs were notably deficient in lactobacillus strains.
- Their offspring went on the have colonic bugs that looked like their mother's and were found to influence the expression of 20 genes relevant to brain physiology.
Vaginal birth may be a critical component of healthy colonization, but managing stress through a nutrient dense diet, exercise, and daily relaxation may assure that your gut colonies are what you need them to be for a more stress-resilient existence. Read the study yourself.
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