In this episode of the Psychedelic Therapy Frontiers podcast, Dr. Steve Thayer and Dr. Reid Robison are joined for the second time on the show by Dr. Amy de la Garza to talk about the gut microbiome and the gut-brain connection. Amy is a board-certified family practice physician who provides specialized care for patients with behavioral health and SUD diagnoses. She uses an integrative approach sometimes called “lifestyle medicine”, which addresses nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management and social connection. Amy is also the Medical Director of the Novamind Salt Lake City, UT clinic. They discuss the following topics:

(1:30) Introduction to topic
(3:00) What is the gut microbiome?
(5:16) Can mental illness be attributed to problems with the gut microbiome?
(6:10) Studies about probiotic use and depression
(8:30) The gut's affect on the HPA axis
(9:55) "Leaky gut" or gut hyperpermeability and auto immune conditions
(14:50) How the gut interacts with the vagus nerve
(20:00) Neurotransmitter production in the gut
(24:45) Short chain fatty acids
(26:12) Bacterial endotoxemia, inflammation, and oxidation
(28:17) Microbiome and weight management
(28:55) Unocking the Keto Code, by Steven Gundry
(30:39) The dark side of diet culture
(32:50) Why don't we all have a perfectly healthy gut microbiome?
(33:33) Antibiotic overuse and the utility of probiotics
(37:15) Food choices that influence the health of the gut microbiome
(38:52) Trauma affects the microbiome
(45:00) What can you do to improve gut health?
(47:00) Stop drinking soda and start drinking water
(50:45) Quality sleep
(54:15) Adaptive responses to stress and our episode on triggers
(56:11) Stress management and the gut
(01:05:18) The healthcare profession is not conducive to health

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