How Focusing On My Gut Health Has Improved My Mood

posted on October 30, 2019 | by Amanda Holstein

This post is sponsored by Country Life Vitamins.

You guys know I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety over the last ten years. And for the last ten years, I’ve been prescribed medications that work initially, but eventually wear off. So I’ve just kept increasing my dose every year, not seeing long-term results. I don’t know what woke me up this year, but I knew I had to make a change.

I decided to see a Functional Medicine Doctor, which you can read more about here, changed my diet, and have found supplements that truly make a difference. Besides my depression & anxiety, I’ve always had stomach problems my whole life. And it wasn’t until I met with this Functional Medicine Doctor did I realize these things were all connected. I had no idea how much your gut truly affects all different areas of your body! I’m excited to partner with Gut Connection from Country Life to share my experience and hopefully encourage you guys to give this method a try too!

Why your gut?

There is tons of research out there now proving the gut-brain connection exists. I’m not going to pretend I’m an expert here, so instead, I’ll direct you to this amazing woman Dr. Kelly Brogan. Read some of her articles to get a better understanding of just how impactful the gut is on our health! But generally, our digestive tracts store a whole bunch of different bacteria, some good, some bad, all of which affect the production of other chemicals in our body. These chemicals affect everything from your mood to inflammation.

What I Did to Improve My Gut Health

Improving your gut health is really about paying more attention to what you’re putting in your body. By changing my diet and adding in supplements, I felt better within weeks — I’m not even kidding. My energy increased, my stomach issues went away, and most importantly for me, my mood was so much better. What that diet is and which supplements you take really depend on the individual person and their needs, but I’m happy to share what I did.

I cut out gluten, dairy, processed sugar, corn, soy, and peanuts. I know, it’s a lot, especially for someone who relied on Cinnamon Toast Crunch for weeknight dinners. My doctor also added a slew of supplements into my routine, based on blood work that showed where my body could use the help. And if making these changes didn’t have such an effect on my mood, I wouldn’t have the motivation to stick with it.

Supplements to Try

After finding such great success with these changes, I’ve really been committed to my gut health, so trying these Gut Connection supplements from Country Life was a no-brainer. Gut Connection is a line of supplements meant to balance the bacteria, or microbiome, in your gut. They’re scientifically formulated and focused on specific health issues that truly affect our day-to-day life, including brain function, digestion, immune balance, mood, sleep, stress, and weight balance.

I decided to take three supplements from their line, including their Cognitive Balance, Mood Balance, and Energy Balance. Before I focused on my gut health, I experienced major “brain fog”. I’d have days where I couldn’t think straight or concentrate. So when I saw Gut Connection made a formula specifically for cognitive balance, I was very intrigued. My mood is obviously a big focus of mine as well, considering the anxiety & depression I experience. So I opted to try their Mood Balance formula, which helps maintain good digestive & immune health as well as specific neurotransmitters that support mood. Since I also struggled with low energy, I gave the Energy Balance formula a try as well.

How It’s Helped Me

Since making all of these changes and adding in these specific Gut Connection supplements, I have felt a huge difference in my day-to-day life. First, my bowel movements are regular, which means my digestive tract is working properly (finally!). From there, I’ve noticed an increase in energy, which has been motivating me to work out more, which in turn creates more energy! My depression has completely gone away and my anxiety has diminished significantly. And finally, my brain! That brain fog is no longer controlling my life. I wake up thinking clearly, feeling positive, and motivated to get stuff done.

Find What Motivates You

And these changes I’ve made — my diet, the supplements, more exercise — I’m committed to them. They have become lifestyle changes. And you know what I’ve realized about making lifestyle changes? You need to find your specific motivation to make those changes and stick with them. For me, I just wanted to feel happy and for my mood to stop controlling my life. Seeing such fantastic results has convinced me to keep up with this lifestyle. It feels good to feel good!

Thank you Gut Connection for sponsoring this post and for helping to improve my gut health!