When it comes to having good mental health, there are a ton of things that come to our mind. From meditation to physical activity, we tend to opt for a plethora of methods that can help make things better for our mental health. But have you ever considered that going for a poo can be added to this list? New research suggests that enjoying a number two session can actually prove to be rather good for your mental health.
As bizarre as this sounds, the research claims that holding your poo in can actually have negative repercussions not just on your physical health but also on mental health. The study tried to find a connection between chronic diarrhoea, constipation and depression in individuals. In fact, lead author Sarah Ballou even explained that bowel issues are "significantly more prevalent" in depressed people and "our findings provide support for the relationship between mood and specific bowel habits."
Of course, you might still find it hard to believe that not going for a poo could so severely affect mental health. But there's a scientific reason behind this too. We're sure you've heard of the happy hormone called serotonin. Well, guess where it originates? In the gut! At least a significant amount of it does. So, it only makes sense that if your gut is upset, you'll feel upset too.
"If you’re experiencing irregular bowel activity you could indeed also encounter low mood and there are studies to back this," Dr Gill Hart, a biochemist said. "The gut is home to hundreds of trillions of microorganisms which form part of the gut-microbiome-brain-axis. Mood states have been linked with the composition of the microbiome in mentally and physically healthy adults. If your gut is unhappy, it’s likely to affect your overall wellbeing too, physically and mentally."
Well, looks like you need to start paying more attention to your dietary habits and ensure you're having a good poo! Stay tuned for more updates.
