Gut Bacteria/Brain Myelin Connection — Interesting!

https://www.theguardian.com/science/neurophilosophy/2016/apr/05/gut-bacteria-brain-myelin

Wasn't sure where to post this, as it's not tinnitus-related research, per se. It does, however, mention many of the brain areas frequently discussed here, and points to the interconnectedness of it all. Diet, the microbiome, and other factors have direct implications in brain functioning and health. There is even an interesting comment toward the end about how social isolation makes things worse from a brain health perspective. Food for thought (no pun intended).

 

I believe it could be related because the myelin sheath enables nerves to communicate with one another more efficiently. Erosion of the myelin sheath results in degenerative nerve disorders. Maybe it also disrupts GABA neurotransmitters, but I'm just speculating about that.

@Lisa88 has mentioned the gut-brain connection in another thread referencing the 5:2 diet developed by Dr. Michael Mosley. The social isolation factor is noted in an article posted by @jdjd09.

It's been known for a long time that people who deliberately isolate themselves, for whatever reason (and there can be very good reasons), suffer negative effects mentally, emotionally, and physically. Like horses, most of us are herd creatures and require companionship or at least social interaction to stay healthy.

 

@Cheza Thanks for referencing the various things, above. I agree!

I have many intuitions regarding tinnitus, gleaned from extensive reading all across the internet (of course !).

What I've come to believe, more and more, is that in some cases, we can surely help ourselves by creating our own solutions, including things like that 5:2 diet, the Tai Chi and body-based practices, etc.

And without getting way too detailed here (but I've been studying and researching diet for years), the food we eat most certainly affects us at the tiniest cellular level, along with all the complex interactions that go along with that.

I have seen children who began more positive diets show wonderful increases in attention and decreases in neuro-excitability. This is searchable all over the internet, of course.

As adults, similar dietary changes can have huge affects. Our cultures post billboards, literal and figurative, in front of our eyes and our psyches, touting all these different "foods" we've come to accept as the "norm." But, they are NOT beneficial to us at all!!! Cheeseburgers, fries, nachos, donuts, cake, sugar, etc., etc. Even the organic products have many questionable ingredients listed. All that guar gum, xanthan gum, citric acid, etc. Some of that stuff has a high glutamate profile and can increase the excitability in an affected brain (be it tinnitus or another neurological impairment).

And even eating pure whole foods requires a bit of adjusting and finagling just due to the amount of naturally occurring glutamates and other substances.

Yes, it can seem confusing and overwhelming. But I believe that taking a close look at food labels and our overall diets, and then tweaking them, can result in some positive changes, even if it only partly reduces tinnitus. And if it doesn't, then it most certainly boosts health in other ways.

I personally have had a long journey along the "Food Trail." Started as a kid in a meat and potatoes family, scarfed all the junk food I wanted, "graduated" to five cheeseburgers a week in college (money + car = burger joints!), and eventually gained 55 pounds, lost it all through better eating and portion control, 15 years as a near-vegetarian, and recently, the past few months without dairy, too.

Each step of the way has yielded more energy and feeling of general health.

It isn't boring eating simply once you adapt to it and make other things in life your reward, instead of food being the reward system. And yes, here and there I WILL scarf down a bag of chips. Because, like, life, ya know???