Guest column: College students: Your gut is on your side

You live away from home now, studying for yourself, working for yourself, stressing for

yourself. A poor, albeit cheap, diet isn’t helping, Oh– and you’re paying for all of it. But just because there’s a financial burden, doesn’t mean your body has to take the same hit. Introducing probiotic-rich foods gifts your body the ability to combat factors putting a strain on your physical– and also mental– wellbeing. Doing everything from strengthening your distress response, to your immune system, your gut microbiome (bacterial colonies in your colon, large and small intestines, and the stomach) can elevate your life as a college student, without breaking the bank.

By consuming live, healthful bacteria (probiotics) you are creating what is known as a “gut-brain axis.” This partnership between your brain and intestinal tract affects your ability to facilitate stress signals. Stress affects 97.8% of university students’ mental health, so chances are, you’re afflicted by it as well. So why not adopt a support system from within?

In a study by Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, half out of the 40 young, healthy adults sampled were given probiotics in powdered form every night. After four weeks, those given probiotics had shortened cognitive reactions on a depression-sensitivity scale when induced into a sad mood compared to those consuming placebos. Patients’ diets were not monitored outside of the laboratory, however the results are significant nonetheless.

Even mice reveal the influence of healthy levels of gut bacteria on mood, observed when researchers separated rodent patients into a sterile environment (no bacteria), or a “normal” environment. The study concludes the germ-free subjects “…showed exaggerated physiological reactions to stress compared to normal controls.” Healthy responses to the same stressors were achieved when bacteria was reestablished internally. This may be due to the regulating properties held by some bacterial strains for cortisol, the stress hormone.

So you’ve found a friend in your microbiome which will help ensure you are in good mental condition for finals, but what about the post-semester flu? By upkeeping the same habit of probiotic consumption, your teaming-with-life organs can help lift you out of your sickened state quicker than those with less active microflora. According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, microbiota can stimulate the immune system, aiding in catabolizing toxic food substances. Several bacterial strains even fight harmful pathogens carried into your body by infected drink or food.

Staying healthy allows for better class attendance, and a workload you don’t fall behind on. But even social benefits result from a quicker recovery: more time for basketball games, more time sledding down Old Main Hill, and more time with friends. Partaking in food items which serve as probiotic vessels may limit your time spent caged in your tiny dorm, feeling like it’s shrinking by the hour.

So how can you ingest these powerful little organisms? I believe fermented food is the ideal method– it’s easily found and can take no preparation. Strategically aging food has been used for preservation for thousands of years so it keeps longer (fewer trips to the grocery store)! Winco Foods at 1341 Main St. has several items under $15 that will deliver the same benefits without increasing the 83.3% of students who admit financial struggles are their largest stressor, including PATCH Bavarian sauerkraut, Boursin Cheese, Nancy’s yogurt, and Nasoya kimchi. Author Maja Sikic-Pogacar and collaborators note that the variation in microorganisms contributes to unique “…flavors, textures, and nutritional profiles…” so you never have to tire of a monotonous taste.

College students, be on the lookout for items labeled with “live cultures,” for it could be the cheap method of reducing stress and illness you were looking for. Your microbiota network is individual to you, and so is your experience in higher education. I have felt fulfilled myself after I began integrating fermented, probiotic packed sources into my everyday diet. So support yourself, support your gut!