Ep188: How Your Gut Health is the Key to Unlocking a Healthier & Happier You | with Dr. Edison de Mello

Optimize Yourself

“The brain and the gut work like a key and a lock. One cannot function without the other.”

Dr. Edison de Mello

Dr. Edison de Mello is a Board-Certified Integrative Physician and a licensed psychotherapist.

He’s also the founder and chief medical officer of The Akasha Center in Santa Monica, CA where he treats patients using his signature East-meets-West approach. As he’s mentioned in previous interviews together, unlike many doctors in the traditional medical system, he doesn’t treat diseases or symptoms first, he treats the patient first. Today’s conversation centers around his new book Bloated? How to Reclaim Your Gut Health and Eat Without Pain.

If you commonly experience bouts of brain fog, the inability to focus, lethargy and chronic fatigue, or even a lack of creativity and motivation, you might be surprised to learn how much your gut health (or lack thereof) could be responsible. Dr. De Mello’s expertise on how our gut impacts our physical, mental, and even emotional health will leave you with a better understanding of what’s really going on under the hood and provide you with practical, simple steps to start healing from the inside out.

You’ll learn how the body has its own language and in Dr. de Mello’s words, that “language is symptoms.” Beyond discussing common digestion problems like bloating, stomach pain, and gas, we also dig a lot deeper into the emotional issues that often stem from the gut like depression. And even cooler we discuss how you can strengthen your intuition and ability to “follow your gut” simply by improving your digestion. Pretty cool eh? Oh yeah…we talk about farts too. I have no doubt you’ll love this light-hearted conversation that will not only provide you with a wealth of information regarding how to start assessing and addressing your gut health today, but will also have you laughing along the way.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

• How our process of elimination provides direct insight to our energy levels, creativity, and moods throughout the day
• KEY TAKEAWAY: You are not alone if you experience gut problems and de-stigmatizing the shame around it is the first step to healing
• How much gas you pass is directly related to how healthy your gut is
• Common habits that lead to excessive amounts of gas (and which ones you do and don’t need to worry about)
• The consequences industrialization has had on our diets, eating habits and food quality
• The top mindset shifts to make that directly and positively impact your digestion
• How to maintain positive eating habits without feeling like you’re torturing yourself
• How to start listening to your body in order to find the root cause of your symptoms
• Why science refers to the gut as our ‘second brain’
• The link between gut health and mental health (and how your gut can heal your mind)
• Why the level of your happiness is reliant on the state of your gut
• The downsides of antibiotics when it comes to the health of our bodies
• What your gut needs in order for your body to function properly
• A simple trick you can use to follow your ‘gut’ and make better decisions
• How your mindset and emotional state impacts disease (dis-ease)
• The one quality to look for when you’re searching for the right doctor
• The very first step to take if you’re suffering from digestive distress

Useful Resources Mentioned:

Ep152: Understanding the Difference Between Integrative & Traditional Medicine | with Dr. Edison de Mello

Ep95: On the Frontlines with COVID-19, How to Boost Your Immunity, & Testing Safely | with Dr. Edison de Mello

Ep01: Understanding the Link Between Creativity and Depression | with Dr. Edison de Mello

Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine

Bloated - How To Reclaim Your Gut Health And Eat Without Pain (Book)

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Guest Bio:

Dr. Edison de Mello

Dr. Edison de Mello, MD, PhD, is a board certified Integrative Physician by the American Board of Integrative Medicine and a licensed psychotherapist by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. He practiced psychotherapy for 13 years before entering medical training and now practices and teaches evidenced- based integrative medicine.

Dr. de Mello’s PhD dissertation, entitled “Gut Feelings – A Psychosocial Approach to Gastrointestinal Illness,” inspired his conception of a center where psychology would be combined and fully integrated with Western and Eastern medicines. The de Mello Institute was formed in 1996 with the goal of employing safe and complementary approaches to healthcare while also addressing a person’s emotional and spiritual health and safe ed treatment. Fully committed to these goals, Dr. de Mello entered residency in 1999 at the prestigious Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center Urban Family Residency program in New York City, including training at the Manhattan-based Center for Health and Healing. His training utilized a biopsychosocial model and offered innovative experiences in the integration of complementary medicine into the practice of Family Medicine. Upon completing his medical training, Dr. de Mello expanded the de Mello Institute and founded the Akasha Center for Integrative Medicine.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).