Netflix documentary, “Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut,” nominated for four Emmy Awards – Arpana Church, PhD

Dr. Church, co-director of the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, provided expert commentary in this Emmy-nominated documentary that delves into the digestive system and illuminates the role gut health plays in our overall well-being. It was nominated for outstanding lifestyle program among other award categories. The documentary is still available to stream on Netflix in case you missed it.

Your gut microbes may impact your ability to handle stress

Increasing evidence linking stress with depression and anxiety spurred the UCLA researchers to explore the biological basis of buoyancy beyond psychological and social factors. According to Arpana Church, PhD, co-director of the Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center and the senior author of the study, "Resilient individuals are good at regulating emotions with great cognitive functioning and flexibility. They are also less neurotic, more mindful, grateful and at the gut-microbiome level have reduced inflammation and better gut barrier integrity. When you have inflammation, it's like a systemic thing — found in pretty much all disorders." She adds that more integrated research and clinical studies with human subjects that could lead to treatments are needed. Such research may also help identify biomarkers in the microbiome that can help tailor decisions on how to use existing mental health therapies. Read full article in Next Avenue