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Alyson Stoner gained fame as a child star in videos for Missy Elliot and movies with the Jonas Brothers. But behind the scenes, they struggled with anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

Today, Alyson Stoner is educating fans about the link between gut health and mental health.
Transcript
00:00The connection between the mind and body and environment is so important.
00:05I didn't understand how all of it was interconnected until I was in rehab at 18.
00:13Did you know a healthy gut means you're less likely to suffer from anxiety and depression?
00:28More than 90% of serotonin, that happy chemical involved in mood and emotion regulation,
00:33is produced in your gastrointestinal tract.
00:36Around two years ago I started having gut health issues and I started noticing waves of
00:44anxious jitters and also depressive low moods that I had never had before in that way
00:51and they always followed eating certain foods.
01:07I remember having the thought, how much am I willing to sacrifice my health for the job?
01:15And I knew in that moment something was going to have to change.
01:29I personally needed to gain about 20 pounds to be a medically healthy weight.
01:35I had to sleep more than five hours a night.
01:38I tried any and everything I could because I
01:42really wanted a different experience and quality of life and I switched my diet.
01:48I switched a lot of things about my lifestyle and felt immediately relieved.
01:54I felt my energy levels restored.
01:58I felt more of an emotional regulation and that to me was a profound moment
02:06of recognizing how deeply connected the mind and body are.
02:13So
02:30there is a critical connection and relationship between the mind, your mental health and your gut
02:37and really being able to address yourself as a whole person
02:42is what's going to offer the most effective relief and transformation long term.
02:47I'm sad that it took that glaring of a set of issues to pay attention
02:54but I'm grateful ultimately because it did change the course of my life.

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