.png)
What is it?
Have you ever had a gut feeling about something? Have you ever been so nervous you couldn’t eat? That is the mind-gut connection doing its job.
The mind-gut connection is the relationship between the brain and the digestive system.
Your brain and your gut are very much connected and they are communicating all the time.
The gut has 100 million neurons that line the digestive tract. It is sometimes referred to as the “second brain” because of its large number of neurons. The neurons in the gut make up the enteric nervous system (ENS), which can work independently from the brain but is still connected to the central nervous system (CNS). Signals travel between the gut and the brain through the vagus nerve.
The vagus nerves are the main communication path between the brain and the gut. These nerves control digestive and immune function as well as heart rate and mood. There are two vagus nerves; the left and the right nerve. Being the longest cranial nerves, they run from your brain to your large intestine.
What bodily functions are affected
Stress and emotional response: Stress releases a hormone called cortisol, which can disrupt gut function. On the other side, a poor diet can lead to poor mental health, including anxiety and depression.
Inflammation: Inflammation in the gut has been linked to gastrointestinal disorders as well as mood disorders. The immune system’s response to an unhealthy gut microbiome can cause inflammation and lead to poor brain function.
Gut microbiota: There are trillions of bacteria in the gut. These bacteria and microorganisms play a crucial part in the communication between the brain and the gut. These microbes can produce neurotransmitters that affect mood and behavior. An imbalance in gut bacteria has been linked to mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. This can be avoided by making sure you are eating a diverse diet with lots of whole foods, fiber, and pre and probiotics while limiting processed foods and added sugars.
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)