Have your stomach fluttered before a presentation?
Noticed stress creating an upset stomach, bloating or even diarrhea?
These common feelings aren't just figments of your imagination- they are your gut communicating.
In his book The Mind-Gut Connection, Emeran Mayer outlines the daily communication that occurs between the gut and the brain.
This post breaks down these complex ideas into simple terms, helping you learn about the gut-brain axis, the functions of the microbiome, how stress impacts our digestive systems, the role food plays in our overall health, and practical steps you can take to begin to feel better. Please note that while the gut's capabilities impact our emotions and energy levels it does not have control over our personalities, depression, or weight. It works in conjunction with many other systems to maintain homeostasis.
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The Gut-Brain Axis: Understanding Why the Gut Is Called the Second Brain
Your gut possesses its own nervous system called the enteric nervous system. This brain for your belly is tasked with digesting food, moving it through the intestines, and releasing fluids. It doesn't quite 'think' in the same way the one in our heads does though- the enteric nervous system communicates bi-directionally with our head brain through signals traveling along a pathway called the vagus nerve.
These signals travel in the form of hormones, immune molecules, and neurotransmitters, amongst others, contained in our bloodstream.
This can be understood by thinking about two cities. Each city possesses its own transportation and communication systems. The primary city (our head brain) makes key decisions and needs to receive information back from the second (our gut) about current conditions to function at an optimal level. Thegut is not there to replicate the brain- it acts as a supplemental part.
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How stress makes digestion miserable and gut pain feel worse
When our bodies detect danger or excessive stress they enter a "survival mode," a situation that naturally pulls our focus and resources away from digestion to concentrate on fight-or-flight mechanisms. This is why when we are stressed, we get things like stomach aches, nausea, cramping, vomiting or diarrhea, but we might be feeling the other side of things: constipation. In response to stress, digestion will either slow way down orspeed way up.
In most cases, the symptom goes away after the stressful event is over- this is acute stress.
When the stress continues for many months or years, it develops into chronic stress which impacts digestion by consistently causing symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating or IBD symptoms and may worsen pre-existing conditions such as depression and anxiety. This, like what happens in the opposite direction, creates what is known as chronic, recurring problems.
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The effect of Gut Signals on Mood, Emotion, Memory and Motivation
These are not merely two independent communication pathways that only trigger physical symptoms. They influence how we feel and function mentally; they trigger emotions, memories, thoughts and our motivations. For instance, if your gut feels bloated or uncomfortable for a long time, your brain picks up signals which contribute to feeling tired, grumpy, unmotivated or sad.
This has not yet been entirely figured out and it does not mean that a particular food automatically induces a sudden spike of excitement or sorrow.
Over time however our gut has become wired to connect certain meals with specific emotions. You might start feeling on edge when you eat your favorite restaurant meal and calm and tranquil when you enjoy a snack at home, with no logical or emotional reasoning associated to it and without even thinking about it because the brain perceives certain physical feelings as emotions.
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The role of the gut microbiome in boosting immunity maintaining the gut and impacting your health
Inside our guts we have trillion of living organism. In fact, more have been discovered inside our guts than on the rest of our bodies COMBINED. These living things are everything from viruses to bacteria to funghi and when united and functioning correctly together are referred to as the microbiome.
This collective community of microbes in our intestines not only break down our food but also help to defend our immune systems and provide us with short-chain fatty acids-molecules which line our gut and keep barrier integrity.
They also influence serotonin levels: the key neurotransmitter responsible for managing mood. Although this process has been researched very minimally and is considered unreliable by scientists, a healthier gut microbiome can promote better mood. Don't strive to be a super expert about probiotic strains; concentrate more on diversity and balance rather than specificity of different bacteria, fungus, viruses, etcetera in order to keep a consistent state.
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How food can support a healthier gut
What we eat actively impacts the population and functionality of bacteria and other microbes within our guts. Increasing your consumption of a wide array of plant based foods including fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds and grains has been shown to be beneficial to a healthier microbiome and body. Increase your fiber in your body's diet very gradually or else it may cause discomfort, bloat or nausea.
Fermented foods such as tempeh, kefir, kimchi, yogurt, buttermilk and sauerkraut are consumed in order to add beneficial microbes to your gut population.
Choose and enjoy nutrient dense and real food as oppose to ultra-processed items such as fast food and sugary snacks. Take steps towards including 30 different types of food into your diet per week. Your gut is a complex thing and varies from person to person so pay close attention to how your individual system feels and eat accordingly.
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What is important to know about probiotics, antibiotics and artificial sweeteners
There are actually three kinds of things used to keep bacteria alive within us: probiotics, prebiotics and fermented foods... These are all fundamentally different. Probiotics are bacteria, and while they can be ingested via supplement, it has been noted that they need to be working with your body and current microbes to effectively improve gut health.
Prebiotics is fiber which nourishes bacteria within you, and fermented foods contains microbes by themselves, and thus can support your microbiome.
Not everyone can afford it, not everyone can be or knows how to be a nutritionist who knows what specific probiotic strains are best for each individual, therefore talking to a healthcare provider first if you are thinking of using them is advised. Antibiotics should be thought of as what they really are-medication designed to KILL harmful bacteria and that naturally comes at a price. It can upset your gut and is a direct risk factor toward developing antibiotic resistance, therefore, taking the proper prescribed dosage and finishing your cycle of antibiotics is highly encouraged.
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steps to an improved Gut-Brain Health
It has never been made clear what the proper or healthiest diet to achieve these results is, but with all things, what is really being taken into account is what is healthy to you, your body and your brain. Follow your intuition as best you can when picking your food from a grocer's stand to a restaurant. Aim to try to eat meals consisting of at least a minimum percentage of 30 foods each week and drink plenty of fluids daily; these two have proved useful in supporting brain-gut function.
Also strive to reach eight hours or more of sleep each night as well as keep an active body through consistent light exercises.
Meditation or any other sort of focused-breathing will ease many stressful feelings you may have toward food and other topics; listen and tune in to your body rather than your thoughts-take in what it truly feels, hunger and fullness included and use this knowledge to keep your diet consistent as one always would. Keeping a journal can track meals and bodily processes and make you aware of what foods and actions seem to align with improved gut performance and bodily well-being: food issues are one that you need to get more than aware about to treat them effectively. Lastly, you must recognize that any weight you do have will always come into play along with so many other environmental, biological and physical factors. You do not need any miracle diets or diets of any sort that involve fasting or detoxing: the body does these things naturally.
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Symptoms of a Gut or Mood
You have a mental or physical health emergency and must seek the assistance of medical help when experiencing any of these symptoms. You must reach medical help in times when you feel stomach aches accompanied with vomiting, when there is blood inside the stool, when weight loss is experienced without intent, with illness, constant sickness, constant diarrhea, chronic pain and or sadness, binge-eating or purge behavior or difficulty consuming food for extended durations, an inability to swallow food and then have been prescribed and instructed to avoid all medications. Your depression, anxiety or an eating disorder should never solely be treated with diet alone!
Medical professional can help you recover from and be treated for medical conditions such as IBS, Chron's Disease or celiac disease and/or mental conditions such as severe forms of depression, anxiety or disorders of eating by recommending a particular prescription medication depending on what treatment seems right for you individually.
Avoid changing current medications before speaking to your healthcare provider and discuss this topic or what treatment options may seem appropriate through a phone call or in person visit.
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Summary
We have discussed that the mind and the gut work as a partnership and send one another signals. Taking good care of both your mind and your body has proven incredibly helpful in a balanced manner of living with foods, behaviors, physical activity and even sleep. Doing tiny everyday tasks consistently seems to make larger more prominent changes: a new plant added to your meal, exchanging processed snacks for healthier ones, getting more rest and taking walks.
Pay close attention to your body and how it truly feels in your brain and your body...
Lasting health does not begin by doing extreme plans it comes about from sustainable habits. Always seek the guidance of medical providers when living with serious physical issues or concerns of your mood.
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