Most of us are generally aware that our stomach is very sensitive to our moods and our stress. We refer to having “butterflies in our stomach” or having a “gut feeling.” Or when things are really bad, we describe them as “gut wrenching.” But the extent to which the gastrointestinal system is communicating with our brain is, in fact, really astounding. Understanding this link a little better may help us to better attune to the connection of our mental health and our physical health.
Our brains communicate with our body through various nerve systems, motor nerves for muscle movements to walk and talk, or sensory nerves to feel things like hot and cold. But to my surprise I recently learned that more information passes between your brain and your gut than any other body system. There are more nerve cells in your gut, in fact, than anywhere else in your body other than your brain! Your brain and your gut are constantly communicating back and forth about everything to do with both your physical and emotional well being.
Practically speaking, it makes sense that these two systems are so interrelated. Our survival has always depended on getting enough nutrients and avoiding eating the wrong things that could make us sick. An alarm system has evolved between the brain and the gut. When you are in danger or when you are vulnerable, our emotions are signaled and our digestion is affected. A sensitive feedback loop exists between your gastrointestinal system and your endocrine (hormonal) system and immune system Research suggests that communication crosstalk between your brain and your gut can influence hunger and satiety, metabolism, mood, behavior, stress levels, pain sensitivity, cognitive functions and immunity.
The enteric nervous system is the neural network that works within your gastrointestinal tract. It has more than 500 million neurons, the most complex system outside our brain. It’s also unique in that it operates somewhat independently from our brain and central nervous system. It can gather information about the conditions inside your GI tract, process that information locally, and generate a response without sending it back to your brain! Bacteria that live in our gut are also part of this complex connection. Gut microbes help produce many of the chemical neurotransmitters that are the pathway of communication between your gut and brain. Recent studies are uncovering the link that microbiomes may have in neurological, mental health, and functional gastrointestinal disorders (disorders that have many symptoms without any obvious physical cause, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). There is a considerable overlap between people who have mental health issues such as anxiety and people who have functional gastrointestinal disorders.
As scientists come to understand the relationship between our gut health and our mental health they are experimenting with ways to treat these disorders through gut biomes. There is early data that indicates having a healthier diversity of microbiota in your gut may help relieve neurological, psychological, inflammatory, and emotional stress symptoms. The use of probiotics, antibiotics, and microbiota transplantation are promising areas of research for future treatments.
Overall, research supports the importance of mind body therapy that soothes the mind as well as the gut. Such therapies include relaxation therapy, biofeedback, mindfulness based therapy and stress management interventions and tools. In addition, making sure you eat a healthy diet can make a difference for your mental health. More diversity of whole foods, emphasizing plants, in your diet leads to a more diverse gut microbiome. Whole foods contain more fiber that supports our gut lining. Probiotics are the live bacteria in fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut. Prebiotics are the complex starches that probiotics like to eat. Antioxidants which occur naturally in a variety of fruits and vegetables help to prevent inflammation and support good microbe functioning. With all of this new data, researchers and medical professionals are now experimenting with a field of nutrition known as psychobiotics.
It’s hopeful to think about a way to support our health that is natural and works with our own body’s systems. With the power of the connections between the gut and the brain, it’s no wonder we have long been encouraged to trust our guts. It certainly has an inside track to what we’re thinking and feeling. Not only do we need to focus on our “wise minds” but also on our “wise guts” to lead us into healthier and more peaceful living.