By: Malik Merritte, Graduate Professional Assistant, Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, a graduate student in Mason’s Counseling program
“Trust your hunches. They’re usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level.” – Dr. Joyce Brothers
Have you ever heard someone say they have a gut feeling? There is science behind that. The gut – the gastrointestinal tract – doesn’t just help you digest food and absorb nutrients; it also affects emotions. In fact, your gut is connected to the brain in such powerful ways that it can be seen as your second brain. Here’s how your gut and brain are connected, and how to eat in ways that strengthen both your physical and emotional well-being.
Nervous System Partners
When you’re nervous and feel “butterflies” in your stomach, there’s more happening than just the sensation that term implies. Your central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord, which produces chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin, and acetylcholine that are critical for regulating your mood and processing your thoughts and emotions. The enteric nervous system (ENS) is located in your gut and facilitates your gastrointestinal functions. Your ENS – which contains between 100 million and 500 million neurons, the largest collection of nerve cells in the body – is referred to as the second brain (Champion, 2023). Your gut-brain system involves two-way communication between your central nervous system and your ENS, which links the emotional and cognitive centers of the brain (Champion, 2023). Some chemicals are produced by the brain, and some are produced in the gut. Serotonin is one of the most buzzed-about brain chemicals because of its role in mood and emotion. More than 90 percent of serotonin receptors are found in the gut (Naidoo, 2022). Since more than 90 percent of your serotonin is produced in your gastrointestinal tract, and your gastrointestinal tract is lined with millions of neurons, it makes sense that the inner workings of your digestive system don’t just help you digest food but also guide your emotions. Given how closely the gut and brain interact, it becomes easier to understand why emotions such as anger, anxiety, sadness, elation, or even the experience of “butterflies” or nausea can originate from in your gut (Harvard Health Publishing, 2023).
Before your gut and brain became distinct entities, they were one. They came from the same fertilized egg that gave rise to all the organs in your body. Even though your gut and brain are housed in different parts of your body right now, they remain connected. The gut and the brain remain in connection through your ENS and the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is also known as the “wanderer nerve” and it originates in your brain stem and travels all the way to your gut, connecting your gut to your central nervous system (Naidoo, 2022). Signals from both your ENS and your vagus nerve help keep the connection between your gut and brain traveling in both directions.
How Your Diet Affects Your Emotions
If you experience mood swings or other behavioral health challenges, your diet could be playing a role. The function and the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin are greatly affected by the billions of “good” bacteria that are part of your intestinal microbiome (Harvard Health Publishing, 2023). Your brain is constantly active – managing your thoughts, movements, breathing, heartbeat, and senses even while you sleep. In order to perform these tasks, it needs a steady supply of fuel, which comes from the food you eat. The quality of that fuel significantly impacts your brain’s function, and, ultimately, your mood (Selhub, 2022). Your brain relies on a balanced gut microbiome to produce the chemicals necessary for stability and health. Likewise, your gut depends on a stable and healthy brain to maintain this balance. If this mutual relationship is disturbed, it can cause issues for both your brain and your gut. An imbalanced gut microbiome can lead to brain dysfunction, and an unhealthy brain can negatively affect your gut.
A Mindful Eating Practice to Try
Mindful eating is a powerful practice that nurtures both your gut and your brain by helping you become more aware of how food affects your body and emotions. Instead of eating on autopilot, eating mindfully encourages you to slow down and truly connect with your meals. Mindful eating can help guide you to food choices to make sure you’re feeling satisfied, both mentally and physically.
For example, when deciding on a snack, think about why you want it. Are you feeling hungry, tired, or in need of comfort? Notice how different foods make you feel – both physically and emotionally – and tune in to signals of hunger and fullness rather than eating out of habit. You can do so by first considering how you’re feeling before eating, then paying attention to your body’s reaction while eating, and later reflecting on your body’s response once you’ve finished eating. This awareness helps you make better food choices, leading you to improved gut health and overall well-being.
Eating mindfully can support both serotonin production and a healthy gut microbiome. Here are some specific food choices to consider for mindful meals and snacks:
- Spinach, eggs, poultry, and salmon: All of these foods are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid essential for serotonin synthesis. Maintaining a clean and balanced gut is crucial for overall well-being.
- Pineapple: Foods like pineapple, which contains the digestive enzyme bromelain, help break down proteins for easier digestion.
- Ginger, garlic, and leafy greens: Ginger helps soothe your stomach, relieve nausea, and support gut health, while garlic and leafy greens (such as lettuce, cabbage, and kale) contribute to a diverse and thriving gut microbiome.
- Avocados: Avocados, which are packed with fiber and essential nutrients, further promote healthy digestion.
Incorporating these mindful food choices can help you develop a thriving gut environment, which in turn supports your brain health and emotional well-being.
Additional Resources
- The book This is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More by Uma Naidoo, M.D.
- The research study “Highly Selective Brain-to-Gut Communication Via Genetically Defined Vagus Neurons”
- The research study “Gut Signals and Gut Feelings: Science at the Interface of Data and Beliefs”
- The HopkinsMedicine.org article “The Brain-Gut Connection”
- The ClevelandClinic.org article “What Is the Gut-Brain Connection?”
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