Mahalia Freed ND

“Listen to your gut” – Stress and Digestive Function

Monday, June 14th, 2010 | Articles

Have you ever had something hit you so hard, emotionally, that you felt nauseous? Have you ever eaten out of sadness, boredom, anxiety?

“Butterflies in the stomach”, “Gut instinct”, “Nervous stomach”;

There are many expressions linking emotions to our digestive tract. In fact, the gut is often referred to as the “second brain.” Rather than being a figure of speech, this is a physiologically accurate portrayal. The gut is innervated by the two branches of the autonomic nervous system, which is controlled by the brain, as well as by the enteric (of the intestines) nervous system, which operates entirely independently. Serotonin, the neurotransmitter famous for its role in treating depression and insomnia, is highly active within the gut and ninety five percent of the body’s serotonin is actually manufactured in the intestines. No wonder people with gut dysbiosis, or an altered balance of bacteria and yeast in the gut, experience mood symptoms! Perhaps it would be more precise to label the gut as part of the brain? In any case, it is clear that the health of our gut affects our mood, and our mood affects the health of our gut.

So, what happens in our nervous system when we are stressed out?? › Continue reading

Tags: digestive health, stress