The Science Behind Your (Gut) Feeling
So what even is your gut feeling?
Have you ever had someone ask about 'your gut feeling' when helping you make a big decision?
Or maybe you've received advice from someone telling you to 'trust your gut.'
Have you ever thought about what this saying means?
Did you know that inside each of us, there is an extensive neural network that connects our brain and our gut, known as the 'gut-brain axis’.
This information superhighway is constantly communicating to provide feedback and makes it possible for our emotions to register as digestive distress. Have you ever felt anxious before an exam, maybe had butterflies in your stomach? Or noticed changes in your gut mobility or possibly even nausea? This is you, in the literal sense experiencing your feelings inside your gut - and where the saying originated. Science has discovered that the communication between our gut and our brain is bidirectional. This means that changes in our mood (i.e. anxiety) can cause changes in our gut (i.e. digestive issues), and likewise, changes in our gut can also impact our mood.
How is this possible?
Inside our gastrointestinal tracts, we have more than 100 million cells lining the walls. Together these cells make up our Enteric Nervous System (ENS), often referred to as the second brain (it's that big). The ENS can speak directly to our brain via the information superhighway (gut-brain-axis). The primary role of the ENS is to control our digestion by releasing enzymes to break down food, assisting in nutrient absorption and elimination, and controlling blood flow to our digestive tract.
I want to learn more!
OK, you decided to read on. Therefore, I'm not sorry if this is your first time learning that your body is currently home to trillions of microbes living in places like your mouth, on your skin, and most abundantly inside your gut - mainly the large intestine.
This is excellent news, as we now know that our microbiota plays a crucial role in our health and well-being. Specifically, inside the gut, our microbes can train our immune system, synthesize vitamins, assist in hormone production (i.e., serotonin, our feel-good hormone), and produce short-chain fatty acids with a range of other health benefits.
We must take care of these little critters so that they thrive and can take care of us. What we eat is one factor that determines which microbes thrive and, essentially, how effectively they can do their jobs.
Your diet plays an essential role in maintaining good gut health, which, as science has started to uncover, is also a necessary factor in maintaining good mental health.
On reflection, the name Y(G)F has a seemingly complex origin - however, I believe it highlights the link between mind and body and places YOU (butterflies and all) at the center of treatment.