Have you ever wondered if you should trust your gut instinct? Well the research is in and the good news is you can absolutely trust those gut feelings.
Since the mid–nineteenth century scientists have been trying to make a connection between the gut and the brain and there has been considerable debate ever since. Now advances in twenty–first century medical research have revealed a complex communication system between the millions of neurons embedded in the gut wall and the limbic brain that is integral to our decision making and emotions.
The limbic brain also stores our habits and behavioural patterns. So the gut-brain system helps govern not only the healthy functioning of our digestive system but also the complex brain functions including motivation and access to our deeper wisdom.
Dr Tara Swart writes in her book The Source “the physical health of our gut impacts on the well being of the digestive system which in turn has an impact on our mental state including our intuition”.
The gut is also responsible for producing a staggering 90 per cent of the serotonin that works primarily in our brain. Serotonin is the happy hormone and acts in a variety of ways. It helps regulate mood and social behaviour, appetite, digestion, sleep, memory, sexual desire and function.
Constant stress is the enemy of the gut and digestive system. Stress levels are constantly being communicated by the brain to the gut. The gut responds by slowing down digestion and decreasing blood supply to the area. This results in a range of symptoms including change in appetite, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, a compromised immune system and a lowered stress threshold.
So a healthy gut is key to a healthy mental state. To improve your gut-brain connection make sure you reduce and manage your stress, exercise regularly, have a healthy diet that include probiotic foods and remember, stay hydrated. You should see an improvement in your mood, memory, motivation and intuition.
One thing is now clear, the gut-brain link is far from a mystical sixth sense; it’s now backed by scientific research.
