HEALTHY GUT, HAPPY MIND

Do you know that your gut is closely connected to your feelings and state of mind?

- MYLENE MENDOZA-DAYRIT

More research is linking gut health and anxiety disorders. Science has revealed a "gut-brain axis," or a complex system of nerves, hormones, and bacteria, that allows these two organs to communicate.

Stress can alter the composition of gut microbiota or the community of microorganisms present in one's gastrointestinal tract. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea, and protozoa. They help with digestion and harvesting of energy. They are our immune defense; they influence appetite and metabolize nutrients. Every person has a unique gut microbiota just like a fingerprint.

The gut and the mind are so connected that sadness, joy, anger, and anxiety can trigger responses in the gut. The effect is vice versa. A bad stomach can send signals to affect the brain, just like a troubled mind can send signals to the gut. The brain and the gut are closely connected.

Do you feel nauseated when you are too nervous, or too anxious, or too stressed? Or do you get an upset tummy or abdominal pains? Abdominal cramps, loose bowel, and heartburn can be stress-related.

The connection of the mind to the gut is so strong that it is referred to as the "second brain." Experts call it the enteric nervous system (ENS). This system is composed of two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells that line the gastrointestinal tract, from the esophagus to the rectum.