Is Your Gut Really Your Second Brain?

Written by Saumya Gaur  • 

Close your eyes and think for a minute. Of all your body parts/organs, which one makes you experience life and makes you the person you are? And mind you, I am not talking about distinctive attributes here, so answers like hazel eyes, double jointed elbows won’t make the cut. You know the answer, it’s your brain!

Apart from the heart, the brain is often given the distinction of being the most important organ of the body. Especially, when it comes to the doctors; a neurosurgeon or a neurologist is right at the top of the totem pole of prestige and importance. So yes, the brain is important. And it’s rightly given that special treatment because it makes us feel things; it makes us think, read, write, speak and be conscious as well as conscientious. It is responsible for almost all the advancements the human race has managed to make till date. But did you know that your body also has a second brain? Don’t worry, it’s not a modern-day mutation. It’s something that has been a part of human anatomy since the day humans came into existence.

Your Brain Does All The Talking

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Our brain has a vast network of nerves which ferry messages to and from it to the rest of the body (1). One among such nerves is called the Vagus Nerve. This nerve is actually a bundle of tiny nerves which connects the brain with important organs such as the stomach, the heart, lungs, vocal cords, etc (2). The brain uses this nerve to convey flight or fight responses to the body. That is why when you’re stressed, you experience shortness of breath or cracking voice, etc. And it is this nerve that is constantly sending these signals to the rest of your body.

There Is A Second Brain In Your Gut

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I know, such a statement challenges what you’ve traditionally been taught about the human anatomy or even what you knew about it, so I am going to follow it with solid reasoning.

The gut has a network of neurons which control all the functions of your digestive tract, right from the esophagus to the anus. This system of neurons is called the Enteric Nervous System (ENS).

Scientists have noted that a large chunk of nerve fibers in the Enteric Nervous System is going from the gut to the brain. That means it’s the one that is doing most of the talking. And it doesn’t even require the brain to do most of its function. If one were to severe the Vagus nerve, it would have little to no effect on the functioning of ENS because it has such a vast and complex collection of neurons that it can organize the digestion mechanisms required in digestion on its own (3). It is your second brain and it does control a large chunk of your conscious responses.

How Does This Second Brain Affect Us?

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Have you ever thought why you crave carbs and fats in their delicious forms even when you know they are bad for you? Why do you feel so good after eating them? Well, there’s a slightly complicated answer than that its good taste.

During the time of the early man, when there was nothing to distinguish what was a good or safe source of food from a potentially dangerous one, we needed a medium of communication between the brain and the gut to signal which foods were okay to eat. For example, fat and sugar are good sources of fuel for the body, so over time, we evolved mechanisms to notify the brain to release the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine every time we consume foods rich in fat and sugar, which is why you crave them. It’s certainly not because ice cream tastes that good, well, maybe a little.

And it’s not just that, the microbes or the bacteria that are found in the gut are responsible for producing over 50 percent of dopamine found in the body and over 90 percent of the serotonin. These two neurotransmitters actually govern your mood and are responsible for making you feel happy (4). These microbes can also influence your eating behavior by making us crave foods which are required for their survival (5). So they might be the reason you feel the need to indulge in those doughnuts!

What This Means For Your Mental Health

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Well, it simply means that in order to have a clear mind and feel good, you should closely monitor what you eat. Those of us who have a diverse fauna of microbes in our gut are bound to be less stressed. So eating that cup of probiotic curd for breakfast might not be a bad idea if you want to start the day with the right frame of mind. If your gut is happy, then it means you are happy. A happy tummy goes a long way, after all!

Cultivate a good diet routine and follow it religiously to watch your stress levels go down as you lead a healthy, fit and relaxed life.

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