Why Gut in Stomach is the Second Brain

Our stomach has remained a mystery. This is probably due to the lack of knowledge of how it connects with emotions. But now, it is clearer with new studies suggesting that a connection exists between our brain and our gut in the stomach. So that’s the secret behind you feeling butterflies in the stomach when being nervous. Hidden between the walls of the digestive system is your second brain-gut. The brain-gut axis is the secret behind the signals you receive from the stomach. And this new revelation is revolutionizing the understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health, and even the way you think. That sounds unbelievable but exciting. And scientists call this second brain the enteric nervous system (ENS). With two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining the gastrointestinal tract from the esophagus to the rectum, the second brain is not that little, though we call it the little brain.

ENS is Monitored by Brain

The functioning of the Enteric Nervous System is observed by the brain and central nervous system. It takes note of heart rate, breathing, and digestion through the autonomic nervous system, which is assigned to regulate the speed of food transmission through the gut, the secretion of acid in the stomach, and the production of mucus on the intestinal lining.

Recent studies show that ENS triggers big emotional shifts experienced by people and functional bowel problems such as constipation, diarrhea, and bloating. For decades, researchers thought that anxiety and depression contributed to these problems but now it is proven that it is the other way round. There is evidence to prove that irritation in the gastrointestinal system sends signals to the central nervous system (CNS) that trigger mood changes.

New Treatment Opportunities

The ENS-CNS connection opens the door for more treatment opportunities. Doctors and researchers can help each other and medical hypnotherapy can be more effective. For a problem, it may not be the patient’s head but the nerve cells in the gut that need medication. Psychological interventions like CBT can improve the communication between the big brain and the brain in the gut. The study requires more research but it’s exciting to discover the impact of receiving signals from the digestive system on metabolism, increasing or reducing health risks.

Healthy Gut Means Healthy Body

Hormones travel through the gut-brain nexus superhighway signaling the brain with important information about the nutrients and caloric value of the food we eat. Researchers are optimistic about the studies on this part as in the future, it will help us control calories and carbos in diet, shedding sluggishness and relieving the anguish of lack of sleep. Ultimately, this will impact our body, keeping us healthy and away from obesity.

Author: Dr. Date, MD | Dr2bThin – A medically supervised weight loss program.