{"id":1097,"date":"2020-02-21T14:32:33","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T20:32:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lindagorchels.com\/blogs\/?p=1097"},"modified":"2020-02-21T14:33:34","modified_gmt":"2020-02-21T20:33:34","slug":"your-gut-brain-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lindagorchels.com\/blogs\/your-gut-brain-connection\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Gut-Brain Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Do you get \u201cbutterflies\u201d before a major event? Or feel like\nyour stomach is \u201ctied in knots\u201d after an argument? Or suffer through a\ndigestive system that\u2019s \u201cout of whack\u201d because of stress?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re not alone. The gut-brain connection is real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I conducted corporate training for over 25 years. I taught\nmultiple MBA courses. And I was a keynote speaker at conferences around the\nworld. Yet, there was never a time when I didn\u2019t get nervous. And my brain told\nmy body to react.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The microbiome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Signals from your brain (e.g., I\u2019m nervous) connect with\nyour gut bacteria, known as the microbiome. According to Harvard\nMedical School<\/a>, emotions such as anxiety or even elation can trigger\nsymptoms in the gastrointestinal (GI) track through these brain signals. In\nfact, some GI disorders are difficult to heal without dealing with the\nunderlying stress and emotion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone has both good and bad bacteria in their guts. As long as the good guys maintain a healthy balance over the bad guys, you don\u2019t have to worry. Unfortunately, chronic, long-term stress can affect this balance. Physical and emotional stress affects your ability to digest and absorb food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two-way connection<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Researchers have found that the interaction between gut and\nbrain is bidirectional. Not only can psychological stress and emotion tamper\nwith gut bacteria, the reverse is also true. According to the American Psychological\nAssociation<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026 the gut microbiome can influence neural development, brain chemistry and a wide range of behavioral phenomena, including emotional behavior, pain perception and how the stress system responds.<\/em>\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That means gut bacteria alter brain chemistry. Good bacteria\ncan raise stress resiliency. Bad ones can ramp up anxiety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, interactions may be circular. The APA article states: \u201cStress-induced changes to the microbiome may in turn\u00a0affect the brain and behavior.\u201d It can start in the brain, move to the gut, and boomerang back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second brain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the interactions between the gut and the brain have\nbeen known for centuries, recent scientific\nstudies<\/a> show that this \u201centeric nervous system\u201d<\/em> (ENS) acts as a\nsecond brain. Signals are transmitted between the brain and the gut along the\nvagus nerve, similar to the spinal cord in our nervous system. Weakening,\nblocking, or changing the signals can compromise the functioning of the\nmicrobiome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Optimize the connections<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can take several steps to improve your gut-brain\nfunctioning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n