Microsoft word - the gut-brain connection-healthy motivations newsletter-10-15-10 _2_

This is something we all are going to start hearing a lot more about.the connection between the “GUT” and “Brain.” Maybe you are reading it here for the first time, but this is only the beginning of what scientists are starting to learn about the direct connection between the GUT and the Brain. This is nothing new, throughout the world’s healing traditions; the belly has always been seen as an important center of energy and consciousness. You may have noticed that many of India’s great spiritual figures sport big bellies! From the Chinese Tai Chi viewpoint the belly is where you plant seeds of wisdom. The GUT-Brain is a classic connection and if we think about it, most of us have experienced it, and therefore can understand immediately. Have you ever had a “gut-wrenching” experience? Do certain situations make you “feel nauseous?” Have you ever had “butterflies” in your stomach? Why does stress often trigger hunger? There is a reason we experience these connections and have for centuries! The brain has a direct effect on the stomach, small intestines, large intestines, colon and the whole digestive system…we call this whole system the “GUT.” The brain has a direct effect on the GUT, and vice versa. What’s more fascinating is that in the beginning of life during fetal development both our GUT
and our brain come from the same cells, one section turns into the central nervous system (brain
and spinal cord) and the other becomes our GUT or our “enteric nervous system.” These two
systems are actually connected via the Vagus Nerve, the longest cranial nerve that runs from the
brain all the way to the abdomen. That’s it! The Vagus Nerve is the direct GUT-BRAIN
connection! Each of us literally has two brains—the familiar one located in our skull, and the
lesser known one located in our GUT. Both talk to each other constantly through the Vagus
Nerve. Research has proven that these two brains are interconnected; when one gets upset the
other does too. Did you realize that half of all our nerve cells are located within the GUT? The
brain is not the only place in the body that is full of neurotransmitters! Nearly every
chemical/hormone that controls the brain in the head has been identified in the GUT. “No
wonder people trust their GUT.”
ARE YOUR FOOD CHOICES CAUSING YOUR SYMPTOMS? The GUT is sensitive to the emotions we create in our brain. Feelings of stress, anger, anxiety, sadness, even happiness and joy can trigger physical symptoms in the GUT. The reverse is true as well, when our gut is upset due to poor food or drink choices, eating too much or too little, and/or too much alcohol or caffeine, these things too can cause anxiety, stress, and depression in the brain. Some scientists believe that the GUT and the Brain are so intimately connected that they should be viewed as one system, rather than two. The GUT can upset the brain just as the brain can upset the GUT! ~What you eat and drink will affect the health of your GUT and this has a profound effect on your ~Learning to minimize stress and emotional disturbances through brain relaxation techniques can reduce symptoms of upset GUT issues. ~Anxiety, anger, and depression can be set off by large meals, certain foods, alcohol, caffeine, or not eating for long periods of time. ~Avoid processed foods with many chemicals and artificial ingredients; your GUT doesn’t recognize this as nourishing food and this can lead to irritability of mind and body. ~Eat a variety of fresh and whole foods to nourish your mind and body! ~Talk with your health care provider, because the GUT-Brain connection means that most medications will affect both the brain and the GUT. ~Many doctors are seeking to reunite GUT and Brain by treating patients using a more holistic approach with a combination of medication, dietary precautions, and emotional re-education or It’s not all in your head! You must also have a healthy GUT to enjoy total well-being.
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Source: http://www.healthymotivationsprograms.biz/pdf/newsletter-hm-101015.pdf