Gut Check
- Sarah Scritch
- Jun 26, 2017
- 1 min read
The brain, gut exploration is only in its infancy yet it is already generating promising results. The gut/brain communication system is currently a topic at the forefront of modern psychology. For the first time, the terms “gut feeling” and “gut instinct” are getting some scientific traction behind them. Researchers are finding more and more frequently that there is a mental component to a number of gastrointestinal disorders (i.e. IBS - irritable bowel syndrome). When the brain/gut communication system goes haywire, for example as a result of depression, anxiety, poor diet, etc, the result can be physical-health problems like digestive disorders. Scientists are discovering that the nutrients (or lack there of) that your body processes can have an impact on your mental state. While there is not currently a brain therapy diet established, this is a step in the right direction.
Emeran A. Mayer, MD author of The Mind-Gut Connection: How Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health even suggests that “gut-feelings” or “gut-reactions” are actually a result of emotional experiences and information gathered in the beginning of our life as we are developing the brain/gut communication system. In working to unravel the complicated language between the brain and the gut, researchers will be opening new doors for more effective and more accessible mental health treatment.
