Healthy Mind, Healthy Body:
Can we have one without the other?
T
he gut is often referred to as the second brain. You have probably used phrases similar to the following to describe your feelings in certain situations: “Going with my gut”; “I have butterflies in my stomach”; “That was a gut-wrenching experience”. We use these expressions for a reason: the digestive system is sensitive to our emotions. Anger, anxiety, sadness, joy — all of these feelings (and others) can trigger symptoms in the gut. In Chinese medicine the stomach, pancreas and spleen are affected by worry. The liver and gallbladder are affected by anger and frustration. The large intestine is affected by grief and depression. The small intestine is affected by happiness and joy, or lack thereof. Moreover, this “gut/brain” connection goes both ways. The thought of eating yummy food can trigger the digestive process before food makes its way into the mouth. A troubled (or inflamed) digestive system can make the “thought” of eating seem repulsive. So, how does stress affect the gut…and how does the gut affect the brain? When a person experiences emotional stress a physical response takes place. This is often described
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as the ‘flight or fight’ response. Adrenaline and cortisol are the biochemical results of stress and both of these hormones have significant effects on the health and integrity of the gut. This flight or fight response diverts blood flow away from the digestive system to supply the arms and legs with blood for “fleeing” from a stressful situation. This change in blood flow and the stressed state are reflected in changes in skin temperature, and patterns of inflammation, over regions of the body. Once a perceived threat has passed, blood flow and hormone levels return to normal and inflammation subsides but chronic stress can wreak havoc on your mind and body. Chronic stress eventually causes the digestive system to break down which suppresses the immune system. Once the immune system is weakened, the balance of good/bad bacteria in the gut becomes off kilter. “Healthy” bacteria in the gut produce B Vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids and other substances which are necessary to manufacture adequate levels of serotonin and dopamine, our “happy” neurotransmitters. Since the majority of serotonin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, an imbalance of bacteria in the gut can affect the “brain” and mental health. When the gut is damaged by stress and the microbial population favors “unhealthy” types of bacteria, serotonin is not produced in adequate amounts. This
April 2019
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