Universally we as humans share the satisfaction of sitting down to a meal. It is part of our very nature. We take time to think about the restaurant we will go to, or about the meal that we will prepare. The brain gut connection is hardwired into us. Even if you don’t cook chances are you enjoy eating as our bodies are programmed that way. Before food touches our mouths, our bodies are working on ways to digest. When you just think about eating, your body will begin secreting Insulin in response to the expectation that glucose will be entering the body. If you are chopping up your favorite meal and using seasonings the smell will reach your senses and your body will get the message, triggered by your parasympathetic nervous system to begin producing saliva to help you digest your food. Our bodies understand that digestion of foods is as important as the food itself. If we cannot digest the food, we eat it is of no use to us as fuel to sustain our bodies.

If you have ever experienced a need to rush to the bathroom for a bowel movement from a stressful situation that is due to the fact that your nervous system and your stomach are connected. The enteric nervous system (ENS) has also been referred to as the second little brain. It  is nervous system that moves through the digestive system and is directly connected to the brain through the Vagus nerve. Fun fact: the ENS makes MORE *neurotransmitters than the brain. 

So why is it so important to understand this second brain? The ENS is large and complex, and is able to coordinate the GI function INDEPENDENTLY of the central nervous system. This all means that an ENS dysfunction can be linked to digestive disorders.

The gut and the brain are in constant communication and when there is dysfunction in the gut it can lead to dysfunction in our mood and actions of the brain. *70-90% of people with IBS also experience some sort of mood or anxiety disorder. Dysbiosis in the gut can lead directly to behavioral and mood changes. *Leaky gut has been linked to mental dysfunction, including depression, fatigue, confusion, and poor memory.

The ENS is connected to the brain by the Vagus nerve. The Vagus nerve is the longest and most complex of the cranial nerves as it runs from the brain to the face, thorax and abdomen. In simple terms it is the telephone line connecting the brain and the gut. Through research we know that the Vagus never can be stimulated to respond to relaxation. When the vagus nerve senses relaxation with slowed breathing it sends the message to the brain to relax. When you are stressed and holding your breath the opposite message gets relayed. Hence the need to rush to the bathroom in intense situations. When your body gets the message that you are stressed and in a hurry it reroutes your resources from digesting to extremities because it thinks that you are in a fight or flight situation.

The ENS has two layers which control muscles and neurotransmitters.

Below is a chart which shows where the ENS system fits in. It is interesting to note that it is connected to both the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems of the body.

Neurotransmitters are the body’s chemical messengers and these messengers control our mood. 
Serotonin for is example is a NT that is key in stabilizing our mood and feeling of well-being and happiness and 90% of the serotonin produced in the body comes from the digestive system as it also has the job of peristalsis which is moving your digestive system forward. There are numerous other NT that also help to regulate mood all of which are produced in the GI system.

Mood and Digestive function are linked together in biological processes of the body and should not be overlooked when you are struggling with depression, anxiety, PTSD, Autism, or psychiatric diseases. Nutrition is key in healing areas of the GI in order to reverse symptoms of IBS. As always it is most important to look at root causes for the issues. Pathology meaning invasion of bacteria, viruses or parasites, Trauma both physical and emotional, Genetics, and Environmental toxicity factors which includes the air we breath and the food we eat.

Remember two brains are better than one.