Mindfulness: The Correlation to Healthy Eating

Do you know that the body has a second brain?  

One is located within the head, and the other within the gut!

The gut has a mind of its own, and besides communicating with the brain about its activities, it also aids in brain development. It is extremely important to understand how these minds work in unison to create our everyday consciousness.

For the past several decades, research has informed us of the direct line of communication that is found between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract. In fact, the nervous system as we know it first began in the gut. The central nervous system, which is found in the brain and in the spinal cord, evolved from what is called the enteric nervous system, or the nerve tissue and neurotransmitters belonging to the gastrointestinal tract.

The Gut mind, how it works:

Our brains have on average 100 billion neurons! The gut, in comparison has 100 million neurons and roughly 500 million nerve cells! This allows the gut to speak with the brain chemically (by the release of chemicals that are taken to the brain via the blood) and by also sending electrical signals via the nervous system. Because both the brain and the gut share much of the same tissue, there is an uncanny relationship between the nervous system and the digestive system.

The gut neurons are used during the complex chemical process of digestion, by breaking down the food we eat. This is continued through absorption and finally, elimination. The autonomous nervous system of the gut allows it to work independently from the brain. At the same time, it also allows the gut to continuously communicate with the brain, sending out vital information.

This information sharing manifests in many ways. For example; when we get hungry, or when we have eaten something wrong and our stomach hurts. This communication also goes beyond simple physical sensations. The gut also plays a major role in our happiness.

95% of our body’s serotonin is found in the gut

Microbes, that are influenced by beneficial bacteria in the digestive system help to produce serotonin. The correlation between beneficial gut bacteria and this neurotransmitter is a key part to positive mental health that is often overlooked.

Gut bacteria significantly influences the communication between these two minds. When the gut is full of healthy bacteria, it has the potential to regulate mood and positive feelings. Beneficial bacteria in the gut will increase neuron receptors in the brain to alleviate mood disorders like chronic depression.

Imbalances in this peripheral serotonin have been linked to diseases ranging from irritable bowel syndrome and cardiovascular disease, to osteoporosis. The distinction between unhealthy foods, gut health and mental health is clear.

What happens when we start to heal our body? 

There are instances where individuals feel extrasensory perception or clairvoyance after a colon cleansing has taken place. One of the reasons for this could be that a clean gut frees its neurons to help the brain increase its processing power. This extra neural power may help the brain process more information!

To conclude: Food has a direct impact on the health of the gut and colon. Constant unhealthy foods such as refined sugars, bleached / refined flours and processed chemically enhanced foods create unfavorable gut bacteria that has a negative impact on the health of your digestive system. Other potential irritants are food intolerances, such as Dairy, GMO foods and Animal Products. These acidic foods (Which we will talk more about in another post) Creates mucus and buildup of bad bacteria in the gut. A loss of serotonin, and negative mood patterns follow. (Unhappy gut = Unhappy mind)

Now that we are aware, our diet has a direct effect on our happiness, will we use this knowledge to change our diets to benefit our lives?