|
Stop complaining! My gut has a brain too! |
This article originally appeared in the March 2013 issue of Gut Reaction, the journal of the IBS Network. |
You’ve heard about gut feelings, gut reactions or just having the guts for something. It’s true, the gut really does have a mind (or at least a brain) of its own. It’s known as the enteric nervous system and is composed of three extensive networks of nerves sandwiched between the layers of gut wall. Even the brain in our head does not contain as many nerve cells. The gut brain is a vast intelligence network to match the teeming populations of bacteria that take possession of the dark passages inside the abdomen. Just as the brain in your head takes in information about the environment from eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin, processes it and reacts to changes, so the brain in the gut senses its contents, processes the information and reacts, making adjustments in contractile activity, secretion of digestive juices and absorption as well as blood flow and immune function while at the same time informing the brain what’s going on. But what is the relationship between brain inside your gut and the brain in your head? The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems Our gut reacts to the daily stress of modern living in the same way it responds to danger. Having a row while we are eating a meal, or eating ‘on the go’ sets up a conflict in the gut as the sympathetic system tries to inhibit digestion. The result is that we lose our appetite, develop nausea, indigestion, spasm, bloating, pain and bowel upset. Attacks of indigestion, abdominal pain, food intolerance and bowel upset are often triggered by stress. The gut’s nervous system also has a memory So to look after the brain in our gut, and hence our gut health, you need not only to watch what you eat but also how you eat it and what is going on in your life. We all tend to be far too busy and rushed, responding to constant demands – from deadlines to phone calls, emails, tweets and texts. We never seem to have time to rest, we’re constantly on the go, and when we eat, we eat far too much rich, fatty food far too quickly. No wonder we get irritable bowel. While hypnotherapy, yoga, meditation, therapeutic massage, acupuncture and reflexology can all help us relax and balance our digestion, it is important for all of us to take time out so we are not “on call” all the time. Paradoxically, regular exercise is one of the best ways of doing this. Try to fit some kind of activity into your daily life but not while you’re eating. Go for a walk in the country, have a swim, go for a bike ride, take a break and your gut will feel better too. For more on this subject see an article in Psychology Today in November 2011 by Dan Hurley. First published March 2014; first published in Gut Reaction March 2013 |
If you found this article interesting, you will find many more general articles and research reports on coeliac disease here, and lots of information on the management of coeliac disease here.
You can also find articles and research reports on gluten intolerance here and articles on a wide range of other digestive conditions here.
For hundreds of gluten free foods see our freefrom food section here, and for nearly 800 gluten-free recipes see here.
And if you would like to get our FREE fortnightly e-newsletter with new products, recipes, articles and all the latest news from the allergy and freefrom world, just sign up here.