Your gut might spend a decent chunk of its time digesting the food you eat but the reality is, its role in your day-to-day life is much more complex than that.
For one thing, something called the enteric nervous system, also known as the body’s ‘second brain’, lives in your gut. Intrigued? Find out what it means for your health, and how to look after your gut.
Why does gut health matter so much?
In a nutshell, your gut health can affect everything from how well you cope with stress, to your mood and
even how easily you lose weight.
How? It turns out the second brain that lives in your gut contains hundreds of millions of neurons and around 25 different neurotransmitters. In fact it’s thought that 95 per cent of the body’s supply of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to happiness, is manufactured by the gut rather than the brain.
It’s long been known that the brain can send signals to the gut, which is why
stress and other emotions can often affect digestive health. However, it’s a two-way street: your gut sends signals to the brain, which is one explanation for the role gut health plays in so many other areas of health and wellbeing.