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What you need to know right now about the gut-brain connection
So- this is weird. Your gut and your brain are connected.
And it’s actually even weirder than that. Because your gut and your brain are not only connected – they’re made from the same STUFF. When a baby is developing in the womb, both the brain and the gut come from exactly the same type of early tissue.
The gut makes many of the same chemicals the brain does – like serotonin – which affect mood. In fact, most of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut.
And your gut and your brain work in the same way. They both use neurons to send messages. Neurons are special cells that carry signals, and while we usually think of them as being in the brain, the gut has millions of them too – so many that it can work almost like a brain on its own. These neurons help control digestion and also talk to the brain, sharing information back and forth. That’s one reason why your mood, stress, and even mental health can be affected by what’s going on in your gut.
To get a grasp on this funky concept, think of your brain as a massive city filled with skyscrapers – each skyscraper is packed with offices buzzing with communication (neurons), about 86 billion in total. Now imagine your gut as a busy seaside town – smaller, but still full of active buildings (about 100 million neurons), all connected by roads and signals that keep things running smoothly. The two places are constantly sending messages to each other by a super-fast train line (the vagus nerve), sharing updates on mood, digestion, and stress. So even though the town is smaller, it plays a big role in how the whole system works together.
Why should you care about all this joined-up weirdness?
Because there’s a strong two-way link between mental health and gut health. If you have anxiety or depression, you’re much more likely to develop Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), because stress and emotional distress can disrupt how your gut functions. On the flip side, if you have IBS, you’re also at higher risk for depression or anxiety, partly because the constant discomfort, bloating, and unpredictability of IBS can take a serious emotional toll. This happens because your gut and brain are in constant communication – when one is out of balance, the other often feels it too. It’s like a feedback loop. You can enter it at either point.
And the thing is – you can impact it on either side, as well. It’s waaaay easier to improve the health of both sides if you enter this feedback loop through the gut side, rather than the brain side. Treating the brain directly often involves using chemicals like SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which are commonly prescribed for depression and anxiety. While these medications can help some people, they also come with risks and side effects, such as weight gain, sleep problems, emotional numbness, or withdrawal symptoms. They work by changing the brain’s chemistry, which can be complex and sometimes unpredictable.
Or – you can help both your gut AND your brain by simply improving your gut health. You can do this with stuff that you eat – a simple dietary intervention that reduces inflammation and restores healthy bacteria.
We know that this dietary intervention works to boost mood, and it works FAST. Research from Cardiff University found that within 6 weeks, the combination of Chuckling Goat Kefir + Chuckling Goat Complete Prebiotic had “profound effects on emotional health”.
Participants reported a noticeable decrease in daytime sleepiness and an increased sense of immersion and engagement in their work. More importantly, they experienced an uplift in their overall life satisfaction and a heightened sense of flourishing. (Read the full report for yourself HERE).
And here’s the part I love – there is NO DOWNSIDE to improving your gut, in order to improve your mental wellness. Our gut health protocol not only boosts mood – it can also improve your skin, your tummy, your allergies, your energy, your immune system…what’s not to love!
All through the month of May, we’re going to be focussing on the gut-brain connection – because it is a mighty fascinating topic. Our talented writers and social media folks will be creating posts and blogs that explode this area out so it can be properly explored, because (in my opinion) it’s pretty much the user’s guide to being human.
We’ve also pulled together a collection of GUT-BRAIN ESSENTIALS so that you can get started on your natural gut-brain boost today. Have a look HERE.
And as ever, our gorgeous Nutritional Therapists are standing by to answer any questions you might have regarding the gut-brain connection. They’re here on live chat 8am to 8pm weekdays and they love nothing better than to talk gut health!
Wishing you a mood-boosted May!
Hugs,
Shann Jones MBE
Founder/Director Chuckling Goat LTD
