Current Science and medical studies are naming our digestive system, body’s second brain. The hidden walls of our digestive system has shown to be responsible for our mood, health and overall thinking. This second brain is nothing but our Enteric Nervous System (ENS). The ENS is constructed of two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells in the lining of gastrointestinal tract from oesophagus to rectum.
The ENS is mainly responsible in controlling digestion which, is initiated from swallowing (releasing enzymes to break down foods) and controlling blood flow for absorption and elimination of nutrients.
Hidden in the walls of the digestive system, this “brain in your gut” is revolutionizing medicine’s understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health and even the way you think.
Scientists call this little brain the enteric nervous system (ENS). And it’s not so little. The ENS is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum.
Recent studies indicate, our second brain (ENS) is constantly communicating with our big brain and showing profound results
Individuals suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other functional bowel problems may experience a vast emotional shifts possibly caused by the Enteric Nervous system. For many years science believed that depression and anxiety contributed to these health problems. However, recent studies conducted by John Hopkins university show that this theory may be vice versa.
These newly found studies indicate that discomfort in the GIT may send signals to the Central Nervous system hence, prompting mood changes. This may be an evident to higher rate of anxiety and depression amongst people with IBS and functional bowel problems. Moreover, these evidences have shown the ENS affecting our metabolism and becoming an underlying cause to many inflammatory diseases such as diabetes. The signalling is conducted via the gut hormones and microbiota (bacteria living in the gut).
