Why Your Belly Might Be Behind Your Brain Fog, Mood Swings, or Anxiety
Understanding the Mind-Gut Connection
You’ve probably felt it. Butterflies in your stomach before a big moment. A pit in your gut when something felt off. A wave of nausea when life feels overwhelming. These aren’t just emotions. They’re physical signals from your body that something deeper is going on.
Welcome to the world of the gut brain connection, also known as the gut brain axis. This isn’t just wellness lingo. It’s a real and powerful relationship between your digestive system and your brain, and it affects everything from your mood and focus to your cravings, stress levels, and sense of safety in the world.
What Is the Gut Brain Axis?
The gut and the brain are constantly talking to each other. This two way communication system sends signals through a network of nerves, hormones, and neurotransmitters. One of the most important messengers in this system is the vagus nerve, which runs from your brainstem to your gut and helps regulate digestion, heart rate, immune function, and mood.
What’s even more fascinating? About 90 percent of the body’s serotonin, a neurotransmitter often called the “feel good chemical,” is made in the gut, not the brain [1].
Your gut is sometimes called the second brain for good reason.
How Gut Health Affects Your Mood, Mind, and Body
When your gut is healthy and diverse, it helps produce calming chemicals, digest food efficiently, and regulate inflammation. But when your gut is out of balance, whether from stress, a poor diet, antibiotics, or other disruptions, it can affect more than just digestion.
You may experience:
- Anxiety or irritability
- Trouble concentrating or mental fog
- Sleep disturbances
- Cravings for sugar or processed foods
- Bloating, constipation, or unpredictable digestion
- Skin flare ups or increased inflammation
This is your body’s way of saying something is off, and it often starts in the gut.
The Role of the Microbiome
Your gut microbiome is a community of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and microbes that live in your digestive tract. These tiny organisms help break down food, regulate your immune system, and even influence your brain chemistry [2].
When your microbiome is imbalanced, a condition called dysbiosis, your body can become more reactive, your mood more unpredictable, and your energy less stable. Research continues to show connections between gut health and conditions like anxiety, depression, brain fog, and chronic fatigue [3].
Supporting the Mind Gut Connection
You don’t need to overhaul your life to start feeling better. Small, gentle shifts can have a big impact. Here are a few ways to support your gut and, in turn, your nervous system:
- Eat more fiber rich, colorful plant foods
- Add fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, or kombucha
- Drink plenty of water
- Reduce added sugar and ultra processed foods
- Chew your food thoroughly and eat in a calm setting
- Incorporate daily rituals that support your nervous system, like deep breathing, walking, journaling, or simply resting
Ready for a Reset?
If you’re ready to support your gut with simple, food based healing and daily support tools, I’ve created two self paced options that can meet you right where you are:
This beginner friendly bundle includes a full 7 day meal plan, grocery list, prep checklist, symptom tracker, and daily wellness tools to help you gently reset and reconnect with your body.
👉 Balancing Your Gut: A Holistic Course
If you’re ready to go deeper, this self paced course explores how food, stress, and lifestyle shape gut health. It’s full of real life strategies, printable resources, and holistic insight to help you build a better relationship with your digestion and your body.
Your gut is always speaking. It’s up to us to start listening. Whether you’re feeling foggy, anxious, or just off in your body, tuning in to your gut health can be a gentle but powerful step toward feeling more like yourself again.
References
- Gershon, M. D. (1998). The Second Brain: A Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine
- Mayer, E. A. (2016). The Mind Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health
- Foster, J. A., & McVey Neufeld, K. A. (2013). Gut brain axis: How the microbiome influences anxiety and depression. Trends in Neurosciences, 36(5), 305–312