Mindful Eating: Tips to Keep Your ‘Second Brain’ Healthy

Research reveals a simple, effective, and effortless way to improve gut health.

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Health Viewpoints

There are 200 million to 600 million neurons in the human gut. Some say the digestive tract is a human’s second brain. Is this a fair statement?

Modern-day people face ever-increasing stress, which leads to various health problems. A recent survey of more than 73,000 people in 24 countries found that more than 40 percent were troubled by functional gastrointestinal disorders (or disorders of gut–brain interaction), including irritable bowel syndrome. The prevalence rate was particularly high among women.

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A complex bidirectional communication link exists between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have found that the intestine is the largest endocrine organ in the human body, secreting more than 20 types of signaling molecules. Peptides secreted by the gut can bind to immune cells and receptors on the vagus nerve to transmit information, affecting the mental health of humans and animals alike. Inversely, when creatures experience anxiety or depression, intestinal function is also affected, triggering changes in intestinal microbiota and even leading to leaky gut syndrome.

Is the Gut Really a Second Brain?

An article published in Science in 2019 introduced evidence that gut microbes determine whether the central nervous system and the social behavior of animals can develop normally. One study found that mice raised under sterile conditions without microbes in their guts had abnormal brains and social impairments. When researchers implanted microbes in the guts of the mice, their brain function recovered, and they started socializing with their own species. However, they couldn’t recognize familiar mice because the lack of gut bacteria at a younger age meant that they missed opportunities for brain development.

You may have heard the gastrointestinal tract referred to as the “second brain.” The digestive system and the brain do have many similarities but also many differences. The brain has cognitive functions, learning and memory, advanced neural activities, and emotional regulatory functions, which aren’t available in the digestive tract, so it isn’t exactly true to say that the gut is a “second brain.”

However, the digestive tract and the brain also share some similarities. The digestive tract has a vibrant and independent nervous system, with hundreds of millions of nerve cells, all transmitting signals through neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine, and ethercholine, all of which play essential roles in the brain and digestive tract.

The Two Nervous Systems

There are two nervous systems in the digestive tract: the local gastrointestinal nervous system and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves known as the vagus nerve. The parasympathetic nerves are connected to the brain and control digestion and absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, secretion of gastric juice, intestinal hormone secretion, immune function, and more. The brain can affect the function of the digestive tract by regulating the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and the digestive tract can also affect our thinking, mood, and behavior by sending signals to the brain.

How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems affect the function of the digestive tract? The sympathetic nerve is the nervous system that’s excited when we’re in a state of fight or flight during an emergency. It will make our digestive tract reduce blood supply, stop secreting digestive juice, and weaken peristalsis so as to transfer more blood and energy to other parts of the body to deal with danger. The parasympathetic nerve is the nervous system that’s excited when we’re in a state of relaxation. It will increase the blood supply to our digestive tract, secrete abundant digestive juices, and strengthen peristalsis to activate digestion and absorb nutrients from food.

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Therefore, to preserve good digestive functionality, we must relax when eating so that our parasympathetic nerves are excited and the sympathetic nerves are at rest.

Rest and Digest

The ancient Chinese used to say, “Don’t talk while you eat; don’t talk while you sleep.” This motto comes from “The Analects of Confucius,” which tells us something about the behavior of Confucius himself—that he was very attentive while eating and sleeping and refrained from talking during meals. On the contrary, modern people often chat, scan their mobile phones, or watch TV while eating. Even worse, some people eat in a rush or while stressed or watch nerve-wracking or scary things while eating, which excites the sympathetic nerves, preventing the secretion of digestive juices, stopping peristalsis, reducing the blood supply of the digestive tract, and causing various gastrointestinal problems.

Research has found that concentrating on eating at mealtime can lower cortisol (the stress hormone) levels. A randomized controlled clinical trial divided 47 overweight or obese women into two groups. The experimental group received meditation training and ate bento boxes together to practice the skill of mindful eating. Those in the intervention group had lower cortisol levels than those in the control group. Since cortisol is associated with central obesity, focusing on eating can also help obese people manage their weight, reducing belly fat especially.

Doing just one thing right can significantly improve our gastrointestinal function and help prevent stomach diseases: Relax during mealtime and focus on mindful eating.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.