Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria and other microbes that directly communicate with your brain along the gut-brain axis, also known as the vagus nerve. 

 

These microbes are really quite chatty, so chatty that they are called the second brain. They have a role in every function of your body. These microbes communicate with your brain by creating and consuming the majority of your body’s neurotransmitters. Like serotonin, the “happy” neurotransmitter. 

 

Over 90% of your body’s serotonin is made by your gut microbiome. This is part of the reason why changes in your gut microbes can significantly affect:  *                 

Your mood                  

Your pain tolerance                  

Your cognitive performance                  

Your behavior                  

Your mental health  

 

The foods you eat are broken down and transformed by your gut microbiome to nourish the rest of your body, which is why what you eat is one of the biggest factors in health. To improve physical and mental health and functioning, it pays to look after your trillions of little microbe friends by eating a wide variety of unprocessed, plant-based foods and minimising sugar.