Have you been feeling moody and experiencing butterflies in your stomach lately? Here’s an explanation to that!

Friday: Everson’s High-P Fridays FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Your brain and your gut are constantly connected with one another. If something’s affecting your brain, there’s a high chance that your gut will also be affected. This connection is what you call the Gut-Brain Axis. Are you aware of the number one enemy of your gut and brain? One word: Stress. Keep reading to know why this is so and what you should do to lessen the amount of stress that you feel. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

Have you been feeling moody and experiencing butterflies in your stomach lately? Here’s an explanation to that! How would you describe that time when you felt nervous about something? Did you feel nauseous or had “butterflies” in your stomach? If you did, that’s okay. It’s normal. In fact, a lot of us experience the same, too! The Gut-Brain Axis The back and forth communication between your brain and gut occurs primarily along an information superhighway called the Vagus Nerve. Note: A strong Vagus Nerve improves the communication between your gut and brain, so you have to keep this nerve working and in order. However, when you’re worried, stressed, or depressed, both your brain and gut are negatively affected. It triggers the release of neurotransmitters and proinflammatory cytokines, which causes: Intestinal dysmotility Holes in the intestine An imbalance in your gut bacteria Decreased blood flow and oxygenation to the gastrointestinal tract Acid reflux When your stress levels continue to persist for a long period of time, it can cause serious gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, peptic ulcers, and food allergies. You wouldn’t want that, would you? If you want to take care of your Gut-Brain Axis, part of your goal should be to control the amount of stress that you feel. Sure, there will be times when things won’t work out the way you planned, but you can control the way you respond to certain situations… and the more you are able to control your reactions and responses, the more you’ll be able to control your stress levels. When that happens, your gut will calm down! This is essential to a healthy functioning of your whole body. Here are some activities that will help you foster a healthy and well-functioning Gut-Brain Axis: Meditation Working out Sleeping better Eating healthy foods Talking to a friend or family member Being happy Scientifically speaking, these activities help lower your stress levels because they enable you to occupy your mind with happy thoughts and contribute to a healthy blood circulation. Additionally, the less stressed you are, the more relaxed you’ll be and the lighter you’ll feel. If you’d like to start fixing your Gut-Brain Axis now and make the most out of your energy and productivity in a day, one great start would be to eat a diet full of anti-inflammatory nutrient-dense foods. Not only will doing so “heal” your gut, but it will also help your brain function better, especially during work hours. Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for next Friday’s Everson’s High-P Fridays! Motivation is the driving force behind every successful dream. Learn more about training yourself to use your motivation more effectively on next week’s Everson’s High-P Fridays!