Why call the intestines our second brain? Neurons are nerve cells which send and receive nerve impulses, and scientists have discovered in recent years that our intestines contain many more of them than was previously thought. Most people believe that such cells exist only in the brain.
Intestines contain nerve cells
Our gut contains more than 100 million nerve cells, almost as many as our brain. If this were not the case, our brains would have to use all of their capacity just to keep the digestion working properly. Digestion is the most important task in the body and also the most complicated.
Digestion matters
The digestive system does more than just digest, it also forms a large part of the body’s immune and detoxification system. Millions of chemicals and biochemicals are analyzed during digestion as well as millions of toxins. This is extremely important because if the digestive system doesn’t work properly there are major consequences for the functioning of the rest of the body. For that reason, the body gives it a high priority.
Intestine/brain connection
In our intestinal wall there are two wafer-thin layers of nerves, as complex and as busy as our brain. Moreover, 90% of the connections between the gut and the brain run from the gut towards the brain. In other words, it is the intestines that largely send signals to the brain, not the other way around. The intestines tell the brain what to do! That’s why this system is sometimes nicknamed the “intestinal brain” or “abdominal brain”.
Take good care of the intestines
Serotonin, the so-called happiness molecule, is produced in the intestine. Surpisingly then, the intesines play a large part in determining your mood. Beyond this, they also affect your wider health in many significant ways.
All in all, the gut brain needs to be properly looked after. We can do that primarily by following a healthy diet, by regularly and effectively cleansing our intestine, by getting adequate rest, drinking enough water and moderating the intake of such things as alcohol, sugar and tobacco.
Let the body function at its optimum
Taking good care of our gut mostly comes down to using common sense, (which resides in the main brain!) It is also important to cleanse the intestines twice a year and so restore the intestinal wall as it should be. By then supplementing the intestinal bacteria and following a good healthy diet, you can ensure that the body functions at its best.