Food, Mood and The Vagus Nerve

Have you ever felt nervous, fearful or excited and got those twittering butterflies wing sensations in your gut? And have you heard the saying, “trust your gut?” This saying, in part, has to do with the vagus nerve and how it links the brain to the gut.

The enteric nervous system.

This system is a meshwork of nerves in the gut lining (gastrointestinal tract). It has as many neurons as the spinal cord and is often referred to as the second brain. The vagus nerve connects these two brains. A great deal of research is being conducted on the vagus nerve; how vital its role may be in digestive health is fascinating.

The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve.

It originates in the brain and travels or wanders (commonly referred to as the wanderer) to the abdomen, innervating and supplying organs and many different areas in the body, including the heart, liver, and stomach. The vagus nerve constantly sends the brain information about the other body organs; in this case, the digestive system functions.

The vagus nerve has been linked to influencing mood, fear, and anxiety. It also communicates with the mind informing the gut to promote either the “rest and digest” *parasympathetic nervous system response or put on alert for a “flight or fight” sympathetic nervous system response.