Have you ever felt "butterflies" before a big event? Or noticed how your stomach feels tight when you’re stressed? That’s your gut and brain in conversation.
You’ve almost definitely heard that our gut is like our second brain… but what does that mean exactly? This powerful connection between your digestive system and your brain is an invaluable insight into how your mood, focus, stress levels, and even decision-making might be rooted in your gut.
What Is the Gut-Brain Axis?
The gut-brain axis is the communication network between your central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord) and your enteric nervous system (the network of neurons lining your gastrointestinal tract). Your gut is wired to talk to your brain, thanks to the vagus nerve, which facilitates the conversation between your brain and your gut using neurotransmitters.
Your microbiome—the trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms in your gut—plays a starring role in this system. It helps produce key neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which influence mood, stress response, and sleep. In fact, about 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut.
When your microbiome is balanced, it generates short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that reduce inflammation and support brain function. But when it’s out of balance, you may experience brain fog, irritability, or low mood.
Ongoing stress doesn’t just wear on your mind—it takes a toll on your gut too. Elevated cortisol levels can weaken the gut lining and disturb the balance of beneficial bacteria, which in turn affects how well your brain can regulate mood and emotions. At the same time, inflammatory messengers called cytokines may disrupt brain signaling, leading to low energy or mental fatigue.
To put it simply, when your gut is healthy, you can think clearly, manage your mood, and support your body’s energy levels. When your gut isn’t at its best, these systems suffer. That’s why you may feel foggy or low after a weekend of rich food and cocktails, and why stress can throw off your digestion.
So, looking after your diet isn’t just about your gains and goals —it’s part of maintaining your brain function and mental health! Beyond food, your lifestyle also contributes to your stress, energy, and body’s ability to support a healthy microbiome.
Lifestyle Choices and Foods That Nourish the Gut
Stress management is crucial. Chronic stress can increase gut permeability (aka "leaky gut") and reduce beneficial bacteria. And as we mentioned, this can become a vicious cycle of high cortisol, mood dysregulation, and continued gut dysfunction. Try incorporating a meditation practice, breathing exercises, or journaling to help calm your mind and support your gut.
Prioritize 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night to give your system the rest it needs to rebalance and regulate the hormones and neurotransmitters influencing your gut functioning. Skipping out on sleep means your body doesn’t have the downtime necessary to recover and clear out metabolic waste, which can strain both your gut and your brain.
Your workout routine isn’t just good for your muscles. Regular movement, both gentle and intense, boosts the growth and diversity of beneficial bacteria in the gut, supports digestion, and reduces inflammation. Not to mention the stress-relieving benefits of a good workout and the endorphins! The mental clarity, motivation, and energising blood flow post-workout - that’s the gut-brain axis in action.
How to Fuel a Healthy Gut Microbiome
Enriching your diet with whole, plant-based foods supports a healthy gut. We previously delved into the gut-loving foods to add to your meals, but a quick recap is;
- Fiber-rich foods like oats, apples, and leafy greens
- Fermented foods like kefir, miso, and kimchi
- Omega-3 fats from sources like walnuts and salmon
And while it is unreasonable to ban sweet treats and the occasional takeout, bear in mind that processed foods high in sugar and additives can disrupt the delicate balance of your gut microbiome and contribute to inflammation, potentially impacting mood and focus.
It is all about balance, and sometimes we need to support our system while our social calendars fill up with brunch, cocktails, and dinner plans for the summer. That’s where probiotics can be a helpful tool — giving your gut a boost without adding stress to your plate.
Probiotics: Small but Mighty Helpers
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help restore microbial balance. Certain strains have even been studied for their potential to support mood and cognitive function.Our upcoming range of probiotics has been formulated with live cultures, high CFU counts, and delayed-response patented DRcaps® capsules to protect bacteria from stomach acid, ensuring live cultures reach the gut.
Here are a few options depending on what your body needs:
- Daily Flora Biotics Capsules: 4-in-1 complex designed to reduce digestive discomfort, support vaginal & gut health, boost immunity, and enhance daily balance.
- Vaginal Biotics Capsules: Designed to support healthy vaginal odor and flora, maintain balanced pH levels, and promote yeast balance.
- DeBloat Biotics Capsules: 5-in-1 complex designed to relieve bloating, enhance food breakdown, support gut health & daily balance.
- Better Digest Capsules: 5-in-1 complex designed to relieve bloating, enhance food breakdown, support gut health & daily balance.
- Reset Flora Biotics Capsules: 4-in-1 complex designed to quickly reduce digestive discomfort, support gut health & enhance daily balance.
Probiotic support doesn’t need to be complicated. Just remember that consistency is the key to meaningful impact when it comes to supplements.
Why This Matters for Women’s Health
The gut-brain connection is especially relevant for women. Hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause can influence gut health, and vice versa.
This interplay can impact everything from mood swings to bloating to energy levels. By supporting gut health through diet, probiotics, and stress reduction, women can better regulate hormones, improve mood stability, and reduce inflammation.
In fact, the gut and vagina are in constant conversation — research shows that microbial diversity in the gut can influence vaginal health, pH balance, and susceptibility to infections. We’ve looked into this in more detail here.
Your gut health is central to how you think, feel, and function. By nourishing your microbiome with balanced meals, movement, rest, and targeted probiotic support, you're doing more than supporting digestion—you're investing in your overall well-being.
For a simple guide to understanding your gut, you can refresh your memory with our first blog in the series: Gut Health Basics.
Looking for more expert tips, educational content, and everyday support on your wellness journey? Follow our new account @womensbestwellness, a dedicated Instagram hub where women’s health isn’t a side note, but the main focus.
