The gut is our second brain. On an area of 600 square meters, there are as many as 100 trillion microorganisms. How to take care of this ecosystem, to always be operational? The relationship of the brain with the intestines. What happens in the gut also affects the brain. The fact that these two organs communicate with each other has been known for a long time. However, it was thought to be a one-way communication, meaning that the brain communicated with the gut.
After all, each of us experienced gastrointestinal symptoms under stress. It turns out, however, that there is a two-way interaction – the gut also affects the brain. How? Directly through the nerve fibers, halfway through hormones or through molecules such as, for example, gluten. The latest research shows that our microbiome is responsible for the communication between the gut and the brain.
The Great World of Bacteria. The microbiome is a community of microorganisms that are found both on the surface and in the deeper layers of the skin, nose, mouth, urogenital and digestive systems. These include bacteria, fungi, and archaea (single-celled cells, once classified as bacteria). Each of us has as many bacterial cells as our own.
Most bacteria are found in the digestive tract, which is about 70 percent. all bacteria throughout the body. Normal bacterial flora is diverse. It is like a forest full of different kinds of trees. However, when the balance between “good” microorganisms and pathogens (“pests”) is disturbed, the number of beneficial bacteria is reduced. This can be seen in infants born via caesarean section, artificially fed or treated with antibiotics.