BodyMindSoul, All One

What is our microbiome? How important is it to our overall health? And how is our gut microbiome influenced not only by the food we eat but also by the feelings we carry?

When we look at ourselves in the mirror, we don’t see what we’re truly made of. The truth is: we are more microbiome than anything else.

We carry microbial organisms all over our bodies, but we can’t see them because they’re minuscule creatures — and yes, they eat and poop just like us or any other living thing (I’ve seen some under a microscope, and let’s just say... they’re not the cutest 😄).

There are 30 trillion bacteria living in our bodies, weighing close to five pounds in total. These microorganisms live in our brain, eyes, nose, mouth, intimate areas, feet — truly every part of our body, each with its own ecosystem. But the part of our body that has the most of them is our digestive system.

The Gut-Brain Connection: More Than Just Digestion

Here’s where it gets fascinating — our brain and gut are deeply connected. Whatever affects the brain also impacts the digestive system, and vice versa.

This relationship is so strong that the gut is often referred to as our "Second Brain." Why? Because the digestive system is connected to the brain through neurons and the nervous system — especially via a powerful pathway called the vagus nerve.

Feeding Your Microbiome Through Food and Feeling

The health of your gut and brain is absolutely essential to your overall well-being. And how you nurture them — through food, thoughts, and emotions — makes all the difference.

The source of the food you eat will determine what kind of microbiome you build in your gut, brain, and the rest of your body. Whole, natural foods — rich in fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and protein — will help you populate your gut with beneficial bacteria that support your body’s natural hormone and nutrient production.

But it doesn’t stop at food. When we talk about chronic illness, especially immune conditions, our emotional health also plays a powerful role.

Your Body Is a Pharmacy — and Your Emotions Write the Prescriptions

You can eat well and exercise daily, but if you are not emotionally or mentally well, your body can still become sick.

Why? Because your body is like a pharmacy — constantly producing chemicals, hormones, and neurotransmitters in response to what you experience.

When you live in a state of constant emotional pain, fear, or overwhelm — even if there’s no real physical danger — your body produces stress hormones like cortisol. While cortisol is helpful in emergencies, long-term stress causes it to linger, leading to inflammation, gut imbalances, and a host of health issues.

This happens because many of our organs are connected to the brain through the vagus nerve.

The Vagus Nerve: A Bridge Between Brain and Body

The vagus nerve is a long, powerful nerve — almost as long as the spinal cord and nearly as thick — that stretches from the brainstem, down the neck, and into the torso, with branches reaching into nearly every major organ.

When we feel safe, calm, and connected, this nerve tells our body to slow down and restore. Our heart rate decreases, breathing slows, digestion improves, and the body begins to heal.

But your digestive system can only do two things: digest or clean — and it can’t do either properly when it’s in constant stress. The body doesn’t know the difference between a real threat and mental/emotional stress like rushing to a meeting or feeling anxious before a conversation. It reacts the same way: releasing cortisol and halting digestion.

When this becomes chronic, you enter a low vagal tone state, which affects not only digestion but also your heart, lungs, and urinary system. It even shows up in how you speak and connect — dull facial expressions, a flat voice, and low social engagement are signs of vagus nerve distress.

The vagus nerve is a big, long nerve almost as long as the spinal cord and nearly as thick — that comes out of your brainstem, and goes down your neck into your torso with branches affecting all of your organs connected to it.

Chronic Stress = Chronic Imbalance

Many immune conditions develop as the body tries to survive in a constant stress state — with no time or support for healing.

This isn’t something that happens overnight. It’s the result of long-term imbalance, often caused by poor diet, emotional overwhelm, lack of rest, and no healthy outlet for stress.

What Are You Creating Each Morning?

So, I invite you to gently ask yourself:

🌞 What is the first thing you do when you open your eyes?

🧠 What are your very first thoughts?

💭 Are they peaceful, grateful, and loving?

Or are they rushed, worried, or critical?

You are a walking pharmacy, creating everything your body needs to heal — every single day. But remember what you are putting in and on is everything it has to create and provide to your body..🤔😊

Choose wisely. Choose lovingly. Choose in a way that honors your whole self — body, mind, and soul.