The Mind-Gut Connection Book

Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with the latest discoveries on the human microbiome, a practical guide in the tradition of The Second Brain and The Good Gut that conclusively demonstrates the inextricable, biological link between mind and the digestive system.

We have all experienced the connection between our mind and our gut—the decision we made because it “felt right”; the butterflies in our stomach before a big meeting; the anxious stomach rumbling we get when we’re stressed out. While the dialogue between the gut and the brain has been recognized by ancient healing traditions, including Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, Western medicine has by and large failed to appreciate the complexity of how the brain, gut, and more recently, the gut microbiota—the microorganisms that live inside our digestive tract — communicate with one another. In The Mind-Gut Connection, Dr. Emeran Mayer, professor of medicine and executive director of the UCLA Center for Neurobiology of Stress, offers a revolutionary and provocative look at this developing science, teaching us how to harness the power of the mind-gut connection to take charge of our health and listen to the innate wisdom of our bodies.

The Mind-Gut Connection describes:

• How gut microbes are active participants in the communications between your brain and your gut
• How mode of delivery, breastfeeding and early life stress interact to program your gut brain axis
• Why a diet that is optimal for your gut microbes is also best for your brain health
• How to “listen to your gut” and be mindful of the signals your body is sending you
• 10 simple steps you can take towards optimal health
• And much more …

Learn more about Mind-Gut Connection in this series of video interviews with Dr. Mayer.

Contents

Part I. Our Body the Intelligent Supercomputer

Chapter 1. The Mind-Body Connection Is Real

Chapter 2. Gut Reactions: How the Mind Communicates with the Gut

Chapter 3. Gut Sensations: How Your Gut Talks to Your Brain

Chapter 4. Microbe-Speak: A Key Component of the Gut-Brain Dialogue

 

Part II. Intuition and Gut Feelings: How the Mind-Gut-Microbiome Communication Informs Our Everyday Decisions

Chapter 5. Unhealthy Memories: The Effects of Early Life Experiences on the Gut-Brain Dialogue

Chapter 6. A New Understanding of Emotions

Chapter 7. Understanding Intuitive Decision Making

 

Part III. How to Optimize Brain-Gut Health

Chapter 8. The Role of Food: Lessons from Hunter-Gatherers

Chapter 9. The Onslaught of the North American Diet: What Evolution Did Not Foresee

Chapter 10. The Simple Road Toward Wellness and Optimal Health (And Take-Home Message)