The term “gut feelings” is commonly used to describe intuitive insight. But how does a feeling originate from our belly?
The digestive system houses a whole network of the nervous system which senses and controls events in the digestive tract as well as in the rest of the body. Scientists have found that there is a greater flow of neural messages originating in the belly and flowing to the brain than from the brain to the belly. With more messages coming out of the belly center, it seems we do not only have one brain in our head controlling and supervising our physical and emotional body, but a second brain in our gut.
In relation to digestion, this means that the digestive commands originate from our belly, and it is not the head that is in charge of informing the digestive system what to eat and how to metabolize.
So why are we constantly relying on our “head-brain” by reading every diet book and calculating each gram of protein, fat, and carbs? While there is definite value in taking such things into account, when we do so with no conscious connection to what our body is actually asking for, we stay imprisoned to external dictatorships rather than free within our inner-knowing.
Do you have the guts to trust?
Are you going to keep looking to others to tell you what to do? If you don’t want others to tell you how to think and live, why are you so dependent on others to tell you how to eat?!
Just as the brain gets smarter over time by storing new information, your gut accumulates information over time about what dietary choices have been beneficial and detrimental to your constitution. Your body has already written your own personalized diet book _ and you don’t have to wait until it comes out in paperback.
How do I access my intuition?
To begin to access our inner wisdom, we must learn to slow down and listen.
Before deciding on your next meal, take a few deep breaths into your belly. Similarly to the brain in your head, the “gut-brain” will be more responsive and alert when receiving a strong supply of oxygen. This awakens the gut and ignites metabolism.
After a few breaths, ask your belly for advice on what foods and quantities will be good for you at this time. Ask yourself if this is the right time to eat? Once you have decided on a meal, imagine swallowing a bite of it and notice if it makes you feel nourished.
This is like learning a new language; expect to feel uncertainty. Any mistakes are just learning opportunities. They are just another small paragraph written by your gut in your diet book of inner-wisdom.
Trust yourself enough to simply call upon your inner wisdom. The more you call on it, the louder it will begin to speak.
