The Gut is Your Second Brain. How Do You Take Care of It?
by ariana altuve
I’m amazed at how many people write to me saying they don’t feel well, but don’t know exactly why. Some speak of swelling, others of a tiredness that does not go away, of feeling disconnected from their body. And although many look for answers in hormones, diet or stress, few stop to look at a key reason that changes everything: the intestine.
Intestinal health is not a trend in Wellness. It is one of the most complex and underestimated systems in the body. Your gut has more neurons than your spinal cord. In fact, it is so connected to the mind that it is already known as the “second brain”. And it’s not a metaphor: the gut produces more than 90% of the body’s serotonin (yes, the happiness hormone), regulates the immune system, controls inflammation, and has a direct relationship with your hormonal system.
If your intestine isn’t well, there’s a good chance you aren’t well either. On the outside you may look perfect, but on the inside, something feels dull, stagnant, out of rhythm.
And I don’t say that just because of theory. In my own process, I understood that no matter how many routines, supplements, or healthy habits I had, if my gut wasn’t in balance, everything else felt forced. I started connecting the dots: intense cravings, unexplained bloating, fatigue, anxiety, hormonal acne. Everything was related.
The “gut feeling” is real. What we feel in our stomachs—that intuition, that discomfort, that heaviness—is no coincidence. It’s the body trying to talk to you from where it all starts.
What you didn’t know about your gut: • It has more than 500 million neurons. • It constantly communicates with the brain through the vagus nerve, modulating emotions and stress responses. • An unbalanced microbiota can affect everything from mood to insulin resistance to hormonal health. • The gut regulates estrogen and can directly interfere with symptoms such as acne, anxiety, mood swings, or irregular cycles in women. • An inflamed intestine prevents the proper absorption of nutrients, which generates a domino effect throughout the body.
That’s why, when someone tells me: “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I don’t feel like me”, my first question is always how is your intestinal health?
Where to start? Healing the intestine is not about going on an extreme diet, but going back to the basics: eating real food, without ultra-processed foods; incorporate fermented foods such as kefir or Sauerkraut; use supplements such as collagen, glutamine or bone broths and rely on quality probiotics; but also, in daily habits to manage stress, sleep well and move with intention.
The intestine needs space, rest, and attention. If you’re not sleeping well, if you feel like your energy is on the floor, if your emotions are messed up or your skin doesn’t improve no matter how many routines you follow, maybe the answer isn’t outside, but inside.
* Ariana Altuve is a holistic health coach and content creator. She leads wellness and lifestyle projects, so that other women understand that they are not alone. IG: @arianaaltuve
