INSIGHTS
Ideas to move your mind
Physical

How Gut Shapes Our Mind

The bacteria in your gut outnumber your human cells and hold more sway than you think. They're not just digesting your breakfast — they're co-authoring your emotions, shaping your decision-making, and fine-tuning your stress response. You’re not one mind in a body. You’re a walking democracy of **microbes** with a **nervous system**.

The gut and the brain are in constant communication, and this dialogue significantly impacts our emotions and overall well-being.— Dr. Emeran Mayer
The full breakdown — the context, the shift, and a question to sit with — opens in the Insights app.
The thinker
Gut-Brain Connection Pioneer

Dr. Emeran Mayer is a distinguished gastroenterologist and neuroscientist at UCLA, widely known for his groundbreaking work on the gut-brain axis. Author of *The Mind-Gut Connection*, he’s reshaped how we understand emotional and cognitive health through the lens of microbiome science. With over four decades of research, Mayer is one of the most respected voices linking biology to behavior.

Based on StarTalk Radio – The Mind-Gut Connection with Dr. Emeran Mayer, summarised and reframed by Insights.

Part of these journeys

Read the full idea in Insights

Free on iPhone · Download Insights