Today's "Bri Books" is holiday feast-ready. We're discussing "Gut: The Inside Story of Our Bodies Most Underrated Organ" by Giulia Enders. We're mere weeks away from 2019. From now to the end of 2018, our guts will be working overtime. Between work potlucks, family potlucks, holiday parties, our guts are working intensely. This books goes inside (no pun intended) the world of the gut, and I share my "gut checks" and learnings along the way. 

• 0:35 - Today's #BriBooks pick couldn't be more appropriate for end of the year as we wrap up 2018…with lots of food. Between now and the end of 2018, our guts will be working overtime. Between work potlucks, family gatherings and holiday parties, there's so much food and stress packed into the last few weeks of the year when our guts are working intensely.
• 3:00 – How Brionna discovered “Gut: The Inside Story of Our Bodies Most Underrated Organ" by Giuliana Enders” while working at ABC News, and general takeaways and first impressions after finishing “Gut”
• 5:00 - Gut Check #1: Giving our small intestines enough vitamins and minerals (by way of nutrient-rich and nutrient-dense food) is a major key to more small intestine success.
• 5:30 – Gut Check #2: Constipation results from a disconnect between the nerves in the nervous system and the muscles of the gut. The gut is ultimately a creature of habit, and if that habit is disrupted by holiday travel or holiday eats, constipation can arise. A great way to re-establish your gut’s equilibrium is to make sure you’re eating fiber and drinking fluids 2-3 days before holiday travel or before major meals.
• 7:45 – Gut Check #3: There’s a link between the gut and the brain. Emotions like fear and stress reduce smooth muscles in the gut, and make it so the stomach can't stretch adequately, and we feel nauseous or anxious after just a few bites. Let’s all work on connecting with our guts and your brains, remaining mindful of seasonal stress.

Bri Books is not intended as a substitute for medical or health advice, and shouldn't be treated as such. A great secondary research for your deep dive into the world of the gut: "Follow Your Gut: The Enormous Impact of Tiny Microbes" by Rob Knight

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