In this week's episode, Marc works with 52-year old Hulya on the important topic of how we learn to manage stress and regulate our emotions, so that we can experience the most optimal conditions for health.

And Marc takes a special look at anxiety, constipation, and midsection weight gain, including some of the hidden wisdom these conditions have for us.

As researchers have discovered, there's a profound connection between gut and brain health. So much so that "the gut-brain axis" is now established as one of the most important and complex systems in the body.

The gut is often referred to as a "second brain" due it's separate but interconnected system of over 100 million neurons. This complex system, the enteric nervous system, is responsible for all the major digestive functions including enzyme production, nutrient absorption, and elimination.

What's fascinating is that research is now revealing the intricate relationship between our gut, and our thoughts, mood, and emotions.

When we feel happy, our body naturally goes into parasympathetic dominance (the relaxation response), and our absorption and elimination typically improves. Conversely, when we're under stress, the gut feels it – and the normal, healthy functions of our digestive system can become impaired.

Many of us are aware of how various stressors, like work or marital challenges, can make us feel physically unwell. Perhaps you get heartburn or a knot in your stomach after a big fight, for example.

But what most people do not realize is that our challenges with food and body can become yet another source of stress.

For example, when we worry about our weight or feel self-hate for our body for years on end – this creates a powerful neurohormonal cascade in our physiology that can cause gastrointestinal issues like constipation or acid reflux – and ironically, can also lead to further weight gain.

Over time, sustained negative emotions can wreak havoc on every part of our body, but the gut is often the first place that we'll experience illness.

{Ready to call a ceasefire in your battle with eating, and find peace and freedom with food? Learn more about our newest program, The Emotional Eating Breakthrough! https://learn.psychologyofeating.com/}

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