How the Gut Talks to the Brain: A Holistic Path to Mental and Digestive Health

By Ali Astrid Moto, LCSW/DMT/EMDR and Dr. Nicole E. Pierce, NMD

When we think of mental health, we often picture the brain. But what if one of the most powerful regulators of your emotional well-being isn’t just in your head? It’s in your belly.

Science is confirming what ancient healing systems and integrative practitioners have long known: your gut and your brain are in constant conversation. This communication network, called the gut-brain axis, helps regulate mood, memory, stress response, and emotional resilience.

As a naturopathic physician and a somatic therapist specializing in trauma and nervous system regulation, we have witnessed how the body holds emotional patterns that affect digestion. Your gut is not just a digestive organ. It is home to trillions of microbes, produces critical brain chemicals, and directly influences your nervous system through both physical and chemical pathways. Supporting gut health, then, becomes a powerful strategy for improving mental health.

Let’s explore how this connection works and how you can begin to nourish and soothe your digestion and your mind using naturopathic medicine, somatic therapy, and simple daily practices.

The Science: Your Gut and Brain’s Secret Language

Your gut houses trillions of microbes (your microbiome) that do far more than digest food. These microbes produce neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which directly influence mood and stress. In fact, about 90% of your body’s serotonin, a key "feel-good" chemical, is made in the gut. This means a healthy digestive system is essential for mental clarity, emotional steadiness, and energy.

Understanding the gut-brain axis:

• The Vagus Nerve: This long nerve acts as a communication highway, sending signals between the gut and brain.

• Microbial Messengers: Beneficial gut bacteria produce compounds that reduce inflammation, support neurotransmitter production, and even calm the brain’s stress response.

• Inflammation and Mood: An imbalanced gut can trigger systemic inflammation, impacting everything from anxiety and depression to focus and fatigue. 

  
  

Studies show that people with anxiety, depression, or chronic stress often have disrupted gut microbiomes. The good news is that it is possible to reshape this balance with simple daily habits informed by the therapeutic order, a naturopathic framework that addresses root causes step by step.

A Therapeutic Path: Naturopathic and Somatic Approaches to Gut Healing

1. Remove Obstacles to Cure

Before true healing can begin, we must reduce or eliminate what's irritating or burdening the system. This may include:

• Highly processed foods

• Overuse of antibiotics

• Environmental toxins

• Negative self-talk or unprocessed emotional stress

  
  

Manage Stress with Breath and Movement 

Chronic stress changes gut motility and alters your microbiome. Somatic therapies can help identify and shift stored tension or trauma that is impacting the nervous system. Gentle movement, body-based mindfulness, and breathwork support emotional release and physical relaxation, creating space for healing to begin.

Try this: Take 3 minutes a day to do slow, diaphragmatic breathing. Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Inhale slowly for four counts, exhale for six. Repeat for a few minutes and notice any shifts in sensation or emotion. This simple practice can begin to change how your body experiences safety and connection.

Get Good Sleep 

Sleep and gut health are deeply intertwined. Poor sleep hygiene can disrupt your microbial balance, and an unbalanced gut can worsen sleep. It’s a viscous cycle! 

Try this: Prioritize 7–9 hours of restful sleep and keep a consistent bedtime routine (reduce screens and caffeine late in the day!). 

2. Heal the Gut Lining

A healthy gut lining acts as a strong barrier that protects the body from inflammation and supports nutrient absorption. When this barrier is damaged (often referred to as "leaky gut" or intestinal permeability), it can lead to systemic inflammation that affects mood and immunity.

To nourish and repair the lining:

• Drink bone broth rich in collagen and amino acids.

• Prioritize simple, whole foods that are easy to digest.

• Use demulcent and vulnerary herbs like slippery elm, chia seed, marshmallow root, oatstraw, and licorice, which soothe and coat the intestinal lining.

  
  

Try this: 

HAPPY BELLY OVERNIGHT INFUSION

This recipe features marshmallow and calendula, two vulnerary herbs that support gut health and help strengthen intestinal integrity. Marshmallow contains carbohydrates called “mucilage” that are best extracted in cold water, which is why this recipe has two different infusion steps. Mucilage has a somewhat slimy consistency (this is what helps it coat the stomach lining with supportive goodness), but if the drink is too gooey for you, then try swapping marshmallow root for marshmallow leaf, which is still effective but contains less mucilage, so it will be less slimy.

• ½ cup marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) root or leaf

• ½ cup calendula (Calendula officinalis) aerial parts

• ¼ cup peppermint (Mentha x piperita) leaves

• 2 quart-sized glass jars

Add the marshmallow to a quart-sized glass jar. Cover with cold water, then store in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Add calendula and peppermint to a second quart-sized glass jar and cover with just-boiled water. Cap and let infuse on the countertop for 6-8 hours or overnight. 

Strain both infusions into a large bowl and stir to combine.

Divide the finished infusion equally between the jars. Store in the fridge, and drink one quart daily to support a strong gut and a healthy stomach lining.

3. Restore Digestive Fire

Your digestive "fire"is responsible for breaking down food and assimilating its nutrients. When this fire is weak and digestion is slowed, even healthy foods can cause bloating, fatigue, or discomfort.

To rekindle this fire:

• Avoid drinking large amounts of cold liquid with meals.

• Take time to sit down, breathe, and chew mindfully. This stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system via the vagus nerve, which allows us to “rest and digest.”

• Use digestive bitters such as gentian, dandelion root, or artichoke leaf before meals.

  
  

Actually tasting the bitter flavor (rather than swallowing capsules) activates receptors in the mouth and signals the whole digestive system to prepare for nourishment.

Try this: 

Start meals with a salad of bitter greens or opt for a couple of drops of a digestive bitter tincture on the back of the tongue 5-10 minutes before eating. 

4. Rewild Your Microbiome

Your gut thrives on diversity. A rich and varied microbiome improves mood, enhances immunity, and supports better digestion. Modern lifestyles often strip away this natural diversity, but it can be restored.

To rewild your microbiome:

• Eat More Fiber-Rich, Whole Foods: A diet full of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and herbs feeds your good gut bacteria. These foods act as prebiotics, providing the fuel your microbes need to thrive. 

Try this: Add flavor in the form of garlic, onions, and/or leeks to savory meals, and apples, berries, and chia seeds to your breakfast oats.

• Include Fermented Foods or Probiotics: Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, and miso introduce beneficial bacteria (probiotics) to your gut. These microbes help maintain balance and diversity in your microbiome. 

  
  

Try this: Add a few forkfuls of fermented veggies to each meal, drink 4-5 oz of kombucha or a probiotic beverage instead of soda, or try a probiotic supplement with a variety of strains. 

Small, daily changes in your diet and self-care rituals can create powerful shifts in your internal ecosystem.

Final Thoughts: Healing is a Whole-Body Experience

Mental health is not just in your head. It lives in your gut, your breath, your tissues, your habits, and your daily rhythms. Healing is not a single event, but an ongoing relationship with your body and your environment. Whether you begin the journey with a spoonful of sauerkraut, a cup of marshmallow tea, or a few moments of stillness, every step you take toward balance is a step toward deeper vitality.

Remember: you are not just what you eat. You are also what you absorb, digest, and integrate—including your nourishment, your emotions, and your inner peace.

Are you ready to learn more about how to trust your gut and reconnect with your body’s natural wisdom? Join Ali Moto and Dr. Nicole for a “come as you are” workshop at The Vervain Collective 5/28/25 5:30-7:00. Let’s root into the healing power of plants, presence, and inner knowing. Register here: Trust Your Gut: Healing the Second Brain