It turns out that there may be truth to the phrase ‘go with your gut’ or the feeling of ‘butterflies in your stomach’ when you are nervous. Over the past few years, there has been a growing body of research on the brain-gut connection and the presence of ‘a second brain’ that exists within the walls of your digestive system. This research is exactly why I use my trademarked phrase ‘Own Your Mind. Own Your Health.’ because it connects the dots between how we think and how we physically feel. Composed of more than 100 million nerve cells and running all the way from our esophagus to our rectum, this second brain is called the Enteric Nervous System (ENS). While its main job is controlling digestion, releasing enzymes and controlling blood flow to help with the absorption and breakdown of food–researchers have also found another fascinating link: Our second brain communicates back and forth with our big brain affecting feelings of sadness, stress and even learning and decision making. This explains why a large percentage of people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) also develop depression and anxiety. This is also why gastroenterologists sometimes recommend anti-depressants because these medications can work on the nerve cells of our second brain. In fact, a healthy communication between our two brains is vital for optimal mind and body health. So besides great nutrition, what is the best medicine you can give your child? Give your child the tools to nurture his or her mind. Teach your children how to find their center of peace in stressful situations and a safe environment in which they can express their feelings without judgement. How do we do this?

1) Breathing and Mantras

In stressful situations, show your children how to bring their attention back to their breath. When they feel stressed or angry, ask them to put one hand on their tummy and one on their chest. Then ask them to take a big, deep breath in and a deep breath out. They will feel the air moving through their bodies. I also like to have them pick a mantra. A mantra is an instrument of the mind. It is a word or phrase that allows you to bring your mind back to its center-below the level where your worries congregate. My favorite mantra is ‘peace begins with me‘ (from Gabrielle Bernstein). As your children repeat their mantra and take a few deep breaths, they will have brought their attention back to their breath. This teaches children how to respond which comes after a moment of mindful breathing instead of react which is a product of stress. For more information on this exercise, check out our video here.

2) Feelings without judgement

Most of us–adults and children–have a tendency to go from one activity to another without pausing to take note of how we are feeling inside. In her book, Sitting Still Like a Frog, Eline Snel discusses an activity called ‘How Are You Feeling Right Now’. She writes: “By regularly pressing the pause button, you give yourself time and space to notice that you are breathing and to feel what is going on inside of you. And as soon as you notice, you have a choice: shall I continue with what I was doing, or do I need a short break, or do I need something else?” In this exercise, you ask your child: -How are you feeling right now? -Where in your body do you feel it? -How would you like to respond? Ask them to bring their attention to that feeling and to sit with it, like you would sit with your best friend. It is the acceptance and recognition of the feeling that helps them to understand that feelings are temporary. And furthermore-intense feelings, though they can be difficult, can be survived. By acknowledging their feelings, children realize that they have a choice to respond differently and that there is no need to be afraid. Like the Yin and Yang in Chinese philosophy which states that two opposite forces are often interconnected, life comes with its ups and downs, the peaks and the valleys. The best medicine you can give your child are the tools to rise from the valleys of life. By nurturing the mind, you nurture your body. And vice versa. It is what I mean when I say, Own Your Mind. Own Your Health.™ (Image via Image via Yastremska/bigstock.com)