If you’ve ever felt butterflies before a big meeting or lost your appetite when anxious, you’ve already experienced the gut–brain connection in action.

But this relationship runs far deeper than a few nerves.

As a nutritional therapist specialising in women’s health, I often work with clients who are dealing with bloating, anxiety, fatigue, mood swings, and hormone imbalance — and the gut–brain axis plays a central role in all of these.

Here are five essential facts that explain how your gut and brain are connected — and what that means for your health.