You may think your brain controls your body, but it doesn’t do the job all by itself. Researchers are learning about the importance of the enteric nervous system—that is, the nerves that line your alimentary canal (mouth to butt). Your gut health doesn’t just keep your body working smoothly, it affects your mood! And this goes beyond feeling bad about your upset tummy. You know how meeting someone special can give you “butterflies in your stomach”? That’s an emotional signal from your enteric nervous system. In fact, the vast majority of the serotonin in your body is found in your belly. New understanding about how the gut affects mental and physical health has created the field of neuro-gastroenterology. What does that mean for you? Right now, researchers are still trying to figure out how the gut and the brain work together, but it’s clear that taking care of gut issues, like treating irritable bowel syndrome, will help protect your brain and your mood.