Thread:BixbiteTheGreat/@comment-34012245-20190705225925/@comment-33229352-20190908053249

Me, showing up out of nowhere because brain chemicals are my thing

Hi! There are several chemcials that have to do with happiness- dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. However, a lot of the chemicals your brain uses to regulate mood are actually created in your gut! In fact, 95% of the serotonin your body produces comes from there. This is why your mood can affect your body in ways you might not expect. Even mild stress can affect the microbiome in your gut and cause it to weaken, making you more at risk to get sick. Your diet has a huge affect too-- if you don't eat healthily, it can change how much serotonin you produce, lowering your mood. Scientists are currently looking into therapy for the microbiome in your gut as a way to treat multiple mental illnesses. It's been pretty successful in mice so far, but their guts are far less complicated than ours.