Dr. Manas Kshirsagar  is an Ayurvedic doctor who comes from a Rig Vedic Brahman tradition with an extensive Ayurvedic background. He graduated from Aloha Ayurveda Academy and the Maharishi University of Management. He's an acclaimed wellness consultant, Ayurvedic consultant and health educator. He provides a holistic approach to medicine, including nutrition, yoga, meditation, detoxification, and effective stress management.

Today we're diving into a topic that's reshaping how we think about modern health, the profound connection between our gut and our mind. You've probably heard the phrase trust your gut, but do you know what makes your gut so trustworthy? Modern science says it is our second brain: the Enteric Nervous System.

The ENS is a vast network of over a hundred million neurons embedded in the walls of our digestive tract, mostly in the small intestine and colon. That's seven to eight times more neurons than in the spinal cord, which contains around 13.5 million. Our brain contains around 86 billion neurons. Our gut does not just follow orders from the brain.

It processes reacts and even remembers patterns and digestion and emotion. It functions independently of the brain, but also communicates with it locally via the vagus nerve. It communicates with the rest of the body through nerves. It uses neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine and actually produces 90 to 95% of serotonin.

Both the brain and gut play a major role in mood immunity and digestion both have their own reflexes, sensory neurons and motor neurons, and both respond to stress and emotion, like how anxiety can cause diarrhea. Your gut feels emotional shifts even before your brain processes them, which is why you might get a gut feeling like butterflies or stomach upset during stress.

And Ayurveda, this beautifully mirrors the idea that Agni or digestive fire is central to not just physical health, but mental health and emotional resilience. The gut is also a home for Ojas, our vital immunity and vitality. So if our ENS is inflamed or disrupted, our whole system is compromised. In today's episode, we'll explore the enteric nervous system, the complex neural network in your belly that's ultimately connected to your brain.

We'll unpack how digestive orders like IBS, bloating and constipation are not just physical issues, but often reflections of deeper emotional patterns. We'll also look at how chronic stress, anxiety, and depression can disrupt our gut's natural rhythm, and how Ayurveda and modern science together offer tools for healing from the inside out.

Whether you've struggled with digestion, mood, or both, this episode offers insights to help you feel more grounded, nourished, and connected with your own inner intelligence.

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