Sometimes we hear intuition as that little voice in our head, and sometimes we sense it in our heart, and sometimes we feel it in the stomach – hence the term: gut instinct. There’s actually a biological reason why this happens. Researchers have found that the gut has more nerve cells than the spinal cord. These intestinal nerve cells hold most of our body’s serotonin, a neurotransmitter that influences both the cardiovascular and the gastrointestinal systems, and also our emotional and psychological well-being. Scientists say that the particular receptor these gut cells use to process the serotonin is the same as the receptor used in the portions of the brain where intuitive thinking happens! So, the next time you get that signal, that “gut feeling,” pay attention – sometimes our stomach is smarter than our head.
