The Gut-Brain Connection: How the Vagus Nerve Impacts Your Mood, Hormones & Healing
Your gut and brain are in constant conversation—and the vagus nerve is the powerful messenger running the show. If you’re experiencing anxiety, poor sleep, irritability, mood swings, brain fog, or hormone imbalances, your gut could be the missing piece.
In this episode, Dr. Amy Beard and Anna Allen unpack:
✔️ What the vagus nerve does and why it’s crucial
✔️ How inflammation in your gut impacts your brain
✔️ Why trauma, stress, and even your thoughts disrupt digestion
✔️ The role of SSRIs, GLP-1s, and neurotransmitters
✔️ What to do to heal the gut–brain connection
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
👇 Links & Resources
Join our exclusive membership → https://amybeardmd.com/programs/dr-amys-table/
Digestive enzymes & supplements → https://amybeardmd.com/shop/enzyme-support/
"The Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve" Book on Amazon
More from Dr. Amy Beard → https://amybeardmd.com/
🎙️ Key Takeaways & Facts:
- 90% of serotonin is made in the gut
- Antibiotic use can raise depression risk up to 56%
- Gut inflammation = Brain inflammation
- Thoughts, trauma, and toxic stress directly impact your microbiome
If you feel like you're doing "all the right things" but still not healing—your gut-brain axis could be the missing link.
This isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection.
What is Amy Beard MD?
This podcast is all about empowering you to improve your health and quality of life and making you less dependent upon our current "sick care" medical system. A functional medicine physician, deprogramed dietitian, ER and family medicine doctor is joined by her engineer, farmer, chef husband to provide you with the knowledge and skills to reclaim your health and wellbeing, overcome and prevent chronic disease, and live healthier and happier lives. All areas impacting your health, from the farm to the exam table, are discussed.