“Self-Brain Surgery® is like ten years of therapy in five minutes.”
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Hey friend,
Last week we talked about how building physical strength gives your mind a more capable partner in the body. This week we’re looking at your gut, and the profound way it communicates with and shapes your brain and mind.
When I was in college, I worked in the laboratory of Dr. Hal Scofield, a world-renowned immunologist. We were working on the autoimmune responses that lead to diseases like lupus and ankylosing spondylitis, and two of the papers I helped write are still being cited today as research into the role of the gut in health and disease continues to develop. What we discovered was that bacteria in the gut influence the immune system, and sometimes those influences go haywire and cause trouble.
What we didn’t know then was that the gut’s population of bacteria (the “microbiota”) and their collective genome and environment (the “microbiome”) have a relationship with our brains and minds that have a huge impact on our overall health.
Your gut contains the enteric nervous system, often called the “second brain.” It has more neurons than your spinal cord and is in constant two-way communication with your brain through the vagus nerve. Research on the gut-brain axis has shown that the trillions of microbes living in your gut influence the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin (over 90% of serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter, is produced in your gut!) and GABA.
The microbiota also regulate inflammation throughout the body, and send signals that affect mood, focus, emotional regulation, and even what we experience as “gut feelings.” God, in His wisdom, designed this intricate communication system inside us. When we intentionally care for our gut through wise eating, sleep, and stress management, we are partnering with the way He made us, helping create the physical conditions in which our renewed mind can think more clearly and lead more effectively.
When your microbiome is healthy and diverse, it tends to support clearer thinking and greater emotional steadiness. When it is imbalanced or inflamed, often due to diet, chronic stress, or poor sleep, it can contribute to brain fog, increased mental fatigue, and greater difficulty regulating thoughts and emotions.
I read a book called Brain Maker in which neurologist David Perlmutter explains the amazing gut microbiome system in this way:
“It’s now undeniable that our intestinal organisms participate in a wide variety of physiologic actions, including immune system functioning, detoxification, inflammation, neurotransmitter and vitamin production, nutrient absorption, signaling being hungry or full, and utilizing carbohydrates and fat. All of these processes factor mightily into whether or not we experience allergies, asthma, ADHD, cancer, diabetes, or dementia. The microbiome affects our mood, libido, metabolism, immunity, and even our perception of the world and the clarity of our thoughts. It helps determine whether we are fat or thin, energetic or lethargic. Put simply, everything about our health—how we feel both emotionally and physically—hinges on the state of our microbiome.”
When your mind chooses to care for your gut through nutrition, stress management, and sleep, it creates better physical conditions for itself to think clearly, focus, and lead well. Caring for your gut health is therefore another practical way of offering your body as a living sacrifice. It is one more way we steward the physical systems God gave us so our renewed mind can more freely direct our lives.
Practical Ways to Support Gut and Brain Health This Week
You don’t need to make dramatic changes. Small, consistent habits often produce the most sustainable results.
Increase plant diversity: Eat a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds throughout the week. Different plants feed different beneficial bacteria, which supports a healthier microbiome and helps reduce inflammation that can affect the brain.
Include fermented foods: Add foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, or kimchi several times per week. These can introduce beneficial bacteria that support both gut balance and brain health.
Reduce common irritants: For many people, lowering intake of ultra-processed foods and excess added sugar helps decrease gut inflammation that can contribute to brain fog and emotional dysregulation.
Protect sleep and manage stress: Poor sleep and chronic stress disrupt the microbiome and increase inflammation. Prioritizing consistent sleep and simple daily practices (such as slow breathing or short gratitude pauses) benefits both your gut and your mind.
A Quick Thought Biopsy
What resistance comes up when you consider giving more attention to your gut?
“This feels too complicated or scientific.”
“I already eat pretty healthy most of the time.”
“Gut health is trendy, but I’m not sure how much it really affects my thinking.”
“I don’t have the energy to change my diet right now.”
These thoughts are understandable, but the connection between your gut and your brain is well-supported by research. Going all-in on stewarding your gut health is not separate from caring for your mind. It is one practical way your renewed mind can create better conditions for clearer thinking, steadier emotions, and greater freedom to live with intention.
Self-brain surgeons realize that their whole body is under the influence of their minds, and that diligent practice can make everything better as we press into God’s plan for our flourishing.
This Week’s Simple Gut Health Protocol
Plant diversity: Include at least 5–6 different plant foods across your meals today.
Add fermented foods: Eat a serving of yogurt, kefir, or fermented vegetables most days this week.
Avoid or limit alcohol consumption: Alcohol disrupts the gut microbiome, damages the gut lining, and increases inflammation. Reducing or avoiding it helps protect both gut health and brain function.
Protect your sleep: Keep a consistent bedtime and wake time.
Daily stress reset: Spend 2–3 minutes once a day on slow breathing or a short gratitude pause.
Next week we're going back to our popular "Ten Years of Therapy in Five Minutes" series. But this week, focus on these gut-supporting steps and notice how they affect your energy, mood, and mental clarity.
With you in the hard and holy work of wholeness.
You can get the training you need to master self-brain surgery in my new book. You can go even deeper in The School of Self-Brain Surgery.
The good news is, you can start today.
Be sure to check out the archive of previous posts if you missed last week’s letter.
Dum spiro spero (While I breathe, I hope),
Lee
II Timothy 1:7, “For you were not given a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.”
From the banks of the North Platte river on Moon River Ranch in Nebraska, USA
Disclaimer: This letter is for informational purposes only. It contains general information, drawn from my experience, research, and best practices. It is not health care advice, and is not intended to replace the counsel of your health care provider. Consult your provider before starting any new treatments or making changes to your health routine. This message does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship between us.
