We humans have known since time immemorial something… that our gut feeling is a huge driver of how we feel. It’s not just a metaphor; it’s biological reality that’s changing how we view health.
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Meaning
This quote is saying that our intuitive “gut feeling” isn’t just a psychological trick—it’s a real, physical dialogue between our brain and our digestive system that profoundly influences our emotions.
Explanation
Look, for years we’ve treated the gut as this simple processing plant. But what Enders is getting at, and what the science is now screaming, is that it’s more like a co-processor for your brain. It’s a second brain, in a way. It produces over 90% of your body’s serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter. So when you get that “pit” in your stomach during stress, or a “gut-wrenching” feeling, that’s not just in your head. It’s a literal, biochemical conversation. Your gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria living there—they’re sending signals up the vagus nerve, directly influencing your mood, your decisions, your overall mental state. It’s wild when you think about it. We’ve been using the language for centuries, but only now are we understanding the mechanics.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (translated from German) (39) |
| Category | Emotion (177) |
| Topics | intuition (17) |
| Literary Style | poetic (635) |
| Emotion / Mood | reflective (382) |
| Overall Quote Score | 44 (1) |
Origin & Factcheck
This comes directly from Giulia Enders’ 2014 bestselling book, Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ, originally published in German. You’ll sometimes see the sentiment, the idea, misattributed to older philosophers or even pop psychology gurus, but this specific phrasing and the scientific backing for it is firmly from Enders’ work.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Giulia Enders (41) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ (41) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Contemporary (1615) |
| Original Language | English (translated from German) (39) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Giulia Enders is a physician and author who makes gut science vivid and practical. She studied medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt and captivated audiences with award‑winning Science Slam talks before publishing Darm mit Charme, translated worldwide as Gut. She explains how the microbiome influences digestion, immunity, and mood, and offers realistic ways to care for it. Her approachable style, aided by illustrations from her sister Jill, has inspired millions to rethink everyday health. For her major titles and translations, see the Giulia Enders book list.
Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | We humans have known since time immemorial something that science is only now discovering: our gut feeling is responsible in no small measure for how we feel |
| Book Details | Publication Year: Revised edition ~2018; ISBN-13: 978-1771643764; ~293 pages |
| Where is it? | Approximate (from review anthology) — exact page not found |