The wisdom of Donguibogam is quite remarkable, recognizing hundreds of years ago that the mind can make the body sick. Modern medicine scientifically explains how stress directly torments our stomach through a tight connection called the gut-brain axis. Our brain and stomach do not share a simple relationship; they constantly exchange signals through a neural network directly linked like a highway.
When stressed, the brain perceives an emergency and activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Once this axis operates, the stress hormone cortisol is heavily secreted, and simultaneously the sympathetic nervous system is activated, triggering a fight-or-flight response. When this happens, our body's energy and blood flow concentrate on muscles, the heart, and other areas critical for survival, while the blood flow volume heading to the digestive organs decreases relatively. When blood flow decreases, the stomach cells' regenerative capacity and mucus secretion ability decline. The stomach naturally creates a thick mucus layer to protect itself from strongly acidic gastric juice, but under stress, this defensive barrier weakens. Moreover, when the sympathetic nerve is heightened, gastric acid secretion can also become abnormally high. With the defensive barrier weakened and the attacking factors increased, an environment ripe for wounding the stomach wall is created. This is why symptoms such as heartburn, bloating, and pain appear.
Furthermore, numerous neurons and neurotransmitters exist in our gut, enough for it to be called a second brain. Over 90% of serotonin, known as the happiness hormone, is produced in the gut. Stress disrupts the balance of these neurotransmitters and affects intestinal motility as well. Peristalsis can become too fast or too slow, leading to dyspepsia, diarrhea, or constipation. It can also cause visceral hypersensitivity, heightening gut sensitivity so that even minor stimuli easily provoke pain.
According to recent studies, stress also adversely affects the gut microbial environment, the microbiome. As beneficial bacteria decrease and harmful bacteria increase, intestinal barrier permeability increases, which can trigger inflammatory responses. These changes work collectively to manifest as the diagnosis we know as nervous gastritis. In the end, the teaching from Donguibogam that damage from the seven emotions primarily harms the spleen and stomach is fully substantiated by modern science. Rather than dismissing your stomach's signals as simple indigestion, take it as an opportunity to look after the state of your mind and body.
