6 in 10 women drained by a faulty internal communication system

Breaking science has revealed that both mental and physical health are dependent on the gutbrain axis—a pathway that enables the brain and the “second brain” (a network of neurons in the gut) to communicate. The two “brains” send neurotransmitters and hormones back and forth along the gut-brain axis, but when this pathway is hindered, metabolism, immunity and mood all suffer.

“Dysfunction of the gut-brain axis is common, affecting about 60 percent of women I see,” says Sara Gottfried, M.D., author of Younger. “But most doctors miss it.” The cause of dysfunction: Stress and sugary carbs allow bad bacteria and yeast to thrive in the gut, creating inflammation that disrupts signaling along the gut-brain axis.

There’s no gold-standard test to assess the function of the gut-brain axis, but Emeran Mayer, M.D., author of

The Mind-Gut Connection, notes that if you have persistent bloat, fatigue, food sensitivities or yeast overgrowth, you likely suffer from some level of gut-brain axis dysfunction. What can help:

Breathe out stress. A University of South Carolina study shows daily deep breathing cuts the stress and inflammation that disrupt the gut-brain axis in half. To do: Breathe in slowly through your nose, letting your belly expand, then exhale through your mouth. Repeat 10 times whenever stress strikes.

Season with garlic. Just one clove (2 tsp. chopped or 1 tsp. minced) daily kills yeast and delivers probiotics to help heal the gut. The key: Each clove must be crushed and left to sit for 10 minutes before being heated, mixed with an acid (like lemon juice) or eaten. Also: Fill up on fruit, veggies, wild-caught seafood, grass-fed meat and fermented foods (like yogurt) to further heal the gut and cut inflammation.