Virtual Wellness Circles for Graduate and Professional Students: Session 5- Fostering Resilience Through the Gut-Brain Connection

Graduate and professional students experience numerous stressors throughout their degree programs. Intense research pressure, financial difficulties, uncertainty about the job market, relationships and family pressures are just a few examples. This is further compounded by the ongoing global COVID 19 pandemic. While stress is a normal part of life, exposure to elevated levels of stress can accumulate and result a buildup of allostatic load. Graduate students are particularly vulnerable to the adverse health effects that result from allostatic load build up. To reduce and manage high allostatic load, it is important to engage in activities that reduce stress and foster resilience. Please consider joining Shahnaz Khawaja, Assistant Director of Resilience and Recovery Strategies in the office of Student Wellness in a Virtual Wellness Circle.

 

Session 5- Fostering Resilience Through the Gut-Brain Connection

The gut is often called our 'second brain' (enteric nervous system or ENS) as there is a strong link between gut health and mood regulation. Our two brains 'talk' to each other and the ENS may trigger mood changes by sending signals to our central nervous system. Come and learn about how your gut health can impact your emotional wellness.

During this session, participants will

·         learn about the gut-brain connection and how the helpful bacteria in our gut impact health and wellness, including emotional wellness

·         factors that impact gut health

·         ways to improve gut microbiome to maximize health and wellness