Mona SharmaCelebrity nutritionist and wellness advocate

Unlock Gut Brain Axis | Secret Vagus Nerve Power for Health

19 Nov 2025 · 1 min

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In this segment, Mona Sharma describes the vagus nerve as a massive bidirectional communication system linking the gut microbiome, heart, and brain. She explains that the gut houses an enteric nervous system with over 500 million neurons that send signals through the vagus nerve upward to the heart’s central hub and then to the brain. While the common phrase is “gut‑brain axis,” Sharma emphasizes a broader “gut‑heart‑brain axis,” noting that the heart interprets these signals to assess safety or danger—e.g., signaling good digestion when nutrients are absorbed versus warning of a problematic food that can’t be digested.

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Yeah. So there's an incredible communication system within the body called the vagus nerve, bidirectional communication that moves from the neurons in our gut microbiome. So what is it like? Over 500 million neurons called our enteric nervous system that resides in our gut, that communicates through our vagus nerve, up through our heart center to our brain. We often talk about gut brain access, but there's a gut heart brain access, and the heart takes in the signaling, whether that is safety. Within the gut microbiome, things are functioning really well. Digestion is great. We're able to absorb all of our nutrients or a sign of danger. I can't digest this food.