Why the microbiome--our rich inner ecosystem of microorganisms--may hold the keys to human health. We are at the dawn of a new scientific revolution. Our understanding of how to treat and prevent diseases has been transformed by knowledge of the microbiome--the rich ecosystem of microorganisms that is in and on every human. These microbial hitchhikers may hold the keys to human health. In Gut Feelings, Alessio Fasano and Susie Flaherty show why we must go beyond the older, myopic view of microorganisms as our enemies to a broader understanding of the microbiome as a parallel civilization that we need to understand, respect, and engage with for the benefit of our own health.

Why is split second decision-making superior to deliberation? Gut Feelings delivers the science behind Malcolm Gladwell's Blink. Reflection and reason are overrated, according to renowned psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer. Much better qualified to help us make decisions is the cognitive, emotional, and social repertoire we call intuition, a suite of gut feelings that have evolved over the millennia specifically for making decisions. Gladwell drew heavily on Gigerenzer's research. But Gigerenzer goes a step further by explaining just why our gut instincts are so often right. Intuition, it seems, is not some sort of mystical chemical reaction but a neurologically based behavior that evolved to ensure that we humans respond quickly when faced with a dilemma (BusinessWeek).

This book is written for patients and their doctors by an internationally acclaimed gastroenterologist and patient advocate. It contains up-to-date knowledge on the science, diagnosis, and treatment of all the Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (formerly called Functional GI Disorders) and offers techniques to maximize the patient- doctor relationship.

“An inspiring account of the enormous power that diet has to change the trajectory of our health.” —Erica D. Sonnenburg, senior research scientist, Stanford University School of Medicine We all know sugar is bad for us, so why can’t we stop eating it? A Gut Feeling gives a personal and scientific look into the world of microbes that live within our bodies and how they can explain our relationship to and cravings for certain foods. The microbiome is emerging as the answer to many of our most sought after questions. Using her own story and the science currently available, Heather Wise provides a window into the latest research on the vast world of microbes in our bodies. She explains in simple terms how what we eat can change the expression of our genes and how this symbiotic relationship between microbes and human cells can determine our health. A Gut Feeling offers practical steps to rebalancing and healing our gut microbiome to relieve stress, digestive upsets, inflammation, bloat, excess belly fat, and improve mood. Wise offers a needed alternative to the complex world of fad diets and calorie counting in this easy, evidence-based guide for wellbeing. Rooted in scientific research and providing a number of healthy sweet fixes high in prebiotic and probiotic foods that support the growth of healthy gut flora, this book is a practical guide to help heal our relationship with food and tune into what our gut has been trying to tell us. “Wise connects [the research] to real-life examples and ends each chapter with a short list of ‘Takeaways,’ which reinforce key concepts.” ―Booklist

Think less � and know more. A sportsman can catch a ball without calculating its speed or distance. A group of amateurs beat the experts at playing the stock market. A man falls for the right woman even though she�s �wrong� on paper. All these people succeeded by trusting their instincts � but how does it work? In Gut Feelings psychologist and behavioural expert Gerd Gigerenzer reveals the secrets of fast and effective decision-making. He explains that, in an uncertain world, sometimes we have to ignore too much information and rely on our brain�s �short cut�, or heuristic. By explaining how intuition works and analyzing the techniques that people use to make good decisions � whether it�s in personnel selection or heart surgery � Gigerenzer will show you why gut thinking can change your world.

Gut Reactions is an interdisciplinary defense of the claim that emotions are perceptions in a double sense. First of all, they are perceptions of changes in the body, but, through the body, they also allow us to literally perceive danger, loss, and other matters of concern. This proposal, which Prinz calls the embodied appraisal theory, reconciles the long standing debate between those who say emotions are cognitive and those who say they are noncognitive. The basic idea behind embodied appraisals is captured in the familiar notion of a "gut reaction," which has been overlooked by much emotion research. Prinz also addresses emotional valence, emotional consciousness, and the debate between evolutionary psychologists and social constructionists.

This book considers the historical and cultural origins of the gut-brain relationship now evidenced in numerous scientific research fields. Bringing together eleven scholars with wide interdisciplinary expertise, the volume examines literal and metaphorical digestion in different spheres of nineteenth-century life. Digestive health is examined in three sections in relation to science, politics and literature during the period, focusing on Northern America, Europe and Australia. Using diverse methodologies, the essays demonstrate that the long nineteenth century was an important moment in the Western understanding and perception of the gastroenterological system and its relation to the mind in the sense of cognition, mental wellbeing, and the emotions. This collection explores how medical breakthroughs are often historically preceded by intuitive models imagined throughout a range of cultural productions.