Gratitude and the Gut: How a Thankful Heart Shapes a Healthy Microbiome

Each November, we’re reminded to pause for gratitude. But what if gratitude wasn’t just seasonal? What if it became something we practiced every morning—before we reached for our phones, before the first sip of coffee, before the rush of the day?

I sign every message “with gratitude” not because it sounds nice, but because it’s the foundation of my life’s journey. I am truly grateful—for the path that led me from business to microbiome science. For the questions our customers ask, which spark new insights. For my family, our community, and yes, for every challenge that shaped who I’ve become. And yes, I am even grateful for the difficult path that John and I walked together over his 22 years of Parkinson’s. I wouldn’t know many of you without having been on that journey. Gratitude has changed how I see my life and shaped my inner mental terrain and perhaps, more than we realize, it may also shape the terrain of our bodies, the microbes they come along on the journey with us.

The Gut–Brain Connection: Why What You Feel Matters

Our gut is more than a digestive organ, it’s a central part of our body’s communication network. It talks to the brain through a vast web of nerves, immune signals, and microbial metabolites. This two-way street, often called the gut-brain axis, means that what we feel can influence how our gut functions—and vice versa.

Chronic stress, for example, can disrupt digestion, compromise the gut lining, and shift the balance of bacteria toward a more inflammatory state. But the inverse is also true: calm, connected, and grateful states can support a more resilient and balanced gut.

The Emerging Science of Gratitude and Gut Health

While research on gratitude itself and the microbiome is still emerging, there’s growing evidence around mindfulness and meditation—practices that often include or lead to gratitude.

One study of Tibetan Buddhist monks found that long-term meditation was associated with a more diverse and resilient gut microbiome. The meditators had higher levels of beneficial genera like Faecalibacterium, known to produce anti-inflammatory compounds and support gut lining health. Other studies show that mindfulness practices can reduce markers of inflammation and improve microbial balance.

So while the direct science is still catching up, we’re starting to see a pattern: emotional and spiritual practices like gratitude, may influence the microbial ecosystems that support our health.

Source

Gratitude as “Vitamin G”

Health educator Ben Azadi calls gratitude “Vitamin G”—a daily nutrient for mental, metabolic, and emotional well-being. In one of his talks, he shares:

“What you appreciate, appreciates.”

When we start our day with three simple acknowledgments of gratitude—however small—we shift our nervous system into a more parasympathetic (rest-digest) state. This supports better digestion, calmer immunity, and a more balanced microbial environment. It’s one of the simplest, most profound health practices available—and it’s free.

You can watch one of Ben’s powerful messages on “Vitamin G” here:
Doctors HATE This Hack That Destroys Cortisol in 5 Minutes! – Ben Azadi

Wisdom from John O’Donohue: Gratitude as a Way of Seeing

Gratitude is not just a wellness practice—it is a way of seeing. The Irish poet and theologian John O’Donohue, whose work has profoundly shaped my thinking, described gratitude as “a transformative force that unlocks the fullness of life.”

He wrote that gratitude turns what we have into enough and more, makes a stranger into a friend, and brings clarity in the midst of confusion. It transforms chaos into order, denial into acceptance, and isolation into belonging. In his poem On Waking, he offers thanks for the simplest things: the new dawn, the gift of sight, the comfort of feeling at home in the world, and the quiet possibilities each day holds.

“May I live this day / Compassionate of heart, / Clear in word, / Gracious in awareness, / Courageous in thought, / Generous in love.”
— John O’Donohue, On Waking

This is the heart of a gratitude practice. Not just a reflection but a way of shaping our inner world.

Daily Gratitude for Gut Health: A Simple Practice

Here’s how you can begin integrating gratitude into your gut-health routine:

• Morning Reflection: Before your feet touch the floor, name three things you’re grateful for. This primes your mind and your gut for balance.
• Meal-Time Pause: Take a breath and reflect on the food before you. Gratitude before meals helps activate digestion and honors the microbes doing their work.
• Evening Gratitude: Reflect on one lesson from the day, one moment of joy, and one person you’re thankful for. Let your microbiome rest in that calm signal overnight.

Supporting Emotional Resilience Through the Gut

Our probiotic blend Perfect Peace® was designed with this gut-brain connection in mind. It includes strains like Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium longum, known to support GABA production and help regulate stress responses. These microbes don’t just live in the gut—they communicate with the nervous system, helping us feel steady, clear, and more emotionally resilient.

Gratitude and targeted microbiome support can work together to restore a balanced internal terrain—physically, emotionally, and even spiritually.

In Closing: Gratitude as Terrain Medicine

Gratitude isn’t just a feeling. It’s a signal. A practice. A form of internal nourishment. It reshapes how we show up—for ourselves, our relationships, and even our microbiome.

This month, let’s begin with November. But let’s carry it forward as a daily dose of Vitamin G. A morning ritual. A quiet pause. A gentle acknowledgment that life, in all its mystery, is something to be grateful for.

With gratitude,
Martha