The Gut–Brain Connection Fix That Changed Everything for Our Family
- Renee Zilm
- Jun 26
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 26
“Approximately 90–95% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut, where it plays a critical role in gastrointestinal function and is also involved in modulating mood and behaviour.”
— Gershon, M. D. (1998). The Second Brain
Wild, right?
We’re only just beginning to understand the huge role gut health plays in a child’s mood, learning, and even behaviour. But at The GET Co., we’ve been watching it unfold in real-time for years—in our own family, and now in the work we bring to other children.
Let me explain.
Ancient Wisdom We’re Just Catching Up To
Long before neuroscience, microbiomes, and probiotic smoothies were a thing, Hippocrates—yep, the OG “Father of Medicine”—said:
“All disease begins in the gut.”
Turns out, he was onto something.
Hippocrates also said,
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
And honestly, if he had a podcast today, I’d be first in line to subscribe.
These ideas aren’t just quaint or philosophical—they’re foundational.
We’re now seeing just how much the gut influences our immune system, mood, energy, and emotional regulation. And for kids who are already navigating challenges like sensory overload, emotional dysregulation, or neurodivergence… this matters even more.
Our Story: From Survival Mode to Empowered Nutrition
Our journey started when our son Harvey was diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). One of the first things we had to come to terms with was how this condition affects hunger and metabolism.
You see, individuals with PWS experience a chronic feeling of hunger and have very low muscle tone, which means their bodies burn fewer calories—and they often don’t feel full in the way most of us do. Without strict food management, there’s a real risk of life-threatening overeating and severe weight gain.
From day one, food had to be approached with intention, structure, and care—not just to support Harvey’s physical health, but to help regulate his mood, energy, and emotional state too. That experience sparked our deep dive into the gut–brain connection, and how foundational it is for wellbeing.
When Harvey was just two years old, we began working with the wonderful Elyse from Well Belly Health, a gut health specialist who has been guiding our family ever since. With her support, we restructured our food environment, introduced natural supports, and became more conscious about how we nourish not just our bodies—but our minds, too.
Years later, as our family grew, the gut–brain connection became even more evident. Our eldest son was diagnosed with ADHD, and our youngest—who we now suspect may be on the spectrum, has always shown signs of anxiety, clear sensitivities to food and routine. And the patterns were hard to ignore.
During times like school holidays, when healthy routines slipped and more processed foods crept in, we’d see emotional outbursts, poor sleep, difficulty focusing, and a general increase in dysregulation. But once we returned to more gut-friendly, wholefood meals, the difference was like flipping a switch.
Turns out, science backs what we were living through. The gut microbiome can change in as little as 24–48 hours when diet shifts—especially when fibre is reduced and processed foods increase. These shifts can trigger inflammation and disrupt neurotransmitter production, including serotonin—over 90% of which is made in the gut (Gershon, 1998; Cryan et al., 2019; Monash University, 2023).
In children with neurodevelopmental differences like ADHD and autism, those changes can show up fast—and loud.
Over the years, we’ve seen it play out again and again, how the foods we eat influence how we feel, think, sleep, and connect. For Harvey, for our eldest with ADHD, and now with our youngest, the signs are unmistakable. When we support the gut with consistency and care, we see calmer days, clearer focus, fewer emotional outbursts, and more connection in our home.
The gut–brain connection isn’t just something I’ve read about—it’s something we live. And it continues to shape the way we show up, support our children, and build The GET Co. to help other families do the same.
So Why Does The GET Co. Start With the Belly?
Because it works.
At The GET Co., we combine yoga therapy, lived experience, and science-backed tools to create a whole-child approach to wellbeing. And the gut is our starting point—because it’s the foundation for so much more.
When we support a child’s digestive system through purposeful movement, calming breathwork, and targeted emotional tools, we’re doing far more than helping their tummy feel better—we’re setting the stage for whole-body wellbeing. Emotional regulation improves as we gently activate the vagus nerve and balance the meridians linked to digestion (like the Spleen and Large Intestine), helping kids feel safer and more at ease in their bodies.
Sleep often becomes more restful as the nervous system shifts out of fight-or-flight and into “rest and digest” mode. By encouraging parasympathetic activation through belly breathing and relaxation-based movement, we reduce anxiety and help children process overwhelm from the inside out. Focus, attention, and learning capacity grow stronger when the gut-brain connection is nurtured—because when the belly is calm, the brain can function more clearly.
Confidence and connection also flourish, especially when emotional processing tools like visualisation, affirmations, and meridian tapping are added in. And finally, immune health gets a boost too, since over 70% of immune function lives in the gut. So yes—it starts in the belly. But it radiates everywhere.
Meridian Magic: Earth & Metal, Meet Your Emotions
To break down how we treat the gut we must first understand Meridian Magic. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), different organs connect to emotional patterns via energy pathways called meridians. And when it comes to digestion, two elements matter most:
Earth (Stomach + Spleen):
Think emotional nourishment, grounding, security. When out of balance, you might see clinginess, over-worrying, or feeling “not enough.”
Metal (Large Intestine + Lungs): Linked to letting go—of toxins, stress, thoughts, even grief. When blocked, kids might struggle to let go emotionally or feel stuck, disconnected, or rigid.
In our classes, we use movement and breath to stimulate and balance these meridians. Things like:
Abdominal twists and gentle core work
Do-In tapping along the meridian lines
Squats and grounding poses
Breath practices that gently prompt release like: “Inhale calm… exhale, let go.”
Science Backs It Up, Too
Modern research has a name for this powerful relationship between our bellies and our brains: the gut–brain axis. And the science is clear—when the gut is out of balance, it doesn’t just affect digestion. It can impact mood, behaviour, immunity, and how well a child copes with everyday stress.
Studies have shown that children with an imbalanced gut microbiome (that’s the community of bacteria living in the digestive tract) are more likely to experience challenges like anxiety, depression, and mood swings. There’s also a growing body of evidence linking gut health to neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD and autism spectrum disorders (Cryan et al., 2019). Other common symptoms can include fatigue, brain fog, difficulty regulating emotions, and frequent illness due to inflammation or weakened immune responses.
The link between gut health and behaviour is so significant that researchers are exploring how gut bacteria may actually influence the brain through chemical signalling. This isn’t fringe science—it’s emerging as a key player in paediatric mental health.
But here’s the good news: we can support the gut–brain axis in simple, natural ways.
Things like movement, calming breathwork, and mindfulness practices have been shown to improve gut motility (how well things move through the digestive system), increase microbial diversity (the good bugs we want more of!), and stimulate the vagus nerve—a major communication pathway between the gut and brain that plays a big role in emotional regulation and feeling safe in our body (Breit et al., 2018).
In fact, yoga has been studied as a therapeutic tool for children with digestive issues—and the results were incredible. One study found that a yoga program significantly reduced IBS symptoms and stress in adolescents while improving overall quality of life (Kuttner et al., 2006).
This is exactly why yoga therapy is so powerful. It’s not just about stretching—it’s about giving your child’s nervous system and digestive system a chance to work together. Think of it like a team hug for their body and brain.
And while movement and breath are key, we also can’t forget what we’re feeding that gut in the first place.
As parents, when we hear “healthy lunchbox,” it’s easy to go straight to overwhelm—I don’t have time, they won’t eat it anyway, it’s easier to just pack what I know they’ll like. Trust me, I’ve been there. But the truth is, what our kids eat directly fuels their brain. Real food—foods rich in fibre, healthy fats, protein, and natural probiotics—gives their body what it needs to learn, focus, regulate emotions, and feel good in their skin.
I’ve seen firsthand—through our own family’s journey—just how transformational a gut-supportive diet can be. When the gut begins to heal and thrive, it’s like watching the lights come back on. Mood shifts. Energy lifts. Emotions soften. It truly feels like magic happening from the inside out.
It doesn’t have to be Insta-worthy or time-consuming. Even small swaps—like reducing sugar, including wholefoods, or adding in a fermented yoghurt—can make a real difference. It’s not about perfection, it’s about awareness. And when we combine good food with movement and breath, we’re helping our kids feel invincible from the inside out.
Here’s How We Do It at The GET Co.
At The GET Co., every session is thoughtfully crafted to support the whole child—and gut health plays a key role in that. We use specific yoga movements designed to gently activate the digestive system. Poses like twists, gentle core work, and plough pose help support elimination, gut motility, and abdominal strength in a way that’s safe, fun, and therapeutic.
We also incorporate calming breathwork to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and regulate digestion. Belly breathing, box breathing, counting the breath, and guided “let go” exhales are all part of how we help children access calm and settle their nervous system—right from their core.
A big part of our approach also draws on Traditional Chinese Medicine and the meridian system. Through gentle Do-In tapping, movement sequences aligned with the Spleen and Large Intestine meridians, and visualisation practices, we help children activate energy pathways linked to emotional processing and gut health. It’s movement with meaning—and they feel the difference.
To support emotional wellbeing, we layer in simple but powerful mind-body tools. Children are guided through reflective journaling (like writing about what they’d like to let go of), visual metaphors (such as imagining worries floating away on leaves), and meditations that build clarity, calm, and self-trust.
This isn’t about diets, rules, or fear. It’s about helping children understand their bodies, tune into what they feel, and feel safe and empowered from the inside out—starting with their belly.
From the Inside Out
Whether your child is neurodivergent, sensory-sensitive, dealing with gut issues, or simply navigating the emotional rollercoaster of growing up—this work matters.
At The GET Co., we don’t just stretch and breathe for fun. (Though we do have fun.)
We stretch and breathe with purpose. With science. With lived experience. With hope.
Because when we support children from the inside out—starting with the belly—we help them build a life that feels good to live in.
And that, my friend, is why we start with the gut.
💛
Renee
Founder | The GET Co.
References
Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018).
Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain–gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders.
Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 44.
Cryan, J. F., O’Riordan, K. J., Cowan, C. S., Sandhu, K. V., Bastiaanssen, T. F., Boehme, M., ... & Dinan, T. G. (2019).
The microbiota-gut-brain axis.
Physiological Reviews, 99(4), 1877–2013.
Gershon, M. D. (1998).
The Second Brain: A Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine. New York: HarperCollins.
Kuttner, L., Chambers, C. T., Hardial, J., Israel, D. M., Jacobson, K., & Evans, K. (2006).
A randomized trial of yoga for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome.
Pain Research & Management, 11(4), 217–223.
Monash University. (2023)
Could food be shaping our gut? The link between diet and the gut microbiome.
Harvard Health Publishing. (2018).
Gut feelings: How food affects your mood.
Whole Essentials Nutrition. (2024). How Gut Health Impacts Children’s Behavior.
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