Episode Details

After gallbladder surgery, a breakfast of chocolate cake and Coca-Cola triggers more than just bloating. It triggers spelling errors, lost trains of thought, and a cognitive fog that feels impossible to shake. In this episode, we trace what's actually happening neurologically when your stomach distends and your brain seems to short-circuit. We explore interoceptive interference, the vagus nerve's role in hijacking executive function, why ADHD brains may amplify gut distress signals, and whether mental techniques can break the self-reinforcing loop between bloating and cognitive decline.