Our bodies have two brains. There’s the one we all know about and a second one – in our guts.

Both of these brains begin to form almost from the moment an egg is fertilised and develop from the same clump of tissue.

        As this embryonic tissue divides during fetal development, one section evolves into the central nervous system, another into the enteric nervous system. Later these two nervous systems connect via the vagus nerve – the longest of all the cranial nerves. The vagus nerve stretches from the brain stem through the neck and finally ends up in the abdomen providing continuous two-way line of communication between the gut and the brain.

        In the last decade or so scientists have discovered that each brain influences the other and imbalance in one can mean imbalance in the other.

        In his ground breaking book The Second Brain, Dr. Michael Gershon, a professor of anatomy and cell biology at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, says:

“The brain is not the only place in the body that’s full of neurotransmitters,” he says. “A hundred million neurotransmitters line the length of the gut, approximately the same number that is found in the brain…”

        I woke up this morning asking myself: “What’s up? What are the fresh challenges for a guy my age?” I clicked on the TV not really to watch the Kris TV show, but to check on the day and date to get my bearings.

        My day Tuesday is relatively open. So, I decided to write a blog about my favorite topic, healthy aging.

        I was figuring out the most appropriate title for the piece. Staying fit, comes to mind. Staying sane, may be better. Keeping it up sounds appropriate, but I decided against it as it has very specific inappropriate connotations.

        I decided to use “Keeping Pace” as the most apt term for my concern of the moment.

        I have always wanted to be in control of my environment – to act at a comfortable pace - my pace. Lately, I get stressed trying to keep in step with events in my life. The usual advice is to take it easy – take deep breaths and live longer.

        And this I find ironic, frustrating, because modern living is so fast paced and unsavory events seem to be overpowering us if we do nothing. Taking it easy will mean stagnation falling back. If one relaxes too much it is like just waiting for your caregiver (mortician?) to take you away!  I still find difficulty in just taking deep breaths and praying.

        There is so much evil being discovered threatening our nation. At no time in our history from the reign of insulares and peninsulares, have we discovered so many things, why our galloping population remains dirt poor despite PNoy’s impressive economic gains. PATRONAGE POLITICS, POLITICAL DYNASTIES, permeating greed has been taking advantage of our democratic political system. So many logical counter moves are presenting themselves waiting for the right people to act decisively.

        Years ago, one smart man saw this and on the pretense of correcting the defective system, took advantage and wrought havoc on the country for over 20 years relegating the Philippines as the “sick man of Asia”.

        The Former Senior Government Officials have expressed their findings. The greedy sector is fighting back trying to maintain its nefarious dominance.

        But my faculties say: Take it easy – relax. I guess I’m already too old.

        “The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   But I have promises to keep,   And miles to go before I sleep,   And miles to go before I sleep.”