Mouth to Stomach
This is where digestion begins.
Answer: What is the mouth?
Saliva contains enzymes that start breaking down food immediately.
This nerve connects your brain and digestive system.
Answer: What is the vagus nerve?
It sends signals both directions.
When you skip meals and feel irritable, this slang term describes it.
Answer: What is hangry?
Blood sugar affects mood.
Myth or Fact: Digestion only happens in your stomach.
Answer: What is myth?
Most absorption happens in the small intestine.
This everyday habit can reduce anxiety symptoms, prevent headaches, improve focus, and support digestion — yet many teens don’t do enough of it.
Anxiety: What is drinking water (hydration)?
Dehydration can mimic panic symptoms: dizziness, rapid heart rate, headache, fatigue. Sometimes regulation starts with water.
This tube moves food from your mouth to your stomach using muscle contractions.
Answer: What is the esophagus?
Those wave-like movements are called peristalsis.
About 90% of this mood chemical is made in your gut.
Answer: What is serotonin?
SSRIs can cause GI side effects at first.
This nutrient helps stabilize mood and prevent crashes.
Answer: What is protein?
Protein slows glucose spikes.
Myth or Fact: Stress can cause diarrhea.
Answer: What is fact?
Stress speeds up gut movement.
This mental health condition can increase emotional eating.
Answer: What is depression?
This acid in your stomach helps break down food and kill bacteria.
Answer: What is stomach acid (hydrochloric acid)?
Stress increases stomach acid production.
When you’re anxious and feel butterflies, this system is activated.
Answer: What is the fight-or-flight (sympathetic nervous system)?
Digestion slows during stress.
Drinking too much of this can increase anxiety and stomach acid.
Answer: What is caffeine?
Energy drinks = double hit (anxiety + GI upset).
Myth or Fact: Skipping breakfast improves focus.
Answer: What is myth?
Brain needs glucose to function.
This coping skill can calm both your stomach and brain.
Answer: What is deep breathing?
Activates parasympathetic system.
This muscle keeps stomach contents from coming back up.
Answer: What is the lower esophageal sphincter?
Anxiety + caffeine can worsen reflux.
This is why you might feel nauseous before a big test.
Answer: What is stress shutting down digestion?
Body thinks survival > digestion.
Dehydration can mimic this mental health symptom.
Answer: What is panic/anxiety?
Dizziness + fast heart rate ≠ always panic.
Myth or Fact: Your gut and brain communicate constantly.
Answer: What is fact?
Bidirectional communication.
This body system is known as “rest and digest.”
Answer: What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
Digestion can take this many hours from start to finish.
Answer: What is 24–72 hours?
Yesterday’s eating can affect today’s mood.
Chronic anxiety is commonly linked with this GI condition.
Answer: What is IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)?
Mental health and gut health overlap a lot.
Eating too quickly can cause this uncomfortable feeling.
Answer: What is bloating or stomach pain?
Slow eating helps nervous system regulation.
Myth or Fact: Mood problems are always “just in your head.”
Answer: What is myth?
Teaching Point: Sleep, food, hydration all affect mood.
When this system is activated, your heart rate increases, digestion slows down, and your body prepares to deal with danger.
Answer: What is the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight)?
When we live in chronic stress, digestion is constantly disrupted. That’s why managing stress improves both mood and stomach issues.