I always had this thing happening to me,

幾年前，

especially at family gatherings

我一直被某件事纏身，

like teas with aunts and uncles or something like this.

特別是在家庭聚會時，

When people come up to you,

比如和姑姑叔叔喝茶之類的場合。

and they ask you, "So, what are you doing?"

當人們走向你

And I would have this magical one-word reply,

並問道：「你做什麼工作？」

which would make everybody happy:

而我會以一個魔法般的詞來回應，

"Medicine.

總能讓每個人都開心滿意：

I'm going to be a doctor."

「醫學。

Very easy, that's it, everybody's happy and pleased.

我將會成為醫生。」

And it could be so easy,

非常簡單，就這樣， 大家都開心愉快。

but this effect really only lasts for 30 seconds with me,

雖然很容易，

because that's then the time when one of them would ask,

但這個效應對我來說 只會持續三十秒，

"So, in what area of medicine?

因為時間一到，就會有個人發問：

What specialty do you want to go into?"

「所以，是醫學的哪個領域？

And then I would have to strip down in all honesty and just say,

你想要專攻哪方面？」

"OK, so I'm fascinated with the colon.

接著，我就得很坦誠地說：

It all started with the anus,

「好的，我被結腸深深吸引。

and now it's basically the whole intestinal tract."

它是從肛門開始，

(Laughter)

基本上它就是整個腸道。」

And this would be the moment when the enthusiasm trickled,

（笑聲）

and it would maybe also get, like, awkwardly silent in the room,

就在這個時刻， 熱情就開始變得稀落了，

and I would think this was terribly sad,

也可能會在房間中出現尷尬的沉默，

because I do believe our bowels are quite charming.

我會覺得這非常讓人感傷，

(Laughter)

因為我真心覺得 我們的腸子相當迷人。

And while we're in a time where many people are thinking about

（笑聲）

what new superfood smoothie to make

雖然在這個時代，許多人會去想

or if gluten is maybe bad for them,

要做什麼冰沙超級食物 (superfood) ，

actually, hardly anyone seems to care about the organ where this happens,

或者麩質是否對身體有害，

the concrete anatomy and the mechanisms behind it.

但事實上，似乎很少有人會在乎 承擔這些活動的身體器官、

And sometimes it seems to me

具體的解剖學以及其背後的機制。

like we're all trying to figure out this magic trick,

有時，就我看來，

but nobody's checking out the magician,

就像我們都在試著看穿 這個魔術把戲，

just because he has, like,

卻沒有人去看魔術師，

an embarrassing hairstyle or something.

只因為他有著

And actually,

令人尷尬的髮型之類的。

there are reasons science disliked the gut for a long time;

其實，

I have to say this.

科學界長期以來 不喜歡腸道的原因很多，

So, it's complex.

我必須得這麼說。

There's a lot of surface area --

它很複雜。

about 40 times the area of our skin.

它有巨大的表面積，

Then, in such a tight pipe,

差不多是皮膚表面積的四十倍。

there are so many immune cells that are being trained there.

在這麼緊的管道中，

We have 100 trillion bacteria doing all sorts of things --

有非常多的免疫細胞在那裡受訓。

producing little molecules.

有一百兆個細菌在做各種事情，

Then there's about 20 different hormones,

產生小分子。

so we are on a very different level than our genitals, for example.

還有大約二十種不同的賀爾蒙，

And the nervous system of our gut is so complex

所以，例如和生殖器相比， 它又是很不一樣的層級。

that when we cut out a piece,

而腸子的神經系統非常複雜，

it's independent enough that when we poke it,

當我們切下一小片時，

it mumbles back at us, friendly.

它是獨立的，當我們戳它，

(Laughter)

它會很友善地咕噥回應我們。

But at least those reasons are also the reasons why it's so fascinating

（笑聲）

and important.

但至少，那些理由也是

It took me three steps to love the gut.

它為什麼如此迷人且重要的原因。

So today, I invite you to follow me on those three steps.

我花了三個步驟，來愛上腸子。

The very first was just looking at it

今天，我邀請各位跟著我 一起經歷這三個步驟。

and asking questions like, "How does it work?"

第一步，就是看著它，

and "Why does it have to look so weird for that sometimes?"

然後問像這樣的問題： 「它如何運作？」

And it actually wasn't me asking the first kind of these questions,

及「為什麼它得長得如此怪異？」

but my roommate.

其實並不是我自己 問前面第一種問題，

After one heavy night of partying,

而是我室友。

he came into our shared-room kitchen,

在一場宿醉的狂歡之夜後，

and he said, "Giulia, you study medicine. How does pooping work?"

他來到我們共用的廚房，

(Laughter)

他說：「茱莉亞，你讀的是醫學。 拉屎是怎麼運作的？」

And I did study medicine but I had no idea,

（笑聲）

so I had to go up to my room and look it up in different books.

我的確讀醫學，但我不知道答案，

And I found something interesting, I thought, at that time.

所以我回房查不同的書籍。

So it turns out, we don't only have this outer sphincter,

在那時我認為自己 發現了很有趣的東西。

we also have an inner sphincter muscle.

結果是，我們不只有這個外括約肌，

The outer sphincter we all know, we can control it,

我們還有內括約肌。

we know what's going on there;

我們都知道外括約肌， 我們可以控制它，

the inner one, we really don't.

我們知道那裡的狀況；

So what happens is,

內括約肌，我們就不了解了。

when there are leftovers from digestion,

是這樣的：

they're being delivered to the inner one first.

當消化之後還有殘餘物，

This inner one will open in a reflex

它們會先被運送到內括約肌。

and let through a little bit for testing.

內括約肌會反射性地打開，

(Laughter)

讓一點點殘餘物通過，做測試用。

So, there are sensory cells

（笑聲）

that will analyze what has been delivered: Is it gaseous or is it solid?

那裡有感覺細胞

And they will then send this information up to our brain,

分析被運送來的是氣體還是固體？

and this is the moment when our brain knows,

接著這資訊會被送到大腦，

"Oh, I have to go to the toilet."

這時，我們的大腦就會知道：

(Laughter)

「喔，我得去上廁所。」

The brain will then do what it's designed to do

（笑聲）

with its amazing consciousness.

頭腦接著就會用它不可思議的意識，

It will mediate with our surroundings,

著手做它該做的事。

and it will say something like,

它會在我們和環境之間調停，

"So, I checked.

說像這樣的話：

We are at this TEDx conference -- "

「我確認了。

(Laughter)

我們正在 TEDx 會議上──」

(Applause)

（笑聲）

Gaseous?

（掌聲）

Maybe, if you're sitting on the sides,

氣體？

and you know you can pull it off silently.

也許可以，如果你的座位是在邊沿，

(Laughter)

且你知道你可以安靜地釋放的話。

But solid --

（笑聲）

maybe later.

但固體──

(Laughter)

也許晚點吧。

Since our outer sphincter and the brain is connected with nervous cells,

（笑聲）

they coordinate, cooperate,

因為我們的外括約肌和頭腦 是通過神經細胞連結的，

and they put it back in a waiting line --

它們互相協調、合作，

(Laughter)

它們會把固體推回，讓其等候，

for other times,

（笑聲）

like, for example, when we're at home sitting on the couch,

在其他時間釋放，

we have nothing better to do,

比如，當我們在家 坐在沙發上的時候，

we are free to go.

我們沒別的事要做，

(Laughter)

我們就可以釋放了。

Us humans are actually one of the very few animals that do this

（笑聲）

in such an advanced and clean way.

沒有幾種動物能夠 如此進階且乾淨地排便，

To be honest, I had some newfound respect

而我們人類是其一。

for that nice, inner sphincter dude --

老實說，我對於這位 出色的內括約肌同志

not connected to nerves

又增添了新的敬意。

that care too much about the outer world or the time --

它沒有和神經連結──

just caring about me for once.

而神經太在乎外在世界或時間了──

I thought that was nice.

多麽難得，它獨獨關心我。

And I used to not be a great fan of public restrooms,

我覺得那樣很棒。

but now I can go anywhere,

我以前對公共廁所敬謝不敏，

because I consider it more

但我現在在哪都能解放，

when that inner muscle puts a suggestion on my daily agenda.

因為當內括約肌在我的 日議程中提出一條建議時，

(Laughter)

我會多多體貼它一下。

And also I learned something else, which was:

（笑聲）

looking closely at something I might have shied away from --

我也學到了其他的：

maybe the weirdest part of myself --

近看某樣我可能羞於面對的東西，

left me feeling more fearless,

也許是我身體最怪異的那部份，

and also appreciating myself more.

會讓我覺得更無懼，

And I think this happens a lot of times

也更懂得欣賞我自己。

when you look at the gut, actually.

我認為，這種情況其實常常會發生，

Like those funny rumbling noises that happen

就在你看著腸子的時候。

when you're in a group of friends

比如當你剛好在一群朋友之中時，

or at the office conference table,

它發出那好笑的咕嚕聲，

going, like, "Merrr, merrr..."

或是在辦公室的會議中，

This is not because we're hungry.

發出：「嚒嚒嚒…」

This is because our small intestine is actually a huge neat freak,

這並不是因為我們餓了。

and it takes the time in between digestion to clean everything up,

這是因為我們的小腸其實 是個很愛乾淨的怪胎，

resulting in those eight meters of gut -- really, seven of them --

它會在兩次消化之間的 空檔進行大掃除，

being very clean and hardly smelling like anything.

造成那八公尺的腸子── 其實是其中的七公尺──

It will, to achieve this, create a strong muscular wave

變得非常乾淨，幾乎沒有味道。

that moves everything forward that's been leftover after digestion.

為了做到這一點， 它會造成很強力的肌肉抖動，

This can sometimes create a sound,

把消化後的殘餘物通通向前推。

but doesn't necessarily have to always.

有時候就會產生聲音，

So what we're embarrassed of is really a sign

但不見得一定如此。

of something keeping our insides fine and tidy.

所以這讓我們感到尷尬的聲音， 其實是個徵兆，

Or this weird, crooked shape of our stomach --

表示有某樣東西在保持 我們內部的健康和清潔。

a bit Quasimodo-ish.

我們胃部這個怪異彎曲的形狀

This actually makes us be able to put pressure on our belly

有點「鐘樓怪人」的風範。

without vomiting,

這形式其實是讓我們 能夠對我們的腹部加壓，

like when we're laughing

且不會造成嘔吐，

and when we're doing sports,

比如當我們大笑、

because the pressure will go up and not so much sideways.

當我們做運動時，

This also creates this air bubble

能夠讓壓力向上，而不太會向旁邊。

that's usually always very visible in X-rays, for example,

這過程也會產生氣泡，

and can sometimes, with some people,

例如在 X 光下，可以看得很清楚，

when it gets too big,

有些人有些時候，

create discomfort or even some sensations of pain.

氣泡會太大，

But for most of the people, is just results

會造成不適，甚至有痛的感覺。

that it's far easier to burp when you're laying on your left side

但對大部份人來說，最終結果是，

instead of your right.

就是當你左側臥時， 會比右側臥更容易打嗝。

And soon I moved a bit further

不久後我更進一步，

and started to look at the whole picture of our body and health.

開始觀察我們的整個身體以及健康。

This was actually after I had heard

這其實是在我聽說

that someone I knew a little bit had killed himself.

某個我稍微認識的人自殺之後的事，

It happened that I had been sitting next to that person the day before,

剛好在前一天我曾坐在那個人旁邊，

and I smelled that he had very bad breath.

我聞到他有嚴重的口臭。

And when I learned of the suicide the next day,

當我知道他隔天自殺時，

I thought: Could the gut have something to do with it?

我心想：有沒有可能和腸子有關？

And I frantically started searching if there were scientific papers

我瘋狂地開始尋找是否存在

on the connection of gut and brain.

涉及腸子與頭腦間關聯的科學文獻。

And to my surprise, I found many.

讓我驚訝的是，我找到很多。

It turns out it's maybe not as simple as we sometimes think.

結果是，實情並非 我們想的那麼簡單。

We tend to think our brain makes these commands

我們通常認為大腦會下指令，

and then sends them down to the other organs,

把指令送到其他器官，

and they all have to listen.

它們都得聽命。

But really, it's more that 10 percent of the nerves that connect brain and gut

但實情比較像是 10% 連結大腦和腸子的神經

deliver information from the brain to the gut.

會把資訊從大腦傳到腸子。

We know this, for example, in stressful situations,

我們知道，比如在有壓力的狀態下，

when there are transmitters from the brain that are being sensed by our gut,

我們的腸子感知到了 來自大腦的神經遞質，

so the gut will try to lower all the work,

腸子就會減緩所有的工作，

and not be working and taking away blood and energy

不再工作，也不再 消耗太多血液和能量，

to save energy for problem-solving.

就能儲存能量來解決問題。

This can go as far as nervous vomiting or nervous diarrhea

這有可能呈現的形式包括 神經性嘔吐或神經性腹瀉，

to get rid of food that it then doesn't want to digest.

目的是要擺脫掉 它拒絶消化的食物。

Maybe more interestingly,

可能更有趣的是

90 percent of the nervous fibers that connect gut and brain

90% 連結腸子和大腦的神經纖維

deliver information from our gut to our brain.

會把資訊從我們的腸子傳送給大腦。

And when you think about it a little bit,

若你稍微想想，

it does make sense, because our brain is very isolated.

這的確合理，因為 我們的大腦是很孤立的。

It's in this bony skull surrounded by a thick skin,

它位於被厚皮膚包裹的頭骨之內，

and it needs information to put together a feeling

它需要資訊才能夠整合出

of "How am I, as a whole body, doing?"

「我的整個身體的狀況如何？」的感覺。

And the gut, actually, is possibly the most important advisor for the brain

而腸子實際上可能是大腦最重要的顧問，

because it's our largest sensory organ,

因為它是我們最大的感覺器官，

collecting information not only on the quality of our nutrients,

收集的資訊不只是 我們的營養品質好壞，

but really also on how are so many of our immune cells doing,

還包括我們這麼多 免疫細胞的狀況如何，

or things like the hormones in our blood that it can sense.

或像是它能感受到的 血液中賀爾蒙的情況。

And it can package this information, and send it up to the brain.

它能把這些資訊打包 之後送到大腦去。

It can, there, not reach areas like visual cortex or word formations --

而它不會到達大腦中像是 視覺皮質或是言語形成的區域，

otherwise, when we digest,

否則當我們消化時

we would see funny colors or we would make funny noises -- no.

可能會看到奇怪的顏色 或是發出奇怪的聲音。

But it can reach areas for things like morality,

而我們不會。

fear or emotional processing

但它會到達包括像是道德、

or areas for self-awareness.

恐懼、情緒處理，

So it does make sense

或是自我意識的區域。

that when our body and our brain are putting together this feeling

這確實合理，

of, "How am I, as a whole body, doing?"

當我們的身體和大腦在整合出

that the gut has something to contribute to this process.

「我整身的狀況如何」的感覺時，

And it also makes sense

腸子對於這個過程做出了一些貢獻。

that people who have conditions like irritable bowel syndrome

還有一點也是合理的，

or inflammatory bowel disease

人們如果患了像大腸激躁症

have a higher risk of having anxiety or depression.

或發炎性腸道疾病之類的，

I think this is good information to share,

他們得焦慮症或 憂鬱症的風險也比較高。

because many people will think,

我認為這個資訊值得分享，

"I have this gut thing, and maybe I also have this mental health thing."

因為許多人會認為：

And maybe -- because science is not clear on that right now --

「如果我的腸子有問題， 也許我的心理健康也有問題。」

it's really just that the brain is feeling sympathy with their gut.

也許──因為科學尚不瞭解這一點──

This has yet to grow in evidence until it can come to practice.

也許只是他們的大腦在同情腸子。

But just knowing about these kinds of research

這方面還需要證據才能夠走向實踐。

that's out there at the moment

但是僅僅知道這一類的研究，

helps me in my daily life.

它們正在某處進行著，

And it makes me think differently of my moods

就對我的日常生活很有幫助。

and not externalize so much all the time.

它讓我對我的心情有不同的看法，

I feel oftentimes during the day we are a brain and a screen,

不再把很多事情都歸為外因。

and we will tend to look for answers right there

我常常覺得，在白天我們就像是 一個大腦加上一塊螢幕，

and maybe the work is stupid or our neighbor --

我們往往會向外界尋找情緒的根源，

but really, moods can also come from within.

也許原因是愚蠢的工作或鄰里關係，

And just knowing this helped me,

但其實心情也可能是內在造成的。

for example, when I sometimes wake up too early,

光是知道這點，就對我有幫助，

and I start to worry and wander around with my thoughts.

比如，有時我太早醒來，

Then I think, "Stop. What did I eat yesterday?

我會開始擔心，並胡思亂想。

Did I stress myself out too much?

接著我會想：「停。我昨天吃了什麼？

Did I eat too late or something?"

我讓我自己太過焦慮嗎？

And then maybe get up and make myself a tea,

我太晚才吃東西嗎？」之類的。

something light to digest.

接著，也許就起床泡壺茶，

And as simple as that sounds,