Every one of us has experienced that “gut feeling” — an instinctual physical reaction that signals something may or may not be right.

Our gut — or digestive system — often sends our mind a message. This reaction stems from the powerful connection between our gut and brain, linked by the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in our emotional and physical responses.

Interestingly, the gut is home to the second-highest number of neural cells outside the central nervous system, making it essential in regulating our moods, thoughts, and overall well-being. Growing recognition of this gut-brain connection is leading researchers to explore how diet might impact both digestive health and mental well-being.

The farmer-founded National Dairy Council (NDC) has long researched the impact of dairy foods on gut health related to digestion and immunity. And now we’re exploring how dairy foods and ingredients might influence the gut-brain interaction and play a role in supporting mood, reducing anxiety, and enhancing focus.

This is yet another way the dairy checkoff is meeting the consumers’ growing desire to adopt a “food as medicine” approach to improve their overall health.

To further investigate this, NDC issued a call for proposals to more than 1,000 researchers, including those at universities and leading research organizations to be considered for independent, peer-reviewed research on this topic. The response has been overwhelming, with researchers eager to contribute to this exciting area of study.

Additionally, the NDC Nutrition Research team is visiting with universities and research facilities across the U.S. to identify potential partners on this topic. The goal is to integrate the research findings into our 2026-28 strategic plan.

We’ve already supported research laying the foundation for these findings with a paper titled “Dietary eating patterns, dairy consumption, and anxiety: A systematic literature review.” This paper found a potential link between dietary habits, especially the consumption of dairy foods, and lower risk of anxiety.

It’s just the beginning, and as a dairy nutrition scientist I’m excited to build upon these early findings to discover one more way dairy foods might help support a healthy mind and body.

To learn more about your national dairy checkoff, visit www.dairycheckoff.com, or to reach us directly, send an email.