How Stress Sabotages Your Digestion

In today's fast-paced world, stress has become synonymous with work and life in general—it's become harder and harder to identify when our bodies are under stress.

Stress can have a significant impact on our overall well-being and can especially unknowingly wreck our digestion. In this post, we will explore the relationship between the stress response and digestion, and what you can do to manage it. And if you haven't grabbed your free 10 Ways to Repair Your Gut for Belly Bliss guide with 10 tips and a free gut-healing recipe yet, download it now!

Understanding the Stress & Digestion Connection

The stress response, often referred to as the "fight-or-flight" response, is a mechanism designed to help us survive in threatening situations. When we encounter stressors, whether physical, emotional, or mental, our bodies release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

These hormones initiate a cascade of physiological changes, preparing us to face or flee from the perceived threat. In this response, our bodies turn off non-vital systems, like our digestion, because we wouldn't need to digest food if we are running away from a tiger!

An important note is that our bodies cannot distinguish the difference between running away from a tiger or threat and stress at work, like having a difficult conversation or feeling pressure from a deadline.

Our nervous system's job is to produce symptoms, like bloating, constipation, indigestion, acne, weight gain/loss, and fatigue, as warning signs to tell us that something is out of balance. Take a look at the graphic below and see if you identify with these stress triggers.

The Gut-Brain Axis

The gut-brain axis is a system that connects our brain with our gastrointestinal tract. The brain and gut constantly communicate through neural pathways, hormones, and chemical messengers bidirectionally. This means that the brain sends messages to the gut and visa versa. This connection plays a crucial role in maintaining not only brain health but also digestive health.

Impact of Stress on Digestion

We know that stress "turns off" digestion, but what does that actually look like. Let's take a look at how stress affects how our digestive system functions.

1. Decreases blood flow: During the stress response, blood flow is redirected away from the digestive system and towards vital organs and muscles, which can lead to reduced digestive function and nutrient absorption.
   

2. Alters digestive secretions: Chronic stress can disrupt the balance of digestive secretions, including stomach acid and enzymes. This imbalance can impair the breakdown of food and nutrient absorption, potentially leading to nutrient deficiencies. It also leads to bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea. This is why you may often hear people describe a bloated stomach as a "stress belly".
   

3. Creates imbalance in gut microbiota: Stress can influence the composition and diversity of our gut microbiota. Our digestive health relies a lot on the balance of good and bad bacteria in our gut. An imbalance in gut bacteria has been linked to various digestive disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO).
   

4. Increases intestinal permeability: Prolonged stress can harm the integrity of our intestinal barrier, or gut lining. This can allow undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria into our bloodstream, triggering inflammation and digestive symptoms. This permeability of the gut lining is a condition known as "leaky gut".

Strategies for Managing Stress for Optimizing Digestion:

Just because stressors are the way of life, there are things that we can do to help manage stress so that we can suppress these digestive symptoms.

1. Use stress reduction techniques: Incorporate stress reduction techniques into your daily routine, such as mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, emotional freedom technique (EFT), yoga, and/or engaging in hobbies you enjoy. These practices can help activate the body's relaxation response and counteract the negative effects of stress on digestion.
   

2. Balance your diet: Maintain a well-rounded diet that includes whole foods, plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Focusing on these foods can help you build a strong and healthy gut, as well as avoid processed foods and sugar that weaken the lining of the gut. Nutrition provides the necessary building blocks and nutrients that our digestion needs in order to function properly.
   

3. Eat mindfully: Slow down, chew, and savor your meals. Practice mindful eating by paying attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues, sitting down with your meals without distractions, and chewing your food. It's amazing what my clients experience when they focus on these habits!
   

4. Exercise regularly and get outside: Engaging in regular physical activity can help reduce stress levels, and in turn, promote healthy digestion. Getting outside not only helps to balance our sleep/wake cycle so that we can get quality sleep, but it also mentally helps to put everything in perspective. The great outdoors calms the nervous system and you might just feel stress melt away. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week and try to get outside daily.
   

5. Get quality sleep: Prioritize quality sleep to support your body's repair and digestion. Lack of sleep can exacerbate stress levels and negatively impact digestion by affecting the intricate balance of hormones that influence hunger, fullness, stress (cortisol), mood, and that help to repair our bodies. Focus on your sleep hygiene and try to leave 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
   

6. Seek support: Knowing information and the benefits is different than putting things into action. Be honest with yourself if things are working and reach out for help when you need it. Whether it's a therapist, doctor, or coach, seeking expert guidance and support can make a world of difference to improve your stress levels and heal your digestion. If you want to learn more about how I, as a gut health coach, can help you see results, message me or book a free call with me!

The connection between stress response and digestion is undeniable, and is often overlooked. By understanding how stress impacts our digestive system and becoming away of our actual stress levels, only then can we take steps toward change and healing. Implementing stress reduction techniques, adopting a balanced diet, practicing mindful eating, engaging in regular exercise, prioritizing sleep, and seeking support are all strategies that can help you take back control of your digestion and overall health.