There are many ways in which stress can negatively affect the digestive system. When we think of stress, we usually think of our mental state in regard to our personal relationships, work, finances, and other situations in our lives. Physiologically, stress is the body’s response to a perceived threat to our well-being. The adrenal glands regulate cortisol production, a hormone that is crucial in many bodily functions, including regulating blood sugar and metabolism, reducing inflammation, water balance, and blood pressure – just to name a few. When we become stressed, either chronically or acutely, the body goes through a process known as the ‘fight or flight response’. During this reaction, the body re-regulates hormones and increases cortisol production to prime the nervous system in preparation to physically defend yourself. One effect of this hormonal shift is that the body slows or shuts down digestive function in order to direct energy to systems that are necessary for immediate survival, such as the cardiovascular system. While this was evolutionarily beneficial, as our ancestors were not worried about digesting food while being chased by the aforementioned lion, stress must be controlled to optimize digestion.

CAUSES OF PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS

There is an entire emerging field of research science called psychophysiology, which explores how your physiological state affects your physiological state and vice versa. It has long been known that we store stress and trauma within our bodies (for more on this, check out Bessel van der Kolk’s ‘ The Body Keeps the Score’ ), but acute state stress can also negatively affect our bodies. The functioning of our digestive system can be influenced by stress from:

  • Work
  • Finances
  • Personal Relationships
  • Change (moving/starting a new career or job)
  • Traumatic event
  • Emotional problems (anxiety, depression, anger, grief, worry) Over-exercising
  • Sleep Deprivation
  • Caffeine
  • Alcohol
  • Inflammation due to poor diet

Direct physiological effects of stress on the gut include:

  • Alteration of bacterial gut balance (good bacteria dies off, bad bacteria grows)
  • Lining of intestines becomes more permeable, causing ‘leaky gut’ in which molecules from processed foods seep into immune pathways and increase inflammation
  • Gut motility (the way food is moved through the intestines) Altered secretion of gastric juices necessary to break down foods Reduced blood flow / reduced vitamin and mineral absorption

THE MIND-GUT CONNECTION

Recent research has further found cyclical connections between mental state and the digestive system. Eastern and traditional medicine practices have long understood the holistic connection inside the body, and western medicine is finally catching up. Dr. Emeran Mayer, a medical and psychiatry professor at UCLA pioneered research into the connection between the brain and gut with his book “The Mind Gut Connection”. In his book, he identifies connections between the brain and gut, ranging from issues of early life trauma to bacteria passed from mother to child during breastfeeding. I definitely recommend the book for anyone who suffers from any chronic mental health problem, such as clinical anxiety, PTSD, or depression. However, the following summary outlines the main points of the mind-gut connection.

The gut is an integral part of the nervous system and is home to trillions of microbes that live on the lining of the intestinal tract. The gut also hosts nerve cells, hormone and endocrine cells, and produces 90% of the body’s serotonin (the hormone that makes you feel happy). These microbes that live in the gut are constantly in communication with your brain, and react alongside your mood. For example, when you become stressed, stress hormones reach the microbes and change their behavior in the gut. In the same way, the microbes send information to the brain on what is happening in the gut. This subconscious conversation is constantly happening, and many connections between chronic mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, have shown direct links with digestive problems.

YOUR GUT IS YOUR “SECOND BRAIN”

In addition to your “main” nervous system, your gut digestive system has its own nervous system called the enteric nervous system. The enteric nervous system spans your whole digestive tract from your esophagus, to your stomach, intestines, and colon. This nervous system is sometimes referred to as the “second brain” because it works in the same way that the “main” one does. It has 100 million nerve cells (called neurons) that communicate with each other using biochemicals called neurotransmitters.

Your enteric nervous system gets input from both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, so it can speed up or slow down when it has to. It also has a “mind” of its own and can function independently of them.

The complexity of the system is necessary because of how complex our digestive processes are. For example, after we eat, the neurons in our enteric system tell the muscle cells of the stomach and intestines to contract to move food along to the next part. As our digestive system does this, our enteric nervous system uses neurotransmitters to communicate with the central nervous system.

Your enteric nervous system is also very closely linked to your immune system. This is because a lot of germs and pathogens can enter the body through the mouth and end up in the gut. You have a large immune presence there to help fight them off before they become a larger problem and potentially infect other parts of your body. These cells of the immune system provide another path for the gut to communicate with the brain. They relay information such as when they detect infection or when your stomach is bloated, so your brain knows, too.

Even the friendly gut microbes (gut microbiota) that help us digest and make certain nutrients play a role in communicating with the brain. They make neurotransmitters, some of which are known to influence our moods.

CREATING YOUR STRESS MANAGEMENT PLAN

To handle stress-induced digestion and bloating issues, it is crucial to have an arsenal of lifestyle and emergency stress management tactics. It is important to prevent the build-up of stress by adopting daily and weekly habits to enhance relaxation and a sense of well- being. The following 4-point plan will help you identify your major sources of stress and how to tackle them. You can find more information on stress management in the Cortisol Module.

STEP 1 – IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THE PROBLEM

First, identify the major sources of your stress. If it isn’t a lion trying to eat you, chances are your problems can be solved with some clear thinking. Ignoring problems as a method of coping does not make them go away, and can create more stress down the road.

When it comes to work, studying, or chores, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. The following points can help you manage a heavy workload:

  • Do the hardest / least fun chores first.
  • Break the work into smaller pieces and complete one at a time. Make a list of everything you need to do – checking off items one by one can help you feel less worried and give you a feeling of accomplishment.
  • Create a timeline for completing your work.
  • Avoid stress triggers when possible. Often, we can foresee situations or interactions that will cause us trouble. Avoid people, places, and things that throw a curveball into your zen.
  • Finally, allow yourself to let things go. If you cannot actively change something, there is no point in allowing it to mess with you.

STEP 2 – TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

Taking care of your body will help you feel more confident, have more energy, and lead to a clearer mind.

  • Eat well – I love the saying ‘You are what you eat’. Do you want to be a greasy, pre-frozen burger prepared by a high school student – or do you want to be a nice, shiny, organic apple? Prioritize getting 7-8 hours of sleep.
  • Get a monthly massage.
  • Take weekly Epsom salt baths.
  • Exercise regularly (especially when you feel stressed). Meditate.

STEP 3 – HANDLE YOUR EMOTIONS

Create a protocol to immediately bring your mind to a clearer place when presented with stress:

Visualize – taking your mind to a place that is comfortable and relaxing for you (such as a beach, forest, or family home) can give you a mini-mind-cation and help you to better tackle the problem. Close your eyes – picture yourself relaxing at your favorite place and take a few deep breaths.

  • Listen to relaxing music.
  • Spend time with a loved one or pet.
  • Develop a strict morning routine. By starting your day with a consistent protocol, you can enhance your productivity and have a better handle on your day. Think of a morning when you woke up late and rushed to get out the door – odds are, you spent the rest of the day with slightly elevated cortisol levels. Some suggestions to implement in your morning routine:
  • Upon waking, wash your face or take a cold shower to refresh yourself.
  • Practice a 5-10 minute yoga or meditation routine. You can also take a short walk to connect with nature and get some fresh air.
  • Eat a healthy breakfast.
  • Set your intentions for the day: What tasks do you want to accomplish? How do you want to feel at the end of the day? What are your essential tasks? Write this down to make it more concrete in your mind.
  • Exercise!

STEP 4 – CONTRIBUTE

Involving yourself in worthy causes in your community can make you feel good about yourself and help ignite your sense of purpose. Find causes in your community you feel you can add value to, such as volunteering in areas you have experience in or causes you respect.