Is Your Gut Stressed?

So you say you’re not stressed…but is your Gut stressed?

Digestion holds the key to health in many ways. If we are not digesting properly, then we are not getting the nutrients that we need to function optimally. Sure, we can continue to function at suboptimal levels and we might think it’s completely normal. It might be “normal” to always have gas, bloating and indigestion after meals. Or perhaps to feel sluggish in the afternoon and crave that sweet snack as a pick me up. It might feel normal to need coffee to get things moving in the early morning and actually feel awake. Even though all of these things are completely common in today’s world they are not normal. All of these side effects and cravings are creating stress and disrupting our digestive system, which in turn disrupts our entire health system. We all want to live a life that is greater than just optimal. In order to live a vibrant and thriving life we need to have the proper gut health and pay attention to the signs our body is sending us that it is under stress.

Our body is always sending us signs when something is not in balance. These common side effects such as gas, bloating, fatigue, indigestion and poor bowel movements are just a few signs of gut dysbiosis. Gut dysbiosis can be caused by many things including food sensitivities, environmental factors, toxins, prescriptions and antibiotics, all of which lead the body to become stressed.

Stress comes in many forms and is a part of our daily lives. External stressors could be  stuck in a smog filled traffic jam or rushing to work and dealing with an angry boss. Internal stressors could range from emotional trauma to antibiotics wiping out our good gut microbes, as well as food sensitivities to allergies. Look out for toxins in your cleaning supplies and cosmetics as these toxins can disrupt our hormones, overwork our liver and cause stress for our gut health.These are just a few ways stress can creep into our lives.

 Stress directly affects the gut and creates imbalances that can be immediately felt. Many people have felt a knot in their stomach when they have public speaking to do or else they have  ‘butterflies’ when they are nervous. This is because of the gut brain connection. If the brain senses too much stress, hormones will start pumping out cortisol which gets the body in a fight or flight mode. All of the other nonessential systems such as the reproductive system and of course digestion will shut down during times of stress so that the body can concentrate on the job at hand. This is an evolutionary mechanism that was needed way back in the day when our ancestors had to fight off wild animals in order to survive. Nowadays the body cannot determine between different types of stress. So standing on stage giving a speech to hundreds of people when you are not prepared  is the same as the wild animal chasing you down, the body is stressed.

Even though we can’t control all of the stress that comes our way there are many things we can do to lessen the stress burden.Stay away from the foods that cause sensitivities such as gluten, dairy and sugar. Pay attention to how other foods might be affecting your gut, such as alcohol and coffee. Our gut is absolutely amazing and is considered the ‘mother’ of our body as it feeds everything from our skin to our brain but it only works as well as what we feed it! When you nourish your gut you are giving it time to heal. The gut lining is the most regenerative organ in the body and rebuilds the lining, known as the epithelium every 3 to 5 days. Let’s ease the burden of daily stress by paying attention to the signs our body is sending us. Learning what foods to stay away from that trigger digestive complaints such as bloating, gas and fatigue and incorporating foods that nourish your gut will decrease the stress and increase your gut health.