15/05/2022
How does stress impact gut health?
According to published research in the World Journal of Gastroenterology, up to 60% of gut issues are caused by stress (Panduro. A. et al., 2017).
The global pandemic of recent years has compounded stress levels, and the American Psychological Association (2021) published that 84% of adults reported feeling at least one emotion associated with prolonged stress in 2020, with the most common feelings of anxiety (47%), sadness (44%) and anger (39%). The American Psychological Association also reported that 2 in 3 adults experienced overwhelm and difficulty managing their problems.
The stress experienced from the global pandemic is not surprising since the world shut down for two years, and many lost their lively hoods, business, and homes, facing debt, bankruptcy, hopelessness, depression and despair.
Others face challenges from adverse events of medical procedures and are in a state of declining and unexplained health challenges, leaving them feeling depressed, anxious and confused.
Undoubtedly, we live in one of the most stressful and challenging times of our lives with increasing stress, anxiety, sadness, anger, and depression all affecting mental health, but how do these emotions affect gut health, disease, and the gut-brain axis?
When alerted emotional states arise from stressful events, the autonomic nervous signals the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight) to divert blood flow to specific body areas to manage the stress response to the perceived threat of danger. Stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released into the bloodstream, and adrenaline increases heart rate and cortisol increase sugars (glucose), providing energy for the stress response.
Cortisol also curbs non-essential functions, and digestion, reproduction, growth and repair are all temporarily prevented from working as they should when there is no stress.
This mechanism of fight-or-flight action to manage stress in the body works fine in short term stressful events; however, with prolonged stress like that seen in the last two years of the global pandemic, this presents a problem.
When digestion shuts down for prolonged periods due to ongoing stress, bile is not released from the liver into the stomach to separate fats and proteins, and digestive enzymes are not released into the small intestine to digest fats, carbs and proteins.
Therefore, eating when stressed means that food is not digested well.
Food sits in the stomach, churning away with lack of digestive capacity, leaving you feeling bloated, with symptoms of acid reflux, heartburn, digestion, burping and gas.
Food sitting in the stomach for extended periods leads to a lack of assimilation of essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids needed to provide energy and make hormones like serotonin, the happy hormone and dopamine for pleasure and reward and melatonin for sleep. These hormones help manage stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia and communicate via the gut-brain axis (Parladore Silva et al., 2020).
When food is not digested well when experiencing long-term stressful events, this can lead to many gut health issues, disease pathophysiology, and physiological issues, including:
- Leaky gut
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Acid reflux
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Dysbiosis
- Peptic ulcer
- IBS
- IBD
- GERD
- SIBO
- Haemorrhoids
- Peptic ulcer
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Diverticulitis
- Crohn's disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Metabolic syndrome
- Chronic fatigue
- Fibromyalgia
- Autoimmune disease
- Thyroid Hashimoto's
- Graves' disease
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Panic attacks
- Alzheimer's
- Parkinson's disease
- Allergies & food intolerances
What can you do to minimise your risk of gut health issues when experiencing stress?
Unfortunately, most of us will experience gut health issues at some point in our lives due to stress; however, some of the following techniques can help manage the impact of stress:
- Mindfulness meditation
- Imagery & visualisation
- Deep breathing techniques
- Exercise & yoga
- Time-management
- Self-care
- Journaling
- Aromatherapy
- Calming music
- Reading and listening to audiobooks
- Socialising with friends and family
- Starting a hobby
- Spending time in nature
- Seeking help from a psychologist or counsellor
- Looking after your gut health and taking a superfood liquid probiotic like the Gut Health Rebalancing formula
What does the Gut Health Rebalancing Formula do?
The Gut Health Rebalancing formula contains adaptogen, regenerative and immune-boosting herbs that help rebalance gut health, restore intestinal flora and repair the delicate stomach lining and damaged intestinal cells caused by stress.
With the restoration and repair of intestinal flora and the delicate stomach lining, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA's) acetate, propionate and butyrate are produced in the large intestine and contribute to the biosynthesis of hormones: serotonin, dopamine and melatonin needed to manage stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia.
These hormones serotonin, dopamine and melatonin are also needed to promote a sense of well-being and help prevent gut health issues and disease via the gut-brain axis.
Gut health issues and diseases that the Gut Health Rebalancing formula can help with include:
- Leaky gut
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Acid reflux
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Dysbiosis
- Peptic ulcer
- IBS
- IBD
- GERD
- SIBO
- Haemorrhoids
- Peptic ulcer
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Diverticulitis
- Crohn's disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Metabolic syndrome
- Chronic fatigue
- Fibromyalgia
- Autoimmune disease
- Thyroid Hashimoto's
- Graves' disease
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Panic attacks
- Alzheimer's
- Parkinson's disease
- Allergies & food intolerances
Why is the Gut Health Rebalancing Formula different to other leading pro-biotics?
Unlike freeze-dried, shelf-stable and fridge probiotics, the Gut Health Rebalancing Formula contains live pre-and probiotics from organic biodynamic herbs, fruits and vegetables that get to work right away to rebalance the gut microbiota.
With rebalancing the gut microbiota right away, SCFA's are produced in the large intestine and contribute to the biosynthesis of hormones: serotonin, dopamine and melatonin needed to manage stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia.
Production of the SCFA's also helps reverse many gut health issues and disease pathophysiology, leading to harmony, homeostasis, and a sense of well-being in the body.
How can I get the Gut Health Rebalancing Formula?
To purchase a bottle of the gut health rebalancing formula and start managing stress, anxiety, depression, reverse gut health issues and disease, don't hesitate to contact Amanda by private message for more information.
Need more help?
If you are struggling to get answers and looking for 1-1 support to help you manage and reverse your gut health problems, pain or disease, please don't hesitate to contact Amanda at the Gut Health Specialist www.guthealthspecilaist.com or by private message for your Free 15-minute gut-health check consultation.
For more on this article, references and a library of free tools and resources, please head over to the gut health specialist Facebook group here >>
https://www.facebook.com/groups/GUThealthspecialist
I look forward to hearing from you!
Amanda Wright
Gut Health Specialist | Naturopath | Nutritionist | Herbalist | Medical Intuitive
References:
American Psychological Association, (2021). APA: US Adults report highest stress level since early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2021/02/adults-stress-pandemic
Panduro, A., Rivera-Iniguez, I., Sepulveda-Villegas, M., & Roman, S. Genes, emotions and gut microbiota: The next frontier for the gastroenterologist. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 23(7) 3030-3042. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i17.3030
Parladore Silva, Y. Bernardi, A. Rudimar & Frozza, L, (2020). The role of short-chain fatty acids from gut microbiota in gut-brain communication. Frontiers in Endocrinology.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.00025
Petkar, P. (n.d.). Stress Management Strategies. Retrieved from
https://www.educba.com/stress-management-strategies/
