How stress impacts our gut health & the gut-brain connection – By Laura Sedgwick
Before I became a nutritionist, I used to wear the “always stressed-out, busy, perfectionist” persona like a badge of honor. I would prioritise work over everything, eat too quickly, not make time for meal breaks or adequate rest, and keep pushing until one day my body forced me to stop. I became so fatigued that I could barely function during the day then at night I was too wired to sleep. I was running on caffeine and sugar for energy and constantly bloated no matter what foods I ate or avoided. After years stuck in this cycle, I eventually I burned out. This a common story for a lot of my clients too.
Stress has become so normalised in our fast-paced society that many of us don’t know what the signs are that something needs to change. It doesn’t matter what the stressor is: illness, relationship issues, finances, work deadlines or being chased by a lion, the body will still respond the same way.
The Gut-Brain Connection
The gut and brain are constantly communicating with each other so what impacts the mind will impact the gut and vice versa. When we experience stress, our brain initiates a “fight-flight ” response. This survival mechanism increases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline and diverts energy to things that we need to survive in that moment. Digestion slows down when we are stressed. It isn’t vital in that moment when we are running away or fighting something. After the stress is resolved our brain initiates the “rest, digest and recover” response. But what happens when we either can’t resolve the stress or aren’t prioritising our mental and physical health?
Prolonged (chronic) stress reduces nutrient absorption, disrupts the balance of bacteria in the gut and compromises the intestinal barrier. Consequently, we experience poor nutrition and fewer beneficial gut bacteria which we need to be more resilient to stress. So, the stress cycle continues…
Chronic stress can show up as some of the following signs and symptoms:
- Brain fog or poor memory
- Diarrhoea and/or constipation
- Bloating
- Food sensitivities
- Sugar or other carbohydrate cravings
- Constantly feeling tired, especially after meals
- Difficulty losing weight
- Reflux and indigestion
- Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression
So what can we do about it?
Managing stress effectively is essential not just for mental health but also for gut health.
- Make time for play, adequate rest and recovery with practices that work for you. I love getting out for a walk with the dog, putting on music and doing a silly dance or practicing deep breathing exercises.
- Eat a balanced diet with adequate protein, healthy fats and a variety of colorful vegetables.
- Address the root cause: It’s important to support the mind and digestive system when it comes to stress and poor gut health. I often run functional tests with my clients to see what is happening in the gut and what nutrients we need to add in to increase to improve digestion and stress resilience.
- Adequate Sleep: Prioritising sleep allows the body to recover and better cope with daily stressors
