Do Not Bottle It Up: Tips to Calm Your Digestive System During Stress

Does this sound familiar? You visit a gastroenterologist and say your stomach hurts, your bowel movements are irregular, and you have a lot of gas, yet every test comes back normal. The doctor scratches their head and says there is nothing to give you, that you probably have irritable bowel syndrome and it is all in your head... Irritating, right? In this article, I explain why you are both right and what can actually be done about it!

A little history

Traditional medicine has always seen a close connection between our moods and our health. Everyday expressions illustrate it: do not bottle things up, get something off your chest, gut feelings, your insides turning over, your heart sinking, and more. In ancient Chinese medicine, too, a doctor's diagnosis considers all symptoms, physical and emotional. For example: "The patient experiences heartburn, belching, abdominal pain, and frequent outbursts of anger." Sigmund Freud, the father of modern psychology, pointed to the close connection between mind and body when he described the physical expression of psychological distress as an early, primitive stage of human development. His colleague Carl Jung also discussed the expression of strong emotion in the digestive system: "Excessive stimulation of the nerve develops... ultimately leading to nervous disturbances in the functioning of the stomach or intestines..." Western medicine separated body and mind for many years, but it too has recently begun recognizing physical and psychological phenomena as closely connected.What happens in our bodies when we are stressed?

In 1838, a researcher named Beaumont discovered the effect of excessive excitement, positive or negative, on gastric juice secretion. During the same century, the nervous system surrounding the gut was discovered and given the name "the little brain." The digestive nervous system communicates with our central nervous system, the brain, through a pathway called the "gut-brain axis." Information travels between the brain and digestive system along this axis, determining how the body functions. How does this happen? When we are in danger, our brain does everything it can to protect us and survive. This is a basic evolutionary survival mechanism in every living creature. How does the body behave in danger, when survival is at stake? The response is "fight or flight." In other words, the body braces itself. Blood flows to the arms and legs, but not to the digestive system. We are not meant to eat or digest anything in this state; the body is ready to fight or escape. When blood is not directed to the digestive system, digestive juice secretion decreases. When digestive juices and enzymes decrease, food digestion and absorption are disrupted. Eating while stressed interferes with digestion, which over time can develop into impaired functioning of the digestive system: the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and so on.

Distress: stop racing against time!

Today we also know that gut bacteria participate in gut-brain axis communication, which is closely connected to our emotional state. Bacteria communicate with the gut in at least 3 ways: hormonally, immunologically, and through nerves (neurons). The reverse is also true: when a person experiences ongoing stress, gut bacteria are affected and their population changes. Problems begin when we remain stressed for a prolonged period, as so often happens in modern life. We have become accustomed to stress, and it has turned into distress, a particular state of stress that takes its own physical and emotional toll. What is distress, and how can you recognize it? Check in with yourself: if you spend the entire day trying to get things done, getting the children ready in the morning, reaching work on time, finishing reports or other things the boss wants, leaving in time to collect the children from school or preschool, taking them to activities, getting home, bathing them, feeding them, putting them to bed, tidying up, cooking, being with your partner, and crawling into bed, you are living with ongoing distress. Students' lives are also full of distress, as are those of stockbrokers, doctors on call, and others.

Considering that digestive disorders have become one of the most common problems, with about 50% of gastroenterology clinic visits relating to irritable or sensitive bowel syndrome, it is reasonable to assume a connection between modern lifestyles and these symptoms. We are also seeing a steady increase in inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, colorectal cancer, and symptoms such as heartburn and reflux. We need to examine every related aspect.

How does our digestive system respond to stress or distress?

When we experience stress or distress, the digestive system responds in the following ways:

• Digestive juice secretion decreases, making digestion less effective.
• Bowel motility changes. It may increase, causing diarrhea, or decrease, causing constipation.
• Intestinal permeability increases, allowing food particles into the blood and thereby leading to food allergies and intolerances.
• Blood supply to intestinal cells decreases because tension constricts the small blood vessels supplying oxygen and nutrients to the gut, which can slow its healing.
• Internal-organ sensitivity changes, with the pain threshold rising or falling outside the normal range.

A study examining the relationship between the duration and severity of digestive symptoms and the thickness of the cerebral cortex found a close connection. The study included 3 groups: people with irritable bowel syndrome, people with the inflammatory bowel disease colitis, and healthy people. Researchers identified a correlation between the thickness of certain brain regions, symptom duration, and participants' moods. The thickening found in the other participants was not found among healthy people.

So what do we do? As the discussion so far suggests, improving the situation and feeling better requires action on several levels: physical, emotional, and also perceptual.

• Our perceptions: In other words, our thoughts. How we perceive a situation largely determines whether we live with distress or a sense of well-being. For example, you may feel pressure and irritation when you are late collecting your child from preschool. You might picture your child being the last one left, watching the door and waiting, or standing outside with the teacher and hearing complaints about their parents, meaning you. If you are stuck in traffic because you could not leave work on time, this can overwhelm you. Hand on heart, is there a mother who has not experienced this small trauma at least several times? Alternatively, you can tell yourself that this is the situation and your tension will not help your child. Call a grandmother, neighbor, or friend, and make another arrangement.
  A change in perception will produce a change in the body. For example, instead of "I am a terrible mother and my child is experiencing abandonment that will traumatize them for life," try thinking, "This is unpleasant, but it happens to everyone. Let me see what I can do to solve the problem now and prevent it tomorrow." Feel the difference in your stomach?
• The physical level: When your stomach hurts or your bowel movements alternate between diarrhea and constipation, it needs attention here and now. You can drink soothing herbal teas such as chamomile, fennel, or sage. You can place a warm pillow on your abdomen. It is important to review and adjust your diet and, if needed, change how you eat, your meal times, and the foods you eat in different situations. For example, you could see how you feel after eliminating dairy products for several weeks. Or change the bread you eat, or try chewing more thoroughly. You will usually discover things worth recording and then working through with your dietitian.
• The emotional level: How do we calm down? How do we move from ongoing distress to an interesting but less stressful life? We discussed perceptions earlier. You can also use relaxation techniques that have proved themselves over the years and whose effectiveness has been supported by research. Examples include guided imagery and meditation, which you can do even in the middle of a frantic office day: put on headphones with a guided imagery recording and switch off for a few minutes, preferably with your eyes closed. Working on the mind through the body is very effective for relaxation, for example through yoga, Pilates, Feldenkrais, and similar classes.

In conclusion

We operate through our habits. Most of us can change those habits and learn to live and feel differently, although sometimes we need professional help. This is your life, and it is worth enjoying!

This is general news information and is not a substitute for personal advice from a doctor or dietitian.