Stress and Gut Health

Stress and Gut Health Discover the link between stress and gut health. Stress has a profound impact on our health, influencing almost every system in the body. Both acute and chronic stress, as well as anxiety, can have far-reaching negative effects. The body systems most vulnerable to stress include the endocrine (hormonal) system, the nervous…


Stress and Gut Health

Stress and Gut Health

Discover the link between stress and gut health. Stress has a profound impact on our health, influencing almost every system in the body. Both acute and chronic stress, as well as anxiety, can have far-reaching negative effects.

The body systems most vulnerable to stress include the endocrine (hormonal) system, the nervous system, the immune system, and the digestive system.

In this article, we’ll focus on how stress and anxiety affect gut health and explore ways to reduce the burden stress places on the body.

Understanding Stress

Stress manifests in various ways. We encounter mental and emotional stress from work, family life, and emotions such as anger, frustration, grief, uncertainty, and worry. On the other hand, physical stressors include poor diet, toxin exposure, nutrient deficiencies, excessive or insufficient exercise, prolonged fasting or restrictive diets, mineral deficiencies, dysregulated blood sugar levels, lack of sleep, and inadequate sunlight.

It’s impossible to avoid all stress, and it wouldn’t be beneficial to do so, but when stress becomes overwhelming, it starts to impact our health. As a naturopath who supports women of all ages to resolve gut issues and anxiety, my primary goal is to help reduce controllable stressors and enhance resilience against those we cannot control.

Stress, Anxiety and Gut Health: The Connection

There’s a strong link between stress and gut health. One of the first things that happens under stress is a reduction in stomach acid production. This causes a ripple effect: reduced stomach acid leads to a decrease in the protective mucous lining of the stomach, resulting in issues such as indigestion, bloating, reflux, and even more severe conditions like gastritis or ulcers.

Adequate stomach acid is crucial for breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. When it drops, deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and proteins can occur, leading to fatigue, blood sugar imbalances (a common cause of anxiety and binge eating), and reduced resilience to stress.

These nutrient deficiencies also contribute to immune dysfunction, hormone imbalances, and weight gain, though those issues are topics for another discussion.

To make matters worse, many people turn to acid-lowering medications for indigestion and reflux, which further deplete essential nutrients and increase the risk of serious health problems.

In most cases, heartburn, indigestion, silent reflux and acid reflux are actually caused by insufficient stomach acid. Symptoms, even those that are chronic in nature, tend to rapidly improve when we focus on optimising and improving stomach acid production.

The Broader Impact on Digestive Health

Low stomach acid isn’t the only issue caused by stress. The entire digestive system, particularly the small intestine, becomes vulnerable to imbalances in the gut microbiome. Stress alone can disrupt gut bacteria, and these changes in the microbiome can negatively impact mental health, creating a vicious cycle.

“Bad bacteria” thrive in a low-acid environment, leading to food intolerances, leaky gut syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, bad breath, fatigue, nausea, and skin issues like acne and eczema. An overgrowth of these harmful bacteria can also worsen autoimmune conditions, weaken the immune system, and contribute to anxiety and depression.

When gut health deteriorates, symptoms such as bloating, fluid retention, intense cravings especially for sweets, brain fog, headaches, and extreme fatigue become common. Several of the women I work with describe feeling “nine months pregnant” by then end of the day or after eating but are unable to pinpoint the cause. This bloated, heavy feeling may be common but it certainly isn’t normal.

This is usually when they seek the help of a gut health naturopath to clear the overwhelm and uncertainty on how to improve their symptoms.

My Approach to Healing

I understand that making lifestyle and dietary changes can feel overwhelming when you’re already stressed and exhausted. That’s why I offer simple, practical solutions that meet you where you’re at.

Steps to Take Right Now

Here’s how we begin:

Reducing Stress and Building Resilience We’ll start by identifying stressors and working to reduce their impact. Depending on your needs, I may recommend a bioresonance scan and treatment to help manage stress and anxiety. Short hypnosis audios can also be helpful for relaxing before bed, and herbal medicine or key nutrients can support healing, better sleep, reduced inflammation, and increased energy.

Eat in a Calm, Relaxed State Digestion starts in the mouth. Sit down to eat, free from distractions. Chew your food thoroughly, breathe deeply, and eat slowly.

Dietary Adjustments We’ll pinpoint foods that trigger gut issues and swap them for more easily digestible options. As your digestive system heals, you’ll eventually be able to reintroduce a wider variety of foods. I do not recommend strict elimination diets or restrictive plans, instead, my goal is to help you improve the integrity of your gut health so you can tolerate and thrive on a wider variety of food. You’ll leave your first consultation with a clear and manageable plan, and many clients see improvement within two weeks.

Testing for the Root Cause In some circumstances, testing may be required to pinpoint the underlying cause of gut imbalances. Symptoms do provide us with incredible insight into what could be driving your health challenges and testing when appropriate can help us to pinpoint exactly what we need to do to achieve optimal results in the most efficient amount of time.

Tailored Treatment Plans Each plan is unique to your needs, but most clients begin to notice improvements within two weeks. You will leave your consultation with a clear, easy-to-follow plan designed to help you feel better quickly.

Conclusion

Stress and anxiety have a profound effect on gut health, and poor gut health in turn worsens anxiety, creating a negative cycle. However, by taking simple, manageable steps, you can start to regain control of your health.

If you’re struggling with stress and gut health, and you’re unsure where to start, I’m here to help. My approach combines naturopathic principles with bioenergetic medicine to support healing in a way that’s easy, effective and sustainable.

As a gut health and anxiety naturopath in Adelaide, I’ll guide you through the process with a personalised plan designed to restore balance to both your gut and your overall well-being.

Here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Work with me! Book a consultation in person (Evandale, SA) or AUS + NZ wide online via Zoom

2. Listen to the Holistic Weight Loss Podcast

3. Connect with me on Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook


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