Reasons You May Not Be Digesting Your Food Well—Too Much Stress
The Hidden Culprit: How Stress Affects Digestion
I saved highlighting stress as one of the common reasons why people don’t digest their food well because it encompasses so many areas. Stress is part of the WHY behind some other reasons for not digesting your food well such as low HCl, low digestive enzymes, and altered gut motility. And because stress not only affects your digestion but your overall well-being, it’s worth investigating to see how stress may be affecting your digestion and what you can do about it if it is.
Unpacking the Stress-Digestion Connection
Our brain talks to our gut and our gut talks to our brain, and most of this communication is through the vagus nerve. This nerve runs from the base of the brain to all of the organs in the abdomen except the adrenals. Some of the things it regulates are digestion, heart rate, and breathing. It provides senses to the tongue so you can taste your food and senses to muscles in your neck so you can swallow and talk, along with many other roles. (1)
The vagus nerve stimulates the release of digestive enzymes, slows the movement of food coming out of the stomach and into your small intestine, coordinates the motility of the small and large intestines, and helps you to feel full. This helps to explain why 90% of the vagal nerve signals start in your gut and go to your brain, while only 10% of the signals go from your brain to your gut! (2)
Our nervous system needs balance and is composed of the sympathetic, or “on-the-go” nervous system and the parasympathetic, or “chill-out” nervous system. The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system.
When we are stressed (such as feeling anxious, fearful, worried, or upset, or even driving through traffic), our digestive capacity is compromised. (3) The sympathetic nervous system slows GI secretions and motility, and in extreme cases, even shuts down digestion. On the other hand, when we are relaxed, our parasympathetic nervous system is allowed to produce the signals for digestive enzymes to be secreted to help digest our food to regulate the emptying of the stomach contents, and regulate the motility of the intestines.
When we are continually under stress, our body’s ability to heal and perform is affected. Because the digestive tract repairs and replaces itself every few days, it is one of the first places where our bodies alert us that all is not well. Stress and emotions play a major role in many digestive problems such as:
• Ulcers
• IBD (Crohn’s and Colitis) (4)
• IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease)
But all is not lost! Alongside getting help from an understanding doctor and/or registered dietitian, there are things you can do:
✔ Look at the ongoing stressful situations in your life and consider how you might eliminate or reduce them. This isn’t always easy (or even possible), but it’s a good place to start thinking about stress reduction.
✔ Practice stress-relieving activities like prayer, meditation, time in nature, gardening, yoga, tai chi, playing music, getting a massage, or breathing techniques.
✔ Do happy things. It’s easy to get so busy that you forget to have fun. But fun doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Keep it simple. Time with friends or family that makes you laugh, painting, singing, dancing, a trip to the movies, eating a meal outside, or coloring in an adult coloring book can lighten your mood.
Mindful Eating Practices for Stress Reduction and Improved Digestion
Research shows that your brain and your digestive system are very closely connected. So what affects one can impact the other as well. By slowing down at mealtime and eating mindfully, we can help to reduce our stress. (5) (6) (7)
I’m still learning, but this is my game plan to slow down and eat mindfully. I’m not perfect at it, but the more often I remember to do it, the easier it becomes.
• Make the food look really good on my plate.
• Pause to appreciate it.
• Give thanks for it.
• Sit down to eat with no distractions other than conversation.
• Taste the food and savor the flavor.
• Chew each bite 30 times before swallowing (this is by far the hardest one to do!).
Conclusion: A Holistic Approach to Digestive Health
When we are stressed, our digestive capacity is compromised because the sympathetic nervous system slows or even stops digestion. On the other hand, when we are relaxed, the parasympathetic nervous system signals digestive enzymes to be secreted and regulates how fast or slow food moves through our intestines. When we are continually under stress, digestive issues such as ulcers, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, IBD and GERD can be triggered.
Taking the time to figure out where your stress is coming from and what you can do to reduce or eliminate it plays a big role in achieving better digestive health. Incorporating stress-relieving activities like going for a walk, doing things that make you happy, and eating your meals mindfully helps your body to enter the parasympathetic or “chill-out” mode so you can better digest your food.
Working with a sympathetic doctor and/or a registered dietitian often provides the insight and tools needed to regain your digestive health. If you’d like to discuss how I might be able to help, please reach out by scheduling a free 20-minute consultation.
References
(1) Briet S, Kupferberg A, Rogler g, Hasler G, et al. Vagus nerve as modulator of the brain–gut axis in psychiatric and inflammatory disorders, Front. Psychiatry, Volume 9 – 2018 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044
(2) Tubbs RS, Rizk E, Shoja MM, Loukas M, Barbaro N, Spinner RJ. Nerves and Nerve Injuries: Vol 1: History, Embryology, Anatomy, Imaging, and Diagnostics. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Academic Press (2015).
(3) Pariante CM, Lightman SL. The HPA axis in major depression: classical theories and new developments. Trends Neurosci (2008) 31:464–8. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2008.06.006
(4) Bonaz B, Sinniger V, Pellissier S. Vagus nerve stimulation: a new promising therapeutic tool in inflammatory bowel disease. J Intern Med (2017) 282:46–63. doi:10.1111/joim.12611
(5) Bonaz B, Sinniger V, Pellissier S. Anti-inflammatory properties of the vagus nerve: potential therapeutic implications of vagus nerve stimulation. J Physiol (2016) 594:5781–90. doi:10.1113/JP271539
(6) Browning KN, Travagli RA. Central nervous system control of gastrointestinal motility and secretion and modulation of gastrointestinal functions. Compr Physiol (2014) 4:1339–68. doi:10.1002/cphy.c130055
(7) Schemann M. Control of gastrointestinal motility by the “gut brain” – the enteric nervous system. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr (2005) 41(Suppl 1):S4–6. doi:10.1097/01.scs.0000180285.51365.55