The Gut-Brain Connection: How Stress Affects Digestive Health and Ways to Find Relief
The human body is a system. When one part of that symptom is not working properly, it affects the entire thing. Digestive health involves more than the stomach. Digestive health involves more than the stomach. Stress is a major cause of digestive issues.
The body's stress response stems from the nervous and endocrine systems. The nervous system is the body's nerves that run through the body and take signals from the brain. It works with the endocrine system, which regulates hormones. When a person is stressed, their body enters "fight or flight." The nervous system orders the endocrine system to release certain hormones that cause stress.
As a result, digestion slows down and can cause several issues. Stress also causes people to make unhealthy decisions, like drinking or eating poorly.
Digestion issues caused by stress
Digestive health issues as a result of stress are very similar to the symptoms of other disorders. Examples of the digestive symptoms of stress are:
Abdominal pain
Stomach ache
Nausea
Heartburn
Gas
Bloating
Cramps
Diarrhea
Constipation
Stress can also play a major role in digestive disorders like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Crohn's disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Binge Eating
For many, food is one of life's greatest pleasures. People often turn to food to help them in several situations. Whether it is adjusting diets to be healthier, to lose weight, or because it brings them joy, food is important.
People can consume food for the wrong reasons. Binge eating is an unhealthy response to stress. When people are stressed, they may turn to food to distract them from the issues that they are going through. It provides temporary relief, but sometimes people eat too much. Unfortunately, people usually turn to junk food to cope with stress. Those foods are high in fat and sugar, which have been proven to increase stress. Overeating in a short amount of time can cause many of the symptoms mentioned before or make stress worse in the long term. It can also cause feelings of being sick or too full.
Drinking, stress, and digestion
Drinking alcohol is one of the most common methods of temporary stress relief. It can be done healthily, and studies show that it helps relieve stress. One study found that moderate drinkers showed lower levels of stress. Excessive drinkers have the highest levels. Like food, it is good in moderation. Heavy drinking negatively affects different parts of the gastroenterological tract in different ways. Drinking can also cause most of the above-mentioned symptoms. These include nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, and bloating. While they are all symptoms of drinking and stress combined, they can exacerbate problems in the stomach, intestines, and liver.
Stomach
One of the first issues that can arise from heavy drinking is a loss of control over the part of the esophagus that prevents stomach acid from rising. Acid rises towards the esophagus and causes acid reflux.
Alcohol also disturbs the production of stomach acid. That acid destroys bad bacteria. When it is not working, digestive issues are the result. It also damages the mucus in the gut that protects the stomach lining from stomach acid, which can cause stomach lesions.
Intestines
Many nutrients from food and drinks get absorbed in the small intestine as they pass through the gastrointestinal tract. Studies show that excessive drinking can delay and inhibit absorption. It can also promote the absorption of toxins and bad bacteria, which leads to stomach pain.
Liver
The liver is responsible for filtering toxins from the bloodstream that have been absorbed in the intestines and stomach. Excessive consumption of alcohol kills liver cells intended to do this. As a result, it is unable to protect the body. It leads to several types of alcohol-related liver disorders that can be life-threatening.
Treatments and Solutions
There are several options for treating stress related to digestive issues.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a good option for relieving stress. It will mostly be done with a licensed therapist. The goal of CBT is to rewire the patient’s psyche to recognize what is causing the problem so they are able to recognize it and combat it in a healthy manner. It mostly focuses on the present rather than the past, like other therapeutic practices.
Relaxation
Yoga or other practices that are meant to relax the body can improve symptoms of stress. The body and mind work hand in hand when it comes to stress, so relaxing the body can lead to a similar stress-relieving effect in the mind.
Diet
Like all other digestive issues, adjusting the diet can be beneficial. This is especially the case for people who use food to cope with stress. If eating is the best option at the moment, rather than having something unhealthy, focus on foods that are good for you. Low-calorie foods high in antioxidants are the best snacks for the body and mind.
At GastroMed, we're deeply invested in exploring the intricate gut-brain connection. Recognizing the profound impact of stress on digestive health, our gastroenterologist Miami specialists strive to provide comprehensive care. Our numerous Miami locations are designed for your convenience, ensuring that support for your digestive health is always within reach.