Is Your Stress Affecting Your Gut Health?

Stress affects the gut because the gut and the brain are connected through hundreds of millions of nerves, the enteric nervous system. This will frequently mean that whatever is going on in the brain can have an impact on what’s happening in the gut. If you suffer from a condition such as stress, anxiety or depression you may have noticed your emotional changes impacting your digestion.  The digestive process can be impacted by stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol leading to diarrhoea or constipation. 

When we are in times of stress cooking a nutritious meal is probably the last thing on your mind. The kinds of foods that we turn to when we are stressed may also cause stress to our gut. Stress makes us more likely to reach for something comforting rather than rich in nutrients.  These foods are often more processed, less balanced, convenience foods.  Another reason we crave these highly palatable foods when we are feeling stressed is because they have been shown to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter with a role in then regulation of pleasure and reward  in the brain.

Of course, we don’t categories foods into good or bad here, however we do acknowledge that when we reach for ultraprocessed options we are less likely to meet our daily fibre requirements. This will impact both our mental and our physical health as it impacts the balance of our gut bacteria and the health of our microbiome. When the bacteria in your gut is out of balance, it’s known as gut dysbiosis.  This is associated with unfavourable changes in food cravings, metabolism, immune function and general wellbeing.  Your gut bacteria can also influence your mood and the way you respond to stress.

Using food every now and then to de-stress is ok, however developing healthier strategies to cope with stress is really important.   Next time you’re hit with stress or overwhelm try practicing breath work, taking some time to exercise to work out the frustration, head out of a walk, phone a friend, or try a mindfulness session through an app like calm.com.

Anushka Malcolm

CO-FOUNDER + CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST

Anushka is clinical nutritionist and passionate health foodie from Adelaide, South Australia. Anushka uses up-to-date clinical research and traditional wisdom to you diets so you can nourish yourself, feel your best and thrive.