Nutritional Stress
Energy is our fuel source but we usually associate energy for roles we are constantly aware of such as thinking and moving. In fact two thirds of our energy is needed to run the internal working of the body such as digestion and immunity. As the digestive system is the processor of our energy supply, food, it plays a key role in our supply and distribution of energy. Energy has to be sent to every single cell in the body, everything from your skin to your brain needs energy and this requires a very fit and efficient system. Our energy supplies are processed and distributed by the digestive system who also requires its own share of energy and nutritional resources.
Stress Overload
It may seem we are a nation burnt out on stress but stress has always been a natural part of living and something we need to manage if we want to stay healthy. We are much safer, wealthier and more secure today but there are two new stress types common today but never really experienced by society before. One relates to lifestyle and the other nutrition. From a lifestyle point of view, we are fortunate that we have more freedom to do what we want with our lives but all those choices produce a big load of stress. We want to earn lots of money, have great careers, a family, big house and travel the world and we want it now. Unfortunately this involves massive amounts of time, effort and risk. Worrying how we fit everything in and make the right decision is leading to stress overload.
Nutritionally we now eat more processed, refined, high fat, sugar, salt foods, drink more alcohol, fizzy drinks, caffeine and smoke more. All these over-stimulate, triggering stress responses that drain the body of energy and keep you in an anxious state. Diets now are also generally lower in nutritionally rich foods such as vegetables and oily fish, the foods we need to protect our body from stress. The combination of lifestyle and nutritional stress makes it hard to manage everyday expected stresses and strains and if an unexpected trauma comes along, we just don't have the resources to cope and both our physical and emotional health suffers.
Our body is designed to cope with stress over a short period, prolonged or excessive is the real problem. Under normal circumstances, energy is distributed evenly around the body but under stress adrenaline diverts energy away from nonessential tasks such as digestion to fuel muscles and brain activity. Short term this could be lifesaving but a constant long-term drip of anxiety can keep the digestive system on virtual shutdown. The problem is being stressed is not a healthy state to be in. Excessive pressure combined with lower energy levels makes you more inclined to reach for a stimulant such as fatty, sugary foods, alcohol of cigarettes in a desperate attempt to boost energy. Being preoccupied with worry can make you eat more junk as you grab food and eat it in your haste and you will probably be more inclined to comfort eat or the other extreme, not eat at all. A sluggish, under resourced gut will find it hard to supply itself with nourishment never mind the rest of the body or the valuable gut flora it relies upon. And once they leave, the gut is an idea resting place for many pathogens, ceasing the opportunity to make a home with little immune resistance.
Destressing Your Digestion
Fortunately simple small changes to your lifestyle and diet can help reduce stress and restore a more effective, efficient digestive system. One of the main targets to restoration is to reinstate a happy bacteria colony. The wonderful thing about good bacteria is if you give them the right food and environment they soon come back and start doing their job. If you are under stress, suffered from an illness or any trauma that has limited your diet then additional pre or probiotic supplements may help you through this phase (always get professional advice before taking any supplements).
A stressed gut could also benefit from de-stressing lifestyle changes such as taking time out to eat, relaxation exercises and stimulating activity. Learning simple relaxation techniques such as deep breathing is a good started but of course the most important aspect is making sure you are not dehydrated and are eating a healthy balanced diet. A poor diet can give you all the symptoms of stress such as fatigue and poor concentration, even when there is not a great deal to be stressed out about and this is not great when something really stressful comes along.
For top tips on distressing you gut click onto "Steps to Take for Gut Health" and check out our stress pages.