Stress and Digestion

After weeks of preparing for my personal trainer exam, and recently being in the midst of major job and life transitions, I feel as if my body has been on high alert. So I figured since stress has been something effecting me as of late more than usual, what better time to examine how stress really effects not only our mood, emotions, relationships, etc, but also the profound impact it has on how we digest and assimilate our food.

I have always been the kind of person who does not stress easily. In fact, at my last job as a case manager in a child abuse prevention program (a job many people would consider high stress), I won the Zen Buddha Award 2 years in a row. For better or worse, sometimes even I wonder how I am not more stressed in certain situations. With that being said, lately this has absolutely not been the case, and I know I've been taking on entirely too much (and if I feel this way, an average person's head may have actually blown off their body by now). So, lets begin by taking a look at the bodies' nervous system...

Sympathetic Nervous System

This part of the nervous system's main objective is to mobilize the body's reaction under stress, particularly the "fight or flight" response. In addition, it controls most of our major organs. For example, it increases the rate and contraction of the heart, dilates our pupils, inhibits peristalsis (wave-like muscle contractions that allow food to move through the digestive tract), and increases renin secretion (an enzyme produced by the kidneys that raises blood pressure). The sympathetic nervous system is always activated at some level in order to keep our bodies in a state of homeostatis.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

This part of the nervous system is in control of regulating our organs and glands unconsciously, or when we are in a relaxed state. Examples are urination, tears, sexual arousal, salivation, defecation, and digestion. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) is often described as our bodies mode of "rest and digest." So, you see where I'm going with this?

So???

Point is...if we are always in a sympathetic nervous system dominated state, we physically cannot (among other things) digest our food. Our bodies have to be in a relaxed state for the digestive processes to function, and for us to assimilate the nutrients of food. Elizabeth Lipski, Ph.D. in her book Digestive Wellness, asserts that "The mind-body connection plays an important role in digestive wellness. Stress plays a large role in ulcerative colitis, skin conditions, and autoimmune problems. In fact, nearly all health problems are due to stress: physical, emotional, or environmental." The study of the mind-body connection, particularly the stress-disease connection, is utterly mind blowing and I will address this broader topic in a future article. For now though, lets just stick to digestion.

As mentioned above, being in a state of high stress literally stops our digestion. This can lead to partially digested food particles passing through our intestinal tract, causing leaky gut (intestinal permeability), candida overgrowth, and disease. If we are in a sympathetic nervous dominate mode, our bodies are producing excess cortisol, the "stress hormone." Cortisol is a good and necessary hormone, as it allows our bodies to react quickly in times of stress, supplies us with short bursts of energy when needed, lowers sensitivity to pain, and a temporary increases our immunity (ever notice that you can maintain when preparing for a big exam/presentation/event/etc, but immediately afterwards your body crashes?). However, according to Elizabeth Scott, M.S., longer term raised cortisol levels lead to an array of problems, including:

• Impaired cognitive performance
• Lowered thyroid function
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Decreased bone density
• Decreased muscle tissue
• Higher blood pressure
• Lowered immunity, more inflammation and slower wound healing
• Increased abdominal fat (cortisol is released by the adrenal glands and gives us that "spare tire" that we know and love

Now that we know we don't want to be in a sympathetic dominated mode more often than we should, lets look at some ways to be a bit more relaxed.

Ways to de-stress

Obviously, simply ridding ourselves of stress is much easier said than done, and some of you might even be laughing at the prospect. Our modern day, high stress world does seem to make it nearly impossible. However, once learning about the deadly effects stress has on our health (I have only scratched the surface here), we must create space in our lives for relaxation. This is a lesson I am very much learning, as well. Here are a few ways to incorporate simple de-stressing techniques every day:

• Meditation: check out these great resources for various meditation techniques and find one that works for you: http://www.freemeditations.com. http://www.project-meditation.org has a free download for a meditation technique, and I have heard very good reviews.
• Yoga or other stretching
• Exercise, but not too much! When we are in periods of high stress, intense exercise can raise our cortisol levels. Stick to light cardio and strength training. Be outside if possible!
• Deep breathing!! This is the most important and can obviously be achieved by meditation, yoga, and exercise. If you don't have time for anything else, though, taking 10 deep belly breaths will automatically engage the parasympathetic nervous system. Breathe slowly in through your nose, hold for a second, then slowly out through your mouth. Try taking a few of these deep breaths while sitting down to a meal, before you start eating. This alone will help digestion.
• Don't eat while engaging in other activities. This includes TV, computer, reading, standing, driving, etc. Just sit, be grateful for your food, enjoy every bite, notice the flavor and texture, eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Put your silverware down in between bites, allowing yourself to chew for longer and your brain to register fullness over the course of the meal.
• Laughter has been shown in studies to relieve pain, increase immunity, and bring greater happiness.

Additional Resources:

There are many great books, articles, and movies about this very topic. Here are a few I recommend:

1. When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection, Gabor Mate, M.D.
2. "Stress, Portrait of a Killer," a great National Geographic documentary that you can find on youtube.com
3. Lastly, check out this short article on foods that are not only good for us, but also help us de-stress:

Nine Foods that Help You De-Stress Quickly
by www.SixWise.com


One of the most soothing things to do after a tough day is come home and collapse on the couch with your favorite comfort foods: mac & cheese, pizza, ice cream, meat loaf, a casserole of some sort -- really anything rich, creamy, sugary, salty or mushy usually fits the bill.

And really it's not your fault that your body automatically craves such indulgent treats when you're under fire.

A study by University of California, San Francisco researchers found that when rats are chronically stressed, the release of glucocorticoid steroid hormone (cortisol in humans) leads them to engage in pleasure-seeking behaviors, including eating high-energy foods.

High-energy foods, of course, are always made of sugar and fat.

True, you are not a rat, but you can certainly relate to the cravings. The problem with eating such foods, of course, is that afterward high-sugar foods lead to a crash that makes you feel worse ... and greasy high-fat foods leave you feeling guilty for other reasons.

To get the best of both worlds -- reduced stress and comfort in the knowledge that you're eating something good for you -- you need to indulge in healthy comfort foods.

And yes, these do exist.

Foods That Relieve Stress ... and are Healthy Too

1. Dark Leafy Greens

Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and Swiss chard are good for so many things, there's really no excuse not to eat them. Calming your nerves just happens to be one of them, as these veggies contain lots of the B-complex vitamins. These vitamins are crucial for preventing stress because they're needed to make serotonin, a chemical that helps boost your mood.

2. Asparagus

Asparagus is rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that is necessary to prevent irritability, fatigue, depression and even confusion.

3. Whole Grains

Whole grains also help to soothe your mood because they're rich in B vitamins. Make sure you're really eating something with whole grains, though, and not just "whole wheat" bread that's actually mostly refined flour.

4. Beef

Yes, red meat CAN be good for you! Beef is a great source of B vitamins and mood-stabilizing zinc and iron. To get the most health benefits, stick to organic, grass-fed beef.

5. Berries

Berries are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, which is known to help keep the stress hormone cortisol steady.

6. Nuts

Almonds are rich in vitamin E, which helps to fight some of the damage caused by stress. Brazil nuts, meanwhile, contain lots of zinc and selenium, which also fights free radicals.

7. Salmon

The omega-3 fats found in salmon may help to reduce feelings of stress.

8. Chicken Breast

Chicken is a great source of tryptophan, which can help you sleep better and elevate your mood (as a bonus, it can even help to regulate your appetite!). Contrary to popular belief, chicken breast actually contains slightly more tryptophan than turkey.

9. Avocados

Add some avocado slices to your sandwich or salad or whip up a batch of guacamole for a quick boost in your B vitamins (plus, avocados can help prevent cancer and they're great for your heart!).