Six Tips to Improve Digestion By Removing Stress From Your Plate
November 8th, 2022
Six Tips to Improve Digestion By Removing Stress From Your Plate
Do you ever feel like every time you sit to eat you feel rushed or stressed? Maybe it’s when you’re at work sitting at your desk, in meetings or running from patient to patient. It could be trying to get dinner on the table for your family and the kids are running wild. Or maybe you have very little time to eat and your only option is to shove something in your mouth when you’re hidden from plain sight.
These are all things that I’ve heard from clients (and many more). I realized that there are not many people who actually sit down to eat when their mind and body are both calm and relaxed.
What can be a result of this? Digestive issues. Things such as bloating, stomach pain, gas, heartburn, constipation, nausea and belching. Not to mention, the likelihood to overindulge on that meal is much greater due to being rushed and distracted.
Most importantly, do you feel you are constantly living in state of stress?
Let’s review two parts of the nervous system that can affect digestion. We have the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
Sympathetic Nervous System:
“Fight or flight”
Slows digestion and flow of food to prepare for action
Activated by stress
Parasympathetic Nervous System
“Rest and digest”
Controls digestion, sexual arousal, salivation, urination, and defecation
Slows under stress to conserve energy
Not all stress is bad, but chronic stressors and stressful lifestyles – which put digestion on the back burner – can lead to a long list of potentially harmful consequences.
Acute stress: short term – helps with focus and performance
Chronic stress: long term – can damage health
Consequences of Chronic Stress:
Altered microbiome
Elevated blood sugar levels
Food intolerances and allergies
Increased acid reflux, indigestion, GERD, and ulcers
Increased belly fat
Increased inflammation
Increased risk of developing SIBO
Intensified IBS symptoms
Leaky gut
Lowered immunity
The GI tract works best…
when the mind and body are calm. Awareness is key for creating change. The goal is to quiet the sympathetic nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system during meals.
Six Ways to Practice “Rest and Digest” :
Leave any problems behind.
Create a ritual or reminder to signify transition (e.g., worry jar).
Plate your food beautifully.
2. Create body awareness.
Savor each bite and notice tastes and textures.
Pay attention to breathing.
Tune in to body sensations.
3. Express gratitude.
Acknowledge gratitude at the start of meals.
Visualize all the “nourishment” that went into your meal.
4. Eat without distraction.
Leave your workspace.
Ban phones and devices from the table.
5. Dine in pleasant surroundings.
Set the scene for a calming meal.
Clear clutter.
Include soothing music and lighting.
Eat outside.
Share meals with friends and loved ones.
6. Reframe your stress story.
A stress story is the meaning you apply to a situation. It’s your interpretation or belief of the event. Now, what if you changed the story? By redefining the event and reframing your stress story, you can generate a new type of emotional response. Step outside your typical way of thinking and come up with a new stress story that seeks the potential for positivity. You can write this down in a “new story” box in a journal, in your phone, or just in your head. Then, reflecting on it, notice your emotional response, then record this as well. Reframing your stress can help create a calming environment that your digestion wants and needs to properly do its job.
Learn more about nutrition and lifestyle modifications in my previous blog “How to Manage Stress Overload”
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