A Dirty Business

Irritable Bowels. Diarrhea, constipation, cramping and bloating may be as regularly a part of your day as the stress you experience. Did you know that stress impacts your process of elimination?

There is a relationship between your gut and stress. Nerves feed from your heart directly into your intestines. They also feed from your heart to your brain. Think of it as a communication highway that regulates which chemicals are secreted and how much.

The brain in your gut, otherwise known as the enteric nervous system, sends and receives impulses, records experiences and responds to emotions. How often have you had a gut reaction, got butterflies or felt like you were kicked in the guts?

The language you use is reflective of how you feel and how you feel impacts how you feel. No, this is not a typo - the way you think and feel affects how you think and feel. If you soak in negative emotions such as frustration, sadness or worry, your body assumes there's a threat and prepares by eliciting the stress response.

If you are constantly plagued with loose bowels or are constipated or fluctuate between the two,  among other health concerns, consider learning stress techniques to help regulate your system.

Be your own lab rat. Learn and practice some stress techniques that help you change your perception, while balancing your nervous system. Treat the cause of your stress and not just the symptoms. Then, see what happens, or doesn't happen.

2 Replies to “A Dirty Business”

  1. If you were a traveling salesman in India when I was, you acquired IBS or Chronic amebiasis or both, and wore it as a badge of honour. Stress had nothing to with it, but just the conditions generally were not very hygienic where one got fed!

    It took a long time for me to get rid of both but once in way, I do get into some indigestion trouble but it will have its way, run its course and in a couple of days, disappear.

    1. Ramana,

      That must have been rough to have that experience while you were on the road.

      Glad that all’s well that ends well.

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