Is it food? Or is stress your bloater-promoter?
Have you noticed your IBS symptoms worsening over the last few months?
Yes, this could be a change in diet and lifestyle but it’s also highly likely due to the added stress and anxiety.
As well as all the craziness going on in the world as we speak, you may feel bloated/windy/uncomfortable because..
You eat on the go, grabbing a sandwich during a 5 minute lunch break whilst sat on your laptop replying to an annoying email
You eat quickly, not thinking about chewing thoroughly or taking your time
You eat whilst distracted, perhaps on your phone or watching TV. You are not present at meal times.
You eat in a stressful environment i.e at work or in a busy city
You eat whilst feeling anxious or stressed
You are feeling anxious about the food you are eating (i.e thinking the food is ‘bad’ for you or the calories in the food)
Your tummy and brain are so closely connected – in fact, there is literally a nerve connecting the two. So often clients approach me saying they’ve tried everything – from medication to strict diets to raiding Holland and Barratt based on their google search.
Cutting out foods (i.e the low FODMAP diet) may provide temporary relief, but it’s not getting to the root of the issue (that’s my job!). In fact, restricting more and more food to try and solve your problems can actually make things loads worse. You may be missing out on super important nutrients and bacteria that the gut needs to work properly. Plus, food restriction can cause more anxiety around food, worsening the problem.
After exploration with clients, it becomes very clear that they haven’t quite appreciated the link between their stress and anxiety and their bloating. Or, maybe they are aware but wish to ignore this link because addressing stress and anxiety is tricky, and usually means committing to lifestyle changes (like starting to say no to things and swapping phone scrolling for meditation).
When you are stressed out or feeling anxious (whether it’s about that work email or you’re being chased by tiger – your brain doesn’t care) your digestion pretty much goes into sleep mode. The energy to digest food isn’t needed right now – you are not going to stop for a sandwich if you are being chased by tiger (remember, your brain doesn’t realise you’re munching on a boots meal deal in your 5 minute work break on a crazy Monday afternoon).
For this reason, not only can we experience these uncomfortable symptoms, but your ability to absorb the nutrients in that lovely Pret salad you have is pretty minimal. Remember, you’re being chased by a tiger. So it may also be part of the reason you’re experiencing symptoms you would never relate to digestion like fatigue, joint pain, headaches, skin problems, PMS and more.
Here are my top tips for reducing symptoms of bloating and discomfort:
Before you eat, practice belly breathing. To begin, close your eyes (if you want) and become aware of your breathing. Notice the way the air feels as it travels in through your nostrils and then out. Next, take a long, slow deep breath inward (around 6 seconds), bringing the breath all the way down into your abdomen (to know if you are doing this correctly, you should feel your hand rising on your belly as you inhale.) When you’ve taken your breath inward, pause briefly (around 4 seconds) and then exhale slowly and fully through your mouth (counting around 8 seconds).
Try to always make time for food. I know this isn’t easy when you’re busy at work, but it is important if you want to reduce your symptoms. Take yourself away from your working environment and sit down somewhere you feel calm (i.e on a park bench or in a relaxed café).
Avoid distractions whilst you eat. When your mind is elsewhere the blood flow and energy required to breakdown food is going away from your digestive system where it thinks it isn’t needed. This not only causes undigested food in your stomach, but also a slower metabolism. Eating in a relaxed and mindful state is fundamental for healthy digestion, breakdown of food, absorption of nutrients and prevention of nasty symptoms.
Eat SLOWLY and chew THOROUGHLY. Practice being mindful, present and connected with your food. Eating quickly and not chewing thoroughly or eating in a stressed state can lead to undigested food in the stomach and a build-up of gas. Chewing produces saliva, and the longer you chew, the more saliva is made. Saliva helps start the digestive process in your mouth by breaking down some of the carbs and fats in your meal. In your stomach, saliva acts as a fluid, which is mixed with the solid food so that it smoothly passes into your intestines, avoiding build up. Chewing may help prevent symptoms such as indigestion and heartburn. What’s more, the act of chewing has even been shown to reduce stress, which may also improve digestion
If you feel anxious about the food you’re eating, try practicing mantras before eating such as “I am worthy of the nourishment and fuel from this food” or “I allow permission for myself to eat and truly enjoy the pleasure of this meal”. It may feel strange at first, but eventually, with practice, this feedback strengthens neural connections in the brain that allow you to align with this way of thinking
Remember, if you suffering daily with IBS symptoms, it’s important to get to the bottom of the issue (no pun intended). My job is to do to the detective working and investigate why you’re feeling rubbish.
If you’d like to chat with me about how I can help, book your free discovery call here: