Is Stress Sabotaging Your Efforts To Fix Your Gut
Can I be real with you?
So long as stress is present, so will your symptoms. It's like thinking you can put gas in your car but no oil and expect it to run just as well. You can eat all the good stuff, take all the supplements, but if you do not address stress, notorious for creating gut imbalances, it just may be holding you back from the results you truly desire.
A Stressed Body
There is something to be said about the phrase "scared the shit out of me" and those that have experienced it will attest just how true it is. A sudden noise, an unwanted phone call, dreaded confrontation and the next thing you know you are strapped to the toilet with diarrhea. This is just an example of your body under stress and while it might be easy to think these bodily reactions pass with no long term effect, that isn't exactly true. Here is exactly what stress is doing to your gut:
Increases acidity and inflammation in the body
Depletes your digestive enzymes, increasing your gas, bloating and nausea and hindering breakdown and absorption of foods (if you can identify food in your poop, this is a solid sign we've got work to do!)
Can trigger diarrhea or constipation
Blood is sent away from the digestive tract (aka shutting it down) to go to the lungs, heart and muscles providing you with the energy to get you out of danger​
Compromises your gut lining leading to leaky gut
Encourages overgrowth of bad bacteria
If you are experiencing chronic stress know that this can increases your symptoms and can eventually lead to a variety of gut imbalances such as irritable bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers, gastroesophageal reflex disease (GERD) and food sensitivities.
The number one problem I see with people trying to fix their guts is that they are missing critical steps, leaving them frustrated with little to no results. It wasn't until I identified the gaps in my own protocol that I was able to put together a complete 4 step system. Without addressing your stress, the remaining steps will only get you so far.