Bloating & The Brain?
Rest and Digest: The connection between our bloating and our brain
Have you ever noticed that a stressful day (or week!) can leave you with digestive upset? What about a few weeks of high stress? There is a real link between stress and digestion and the habits we form around meals and how we manage our stress can make a difference in terms of our symptoms. In visits with our naturopaths, you will likely hear about the “rest and digest” part of our nervous system - or more scientifically, the parasympathetic nervous system. This is part of our autonomic nervous system, a system beyond our conscious control - important for taking care of all the tasks that go on inside our bodies that we don’t think twice about (like our heart rate and digestion). The other side of this system is our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight).
Normally, at rest, there is a level of balance between these two opposing systems. We can roughly observe this balance by looking at our heart rate variability (many watches that sense heart rate will calculate this for you!). The more variable the time between our heart beats is, the more parasympathetic dominant we are - and, usually, the more rested/recovered!
The vagus nerve is a major player in the parasympathetic system and is interesting for a few reasons. One being that it functions in two directions - both relaying information TO the brain and FROM the brain. More vagus nerve activation or “tone” has been associated with better gastrointestinal disorder outcomes, improved gut motility, better gut microbes, and reduced inflammation and pain. Stress tends to inhibit vagal tone and can lead to gut symptoms. Low vagal done has been observed in folks with IBS, IBD and indigestion.
So, how do we increase our vagal tone, improve our digestion, and feel our best?
slow down and smell your food. The digestive process starts before you take your first bite! Your body needs time to start secreting enzymes and digestive juices.
Sit at the table (avoid standing). We want to be in a relaxed state - not on the run!
Pause and take 5 deep breaths before eating.
CHEW your food - like, really chew - more than you think. There’s even evidence for using gum-chewing after surgeries to help “get things moving”.
Aside from meal-time, moderate exercise, meditation and deep breathing practices can help shift us into a more parasympathetic state.
Want more support for your digestion and getting into “Rest and Digest” mode? Book a consult with one of our Naturopathic Doctors.