08 Jan Could Stress be the Cause of Your Constipation?

It cannot be emphasised enough how much stress plays a part in digestion and bowel function. Have you ever been nervous before an exam and felt it in your tummy? Have you ever been so struck with fear that your bowels seem to freeze? Have you got so nervous before a driving test and can’t get off the toilet as you have constant diarrhoea? Most of you have had the experience of getting a fright, feeling terrified or excited and it affecting your gut. You may have experienced diarrhoea, nausea or butterflies.
There is a direct link between the brain and the gut and chronic stress can lead to all sorts of gut issues including irritable bowel, ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease.
There are different types of stress and one type of stress produces a lot of adrenaline which gives you diarrhoea before an event like taking an exam. Other stress causes your body to contract and your bowel muscles to hold on. Find someone to talk to about your stress or get professional help. Take half an hour every day to do something that really relaxes you. This could be exercise, music, art, gardening or meditation.
Constipation itself has a big effect on mood. I’m sure you’ve noticed how much better you feel when you have a good movement every day! Often worrying about the future causes more bowel movement and anxiety. Being stuck in the past causes more constipation and depression.
Exhaustion often begins in the gut. The gut is the main source of nourishment for the rest of your body. Your digestion and assimilation need energy to function. If your energy, chi or prana are low then absorption suffers and consequently energy is reduced. The average diet in the western world taxes our digestive system over time. The nerves to the bowel get affected by stress and nutrient absorption may become sub-optimal and then there is even less resistance to stress further leading to poor bowel function.
Along with dietary changes, look at getting help for emotional pain and stress. There are many good therapists out there and I can recommend E.F.T. and N.E.T. and hypnotherapy as well as traditional therapists. You can get so used to being stressed you don’t realise the impact it has. To help, start to add things to your life that ease your stress. There is lot of evidence that meditation has a huge impact on stress.

Taken from ‘Digestive Solutions – 101 Proven Methods to Solve your Tummy Problems Naturally’ By Michele Wolff

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