Could your emotions be affecting your digestive health?
Emotions create a vibration in the body so what we are thinking has a ripple effect and creates a response in the body.
In my last blog “Is poor digestion affecting your health?” I went through how important digestion is to our overall health and a few reasons that could be causing an imbalance in your digestive health. Whether it is physical imbalances that need support or emotional resolution, there are many ways you can support your digestive health which in return will impact your overall health.
Our emotional and mental health can have a big impact on how our body physically functions. When we get an emotional response, such as stress, fear or anxiety, the brain can not clarify whether we are in fear of fighting off a chasing lion or fear of the unknown. It triggers a chemical process response any way. We can change that vibration by calming that stress response in the body.
However, if left alone that negative response can trigger a negative ripple response throughout many cellular functions. Starting with our nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is divided into two parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic is where the fight or flight response occurs, and the parasympathetic is rest and digest. When we are in that moment of stress, anxiety or fear our adrenal gland switches on as a protective mechanism and we are in fight or flight mode.
When this response is triggered our hormones go on alert and adrenaline and cortisol (our stress hormones) flood the body. This has a number of effects on the body such as:
Blood pressure, breathing and heart rate increase.
Glucose is released into the bloodstream for ready energy. This can lead to blood sugar imbalances.
Digestion, growth, reproduction and immune system functions are suppressed.
Long term, high cortisol levels can also make us put on weight, and we can find it more difficult to lose weight (our body wants to store that fat because it thinks we are in a continuous battle and will need that reserve of energy)
Simply put - all cellular functions are put on the back burner.
Usually when that crisis is over the adrenal levels go back to normal which is a healthy response to stress. But if we stay in stress-mode, then our body stays on hyper alert and this becomes chronic stress. On a continued level-this is what brings us out of balance physically, emotionally and mentally.
When we are in chronic stress-mode and our digestive system stays suppressed then its function is impaired and this leads to toxins not being efficiently cleared. This build up of toxicity can cause:
Skin problems such as acne, eczema, psoriasis etc.
Increased mucus in the body
Make us more prone to allergies.
It can also lead to migraines
Affects our mental health causing irritability, depression
Impairs our immune health
Impacts on digestion
Increases acidity in the body
Increases inflammation
Causes an imbalance in our microbiome.
An overwhelmed mind can cause an overwhelmed body.
Creating physical symptoms.
We are so connected to our stomach; our guts. We talk about our gut instinct, a gut feeling, but also not being able to stomach a situation. Or being emotionally wounded and feeling like someone has kicked us in the gut. Digestion is all about your ability to absorb and assimilate. Are you struggling to absorb and take on a situation that you do not want to? Or refusing to let go which can cause a sluggishness in your bowel movements and could lead to constipation?
Children very often can control their bowel functions as a way of controlling something in their life or if affected by bullying or unhappy in any way. And as adults we don’t really change our behaviour but we are better at hiding it, which in return, can cause more physical rebound symptoms. When we suppress deep emotions like this, there is no doubt that those feelings will create a negative impact on the body.
I often see clients who are overwhelmed with stress at work or with relationship problems and this can cause overwhelming symptoms. Quite often this appears in the digestive system first, but may go on to lead to problems in the hormonal system, skin problems or inflammation and autoimmune conditions. Author of “Your Body Speaks Your Mind”, Deb Shapiro writes that “ Digestive difficulties may be connected to having to swallow distasteful emotions such as someone’s anger or because of your own adverse feelings rotting inside.”
In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is believed that grief can affect the lungs but also the colon. That resistance to letting go of our loved ones, not wanting to assimilate the news of this loss and holding on to the past. Stomach ulcers can often go hand in hand with feelings of repressed anger that are literally eating away at us. Inspirational Metaphysical Teacher and best-selling author, Louise Hay wrote how colitis was a sign of deep rooted insecurity. That constipation was a refusal to release old ideas or stuck in the past. And diarrhoea as a symptom of fear or rejection.
As a Naturopath I always seek to find the root cause of the symptoms and being a detective and trying to find where the body is out of balance. It is essential to ensure the body has what it needs to heal and restore but it is the emotions which will also play a role on how well that body can heal, how quickly that body can rebalance. Getting to the deep roots of your health is always like pealing back the layers of an artichoke to get to the heart of the matter. So often we bandage and plaster over the cracks but they will still be weak unless we put in some strong foundations of support.
When I connect with my clients on what is going on with them emotionally and using my Reiki and intuition I can help to guide them to find ways to release some of these emotions through Metaphysical healing or refer them to a counsellor if appropriate. I also highly recommend Polarity Therapist and Shamanic Healer Jane Seaman who specialises in transforming people’s health through the basis of treating the emotional and energetic body to improve physical symptoms.
Quite often we cannot change what is stressing us out. But we can change the way it impacts on us emotionally. In times of great stress we need to increase that self-care as this helps to reset that adrenal mode and restore balance in the body.
So whatever it is that you find that brings that calming feeling, whether it is a run or kick boxing session or a more calming practice like yoga and meditation, you have to find what suits you. Whether a hot soak in a bath scented with calming lavender and a good book or a hike up a mountain. We are all different and we respond differently. so tuning in and connecting to what you need to calm your body, nurture your mind restore your tranquility. Filling that cup up as quickly as it gets drained away. Finding ways to lower our cortisol levels will improve our digestion and overall health. But it is the deeper work of the emotions that will help to restore balance, that will give you those strong foundations. Facing the unresolved emotions, releasing past hurt, freeing the body of repressed anger is a powerful healing mechanism.