by Dr. Michelle Irwin

Have you ever had butterflies in your stomach, or that pit in your gut? We know that its telling us something right? Whether good or bad, we know that something is going to happen, or our intuition tells us to act NOW. We think nothing of it because it is just part of how things work, but why? Why do we know that, why does it work this way?

Well researchers wanted to know the same thing, so they have been studying the reasoning for at least a century. Remember Pavlov and his dogs? This showed that even just the thought of food would elicit a response in dogs. People work in a similar fashion. You think about something you want to eat without being hungry and then your stomach starts growling because your digestive system is preparing for you to eat it. That’s why food commercials are so effective, especially around dinner time. But this isn’t the only way our brain and our digestive system are connected. Stress can cause your stomach to ache or push you take action because you feel that nudge from deep down inside. Stomach pain can actually cause you to get stressed out as well because of that connection. With this knowledge researchers have found out that people with digestive issues may actually experience pain MORE acutely due to the sensitivity of their gut. Any added stress can cause pain to seem more intense, which is why one person’s pain scale doesn’t match another’s; it is all subject to our internal environment.

Some of the most common gut and digestive issues related to stress include heartburn, abdominal cramping, and bloating. Long term stress can lead to more serious issues as well, but the good news is that research has shown that people who are able to reduce stress have seen significant improvement in their digestive complaints. Some great ways to reduce stress include meditation, exercise, Chiropractic adjustments, good nutrition, and good sleep (more on this in coming months).

Remember that your brain and your gut are constantly communicating, so our mood affects our gut, and our gut affects our mood. Eat right to think right!

Join us TONIGHT Oct 27th at 6pm to learn more about digestive health.