http://chriskresser.com/how-stress-wrea ... n-your-gut
The biochemical changes that occur in times of stress have significant and immediate impact on gut function.
A family of peptides called corticotrophin releasing factors (CRF) are responsible for coordinating the body’s response to stress, and CRFs have a potent effects on the gut through modulation of inflammation, increase of gut permeability, contribution to visceral hypersensitivity, increased perception to pain, and modulation of the gut motility. (5) This hormone affects the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) to eventually stimulate the secretion of cortisol from the adrenal glands.
Not only does stress affect the physiological function of the gut, but it has also been shown to actually cause changes in the composition of the microbiota, possibly due to the changes in neurotransmitter and inflammatory cytokine levels. (6) Research in mice has found that exposure to stress led to an overgrowth of certain types of bacteria while simultaneously reducing microbial diversity in the large intestine of the stressed mice. (7, 8) Furthermore, this disruption of the microbiota increased susceptibility to enteric pathogens.
Chronic exposure to stress may lead to the development of a variety of gastrointestinal diseases such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, IBD, IBS, and even food allergies.
That said, it goes without saying that a major component of a healthy lifestyle should include stress reduction techniques.
As I mentioned before, many of my colleagues at the Paleo f(x) Conference focused on reducing stress as a key component of weight loss, longevity, and mental health. Stress may even cause hypothyroid symptoms such as weight gain, blood sugar swings, fatigue, decreased immunity, and sleep disturbance. I highly recommend that anyone struggling with these types of symptoms evaluate the level of stress in their life, and incorporate different strategies for minimizing stress on a regular basis.
There are many ways to mitigate the impacts of stress, including meditation, yoga, taiji (“Tai Chi”), deep breathing and spending time in nature – to name a few. However, here are two options that I’ve found to be particularly helpful for healing the gut-brain axis:
•The Body Scan (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, MBSR): MBSR was developed by clinical psychologist and long-time Buddhist practitioner Jon-Kabat Zinn to cultivate greater awareness of the ways the unconscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can undermine emotional, physical, and spiritual health. It has been studied extensively at the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center for over 30 years, and is clinically proven to relieve chronic pain and illness. You can download a free audio recording of the Body Scan here, and I recommend doing it once a day if possible. If you prefer more in-depth training, MBSR is offered as an 8-week intensive in hospitals and medical centers around the world. It is also offered as an online course, and can be done via home study with books and audio recordings.
•Rest Assured is marketed as a program for healing insomnia naturally – and it’s very effective for that purpose. However, the way this is accomplished is by maintaining a greater state of relaxation and ease throughout the day, which will improve not only sleep but other physiological processes like gut function. As I’ve shown in this article, operating in a state of constant hyper-arousal (which many of us do) is a sure-fire path to digestive problems. The Rest Assured program contains simple exercises that coordinate breath and movement. Many of the exercises can be performed in as little as 3-4 minute throughout the day, while some take 20-30 minutes and can be done when you have a little more time – or while you’re laying in bed before sleep. I’ve found these to be incredibly helpful myself, and my patients have as well.
