Stressing Digestion

It is no surprise that stress and anxiety are listed as common risk factors in digestive disorders such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), colitis, heartburn and ulcers. If there is one thing I have learned while studying health and wellness, it is that the proper functioning of any organ comes from the fusion of a healthy metabolic and emotional state. We forget sometimes that our stomachs are connected to our nervous systems. To understand how this works, imagine yourself trying to eat anything before you have to participate in some form of public speaking, or while dining on a first date. Think back to a time when you were sad or depressed and the only suitable cure you could think of was a chocolate bar or a pint of ice cream. These types of experiences show that our emotions have a significant impact when it comes to digestion.

This may come across as somewhat of a design flaw of the human body. However, consider the human body as it was used thousands of years ago; we were wired for a different lifestyle. There is a reason for this; it is called our autonomic nervous system. This is a portion of our human design that was ideal for the caveman, but is somewhat backfiring in today’s world. For example; traditionally if you were running away from, let’s say, a Saber Toothed Tiger, a section of the autonomic nervous system called the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) would kick in. During that stressful event, in order to keep our blood flow directed toward the limbs required to run away or fight back, our bodies would limit any extra energy expending such as digestion. We would sometimes also get rid of anything that could be weighing us down, such as stomach contents. This would explain the phenomenon of diarrhea, constipation or the feeling of nausea.

So how does this relate to us today? Well I’m going to assume it has been a while since anyone has encountered a Saber Toothed Tiger in a back alley. Today however, daily stress is more present than ever. Instead of crossing paths with a deadly animal on the rare occasion, our constant stress comes in the form of blackberries, deadlines, rush hour traffic, family relationships and paying the bills and I’m just considering my afternoon. Humans of our generation are overworked and over stressed, our bodies have been wired to put digestion aside and worry about the task at hand. Unfortunately for most of us, that rarely leaves time at all for digestion and in turn a lot more reliance on the band-aid response of over-the-counter remedies.

So what can we do? Let’s be honest, we are not going to get rid of those immediate stressors right now. Although we can learn to kick start the second half of our autonomic nervous system which is the parasympathetic nervous systems, appropriately titled “rest and digest”. The best way I have found to do this is through light meditation. Our minds are a very powerful tool. If we can think of an argument we had with someone we love and lose our appetite; that must mean we can focus on something positive and gain it back. We can use this technique to take the first steps toward digestive health and complete health in general. This step is understating that change is needed, and recognizing that you possess the power to make it.

So, in addition to a healthy diet and exercise, try the following meditation technique to help develop digestive wellbeing and get those parasympathetic nervous systems firing. This technique will take you anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to complete and can be performed as often as needed.

Digestion Meditative Technique:

1. Find a quiet and comfortable place where you won’t be distracted

2. Choose a position; this could be sitting, lying down or one of your favorite yoga positions. Be sure that your position allows your spine to be in a straight neutral position

3. Take a few deep breaths to ground yourself

4. Close your eyes

5. Scan your body for any areas of tension. If you become aware of any tension present, direct your breath into these areas and help them to let go

6. Now direct your breaths into your belly. Focus on a strong smooth inhale and a deep slow exhale. Allow your belly to fully extend and contract.

7. Once this breathing begins to feel natural, try to quiet the mind

8. It is almost impossible to have no thoughts, so simply aim for very few thoughts. Let the thoughts you do have be directed towards a healthier you

9. Focus on having a healthy flowing digestive system and any ailments or pathologies to be flowing out of your body leaving only healthy tissue

10. Focus your energy to your solar plexus, this is the chakra located in the centre of our torsos that affects our digestive system. Think of the colour yellow which is the healing colour for this area

11. Once you feel satisfied with your meditation and your body feels clear, focus on bringing the breath back to normal

12. Open your eyes slowly and begin to wiggle your fingers and toes

13. Stand or sit up slowly and come back to your present life feeling refreshed and balanced


“Take all that is given whether wealth, love or language, nothing comes by mistake and with good digestion all can be turned to health.” -George Herbert

By Marcie Brown