Stressed-Out Holiday Guts Part 2: Naturopathic and Functional Medicine Tips for Digestive Health & Soothing Bloated Bellies and (Holiday) Gut Distress

Transcript*

Hello dear friends. It’s Dr. Sarah. If you’re watching this at the current time, happy holidays to you!

Let’s face it, the time leading up to holiday gatherings can be hectic, stressful, and packed with additional commitments. The extra hustle, bustle, and events can lead to overwhelm and decrease the excitement of immersing fully in the festivities.

Besides the common holiday triggers, diet culture messages can dig their nasty claws into our mind and rob us of our joy. Food morals and rules can not only keep us from fully enjoying treats but can also contribute to our seasonal stress and hamper our digestion of them.

This is why I started a series of tips to aid you in relaxing a bit easier so you can appreciate these precious times. Since most of us will be partaking in some goodies, I wanted to start with information on how to help you feel more nourished and comfortable.

In my first video, I highlighted the bidirectional relationship between stress and the gut. I also gave you a few simple tools to mitigate the effects of stress. Finally, I revealed the best essential oil for relieving the holiday bloat and upset belly which may occur from consuming seasonal, yummy foods.

In this video, I’ll expand on the topic of supporting a stressed-out gut using naturopathic and functional medicine. Topics include:

• A summary of the gut-stress axis and the power of peppermint oil.
• A review of important basic and functional labs to consider for chronic digestive issues.
• Several naturopathic and functional medicine interventions to soothe digestive distress. These include digestive enzymes and essential nutrients, lifestyle, and foods that support microbiome health.
• The importance of practicing balance with food and not giving into the blame-shame-game of diet culture.

In the final tip, I will provide an overview of some of my favorite digestive herbs and essential oils.

As always, all the links to the references, resources, and past clinical tips will be at the end of the video transcript.

So, let’s get started.

 

Summarizing the Gut-Stress Axis and Peppermint Oil for Holiday Bellies

First, let’s highlight what we learned in the previous video and get everyone up to date.

We reviewed how the relationship between stress and the digestive tract is a two-way street. Stress can cause havoc on digestion in several ways. It can impair absorption, the gut immune response, and lead to a “leaky gut.” On the other hand, an upset belly can be stressful on the mind and impact emotions and mental health.

Along with probiotics, a diverse diet, and mind-body techniques, essential oils can ease digestion and calm the nerves. Peppermint oil is the most famous essential oil for soothing an irritable belly. In fact, there is a lot of research on its effective use for irritable bowel syndrome. This oil is my go-to recommendation for holiday bloat, tummy troubles, and a refreshed outlook.

 

Naturopathic and Functional Medicine Labs to Evaluate Stressed-Out Guts

Before we go into additional solutions for gut stress, it’s important to assess what may be contributing to digestive problems and malabsorption. Labs should be considered if the condition is chronic and consistent.

So, let’s break it down to basic labs, imaging, and functional labs for evaluating digestive issues.

 

Basic Labs

The following lab tests can be ordered by primary care providers when someone has belly aches.

• A complete blood chemistry – This helps determine overall metabolism, kidney and liver health, electrolyte balance, and blood glucose levels. All of these can contribute to an unhealthy gut and can be altered due to GI dysfunction.
• A white blood cell differential – This evaluates immune response and activation, as chronic infections can impact gut health.
• HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c) – This test will help to assess blood sugar imbalances. Gut health, the microbiome, and intestinal permeability can alter glucose metabolism and vice versa.

Other tests that may be deemed necessary to run with GI distress include:

• A comprehensive thyroid panel (to rule out hypothyroidism as a secondary cause of constipation or slow digestion)
• An iron panel to assess for bleeding problems (ulcers)
• Other immune and inflammatory markers

 

Imaging and Testing

Proper imaging and testing for lower colon abnormalities, ulcers, and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) should be performed as needed. You can access a full list here.

 

Functional Labs for Dysbiosis Markers

The following markers can help to assess digestive health and microbiome imbalances (dysbiosis):

• Comprehensive stool tests – These offer a complete look at gut health by measuring pathogens present and analyzing digestive function, nutrient absorption, inflammation, and immune function (including celiac markers).
• Testing for SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), H. Pylori, and other pathogens– These results may help to diagnose infectious causes of GERD, ulcers, and other digestive disorders.

 

Naturopathic and Functional Medicine Modalities to Revive the Gut-Brain and Cool Stress

Once we know the cause of digestive dysfunction and resulting imbalances, we can start to incorporate lifestyle shifts and natural interventions to relieve stress on the gut and brain.

Let’s now discuss more common naturopathic and functional medicine modalities for upset bellies, holiday tummies, and digestive woes.

 

Digestive Enzyme Support

Digestive enzymes can help replete nutrients by enhancing absorption, which is often compromised in digestive disorders and decreased due to the influence of stress.

Supplementing with digestive enzymes and HCL (hydrochloric acid) can also support assimilating iron, zinc, and B vitamins. These are precursors to make one’s own stomach acid (HCL) and are important for vital bodily functions.

If indicated, these supplements can aid with alleviating various digestive complaints including heartburn, constipation, and slow bowel transit.

 

Nourishing Foods and Lifestyle Support for the Microbiome

Supporting a healthy microbiome is important for a robust digestive system. Incorporating specific foods and practices that you enjoy into your life can help to feed healthy microbiota in the GI tract and improve digestive health and gut-brain communication.

Examples include:

• fermented foods (such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, etc.)
• polyphenol-rich foods from plants and beverages (e.g., cocoa, green tea, and coffee)
• fiber
• lifestyle changes (e.g., more sleep and stress reduction)
• movement – This can help to support bowel health and positively shift the microbiome.

It’s important to be aware that everyone has different needs. Some “healthy” foods can be suboptimal if one’s gut doesn’t have the prowess to effectively digest and absorb them. So, personalization is best.

For example, too much fiber can aggravate some gut conditions. Furthermore, fermented foods can release histamine, and cause discomfort in those who are histamine sensitive (e.g., mold exposure).

 

A Note About “BALANCE” with Food

The goal in my practice is to encourage people to eat and nourish their body by adding foods that support belly and brain health. I do not like to focus on restriction, which can lead to eating disorders.

By aiming for balance, my clients enjoy the benefits of feeling great and can be fully present to enjoy the pleasure of occasional treats without guilt or digestive repercussions.

 

Summary: Using Naturopathic and Functional Medicine to Support Digestive Health

Stress can alter gut function and impact our digestive health and overall wellness. Furthermore, digestive distress perpetuates stress symptoms.

There are various naturopathic and functional medicine interventions to support a stressed-out gut. Once the causative factor is found from a proper assessment and lab work, natural modalities can be used to help alleviate digestive woes and overwhelm. These include digestive enzymes, nutrients, lifestyle practices, and foods that support microbiome health.

Finally, remember to practice balance.

Practicing balance with eating is much better for mental health than basing your decisions on food rules and external cues from diet culture. Food choices are not a moral issue, and using your dietary practices to validate your self-worth is dangerous to your physical and emotional wellness.

What you nourish yourself with should be viewed as a tool to help you feel vibrant, less stressed, and fuel your best life.

In the final video, before the holidays, we’ll discuss more about herbs and essential oils for digestive health.

Finally, if you can’t get to the bottom of your chronic digestive issues, a naturopathic and/or functional medicine doctor can provide support. They will assist you in finding and remediating the contributors to a stressed-out gut while offering personalized support for your mind-body health.

I hope this information can help you to feel more at ease and comfort your belly and brain during this time of year and beyond.

Many blessings for a beautiful holiday season ahead.

 

 

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Resources:

• Stressed-Out Holiday Guts Part I: How Stress Impacts Digestion and the Go-To Essential Oil for Holiday Bloat and Upset Bellies (My clinical tip with references)
• How Stress Messes with Your Gut (The Gut-Stress Axis) (My article and video with references)
• How Did Diet Culture Take Over Healthcare, the Fitness Industry, Nutrition, and Society? (My article with references)
• Naturopathic and Functional Medicine for Optimizing Digestive Health and Soothing Stressed-Out Guts (My article with references)
• Essential Oils for Digestion & When Bugs Go Awry (My article with references)
• An Update: Do Essential Oils Harm Our Microbiome? (Ep. 394 of the Essential Oil Revolution podcast)
• Why Can’t I Focus? Part 2: Five Essential Oils to Boost Focus, Energy, and Cognitive Health (My clinical tip with references)
• Exploring the Gut-Stress Connection (Integrative Practitioner)
• The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of pooled clinical data (BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine. 2019)
• Systematic review and meta-analysis: efficacy of peppermint oil in irritable bowel syndrome (Aliment Pharmacology Therapy. 2022)
• Peppermint oil for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. 2014 July)
• Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Mentha piperita L. (Arabian Journal of Chemistry. 2015)
• A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea (Mentha piperita L.) (Phytotherapy Research 2006)

*Transcript has been edited for grammar and ease of reading.