Holiday Stress That Hits You in the Gut

Transcript*

Hello dear friends.

If you are watching this video when it is released, we are within holiday season. It is a time of year that offers us a moment of pause to reflect on the important things in life. Many are looking forward to celebrating these most holy days of the year with loved ones.

Yet, for others, the days adding up to these gatherings can be hectic, stressful, and loaded with extra demands. The hustle, bustle, and commercialization can trigger them to become jaded. They may wish for the end of the season, versus to immerse in it.

So, for the next few clinical tips, I want to offer you some ways to help you enjoy these precious times vs. just survive them.

This week, I thought I’d focus on something practical. It’s a subject that may hit you in the gut.

Specifically, I will highlight the impact of stress on digestion and give you a few quick ways to mitigate it.

I will also reveal the best essential oil to decrease the holiday bloat and relieve an upset belly.

Since most of us will be partaking in holiday goodies, having this information on how to feel more nourished and comfortable is important.

Next week, I’ll provide more details on supporting a stressed-out gut using naturopathic and functional medicine.

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.

 

How Stress Messes with Your Gut (The Gut-Stress Axis)

Stress effects everything, instantaneously. When we are in “fight and flight” mode, our whole physiology and psychology shifts quickly to survival mode. Thankfully, once the stress is gone, the mind and body can begin to recover and revitalize.

However, if there is no respite, long-term stress can lead to physical and mental illnesses. This is true whether it from one’s perception and continued rumination of emotional stressors, or, experiencing legitimate dangerous situations.

One area that is heavily impacted by stress is our gut. Unless you were born a spiritually serene guru, you’ve probably experienced firsthand the influence of stress on digestion. Furthermore, you’ve probably found you may get a bit more irritable when your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is misbehaving.

This bidirectional relationship between stress (physical, environmental, and/or psychological) and digestive function is complex. Stress can cause GI distress in several ways and various gut imbalances can cause stress. In fact, they are so intricately linked that psychological therapies are often used for treating functional gastrointestinal disorders.

If you are struggling with digestive issues, and constantly overwhelmed, it’s important to understand how stress can sway your symptoms.

In a previous article and video, I explored how stress can affect the gut. I will summarize it here. Then, I will highlight a few simple tools to relieve its effects.

First, let’s look at some of the key ways stress and the gut are connected:

  • Our “second brain” in the gut – We have over a million nerve cells lining the gut. This “enteric nervous system” is responsible for influencing automatic digestive processes. It relies on neurotransmitters and hormones, like the brain. In fact, your gut contains more serotonin than the brain! Therefore, more stress signals can lead to a more irritable gut.
  • The gut-brain connection – your gut and brain communicate to each other via the vagus nerve and the metabolites produced by the microorganisms residing in your gut. These compounds act as signaling molecules to the nervous system and can modulate various physiological functions. In fact, one recent study found that the gut microbiome in rodents plays a role in regulating stress by interacting with the body’s circadian rhythms. Furthermore, a stressed-out brain can trigger changes in gut function and microbe populations.
  • The gut-stress axis: Stress has been found to impact the gut by influencing:
    • gut immunity
    • digestive processes and motility
    • the microbiome and inflammatory mediators and compounds they produce
    • intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”)
      • Cortisol and other stress hormones can lead to a breakdown in the gut barrier, which is important for immune support and proper digestion.
      • One recent study found that those with a more intact gut barrier exhibited a better mood and more robust resilience in challenging situations.

You can get the link to watch the previous video and read the full article here.

 

Simple Tools for Taming Gut Stress

Now that we learned about the detriments of stress on the gut, I don’t want you to stress out too much on stressing out.

One way to support a stressed-out gut is to support the gut microbiota and metabolites produced by gut flora. This can be accomplished with appropriate use of probiotics and a healthy, diverse diet. You can also start at the brain using stress-reducing techniques and essential oils.

 

Essential Oils for Gut Health

Let’s look more into how essential oils can help with aiding the gut-stress axis.

Essential oils have many properties that support digestion. They are antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants (alleviating cellular stress), are soothing to the gut mucosa, and have been shown to be beneficial to the microbiome. Essential oils also benefit the brain and emotional health. This means they can simultaneously support physiology and intercept at the level of perception to calm our stressed-out mind.

 

Highlighting The Go-To Essential Oil for Holiday Belly Bloat and Upset Bellies

One of the most evidence-based essential oils for supporting gut-health is peppermint oil. If you remember back to our chat about essential oils for focus, I highlighted peppermint oil.

Besides helping one feel more alert, peppermint oil has many reasons why it’s so effective for digestive health. This includes its role as an antioxidant and microbe inhibitor.  One study abstract reports:

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) is one of the most widely consumed single ingredient herbal teas, or tisanes… The main volatile components of the essential oil are menthol and menthone. In vitro, peppermint has significant antimicrobial and antiviral activities, strong antioxidant and antitumor actions, and some antiallergenic potential. Animal model studies demonstrate a relaxation effect on gastrointestinal (GI) tissue, analgesic and anesthetic (pain-relieving) effects in the central and peripheral nervous system, immunomodulating actions and chemopreventive potential. Human studies on the GI, respiratory tract and analgesic effects of peppermint oil and its constituents have been reported. Several clinical trials examining the effects of peppermint oil on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms have been conducted.

Peppermint oil (PO) can also soothe your belly and help with brain power via the gut-brain link. It has impressive clinical evidence for relieving symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), which is often linked to cognitive and mood imbalances.

In fact, in a 2019 meta-analysis of pooled clinical data from 12 randomized trials with over 800 subjects, it was concluded, “in the most comprehensive meta-analysis to date, PO was shown to be a safe and effective therapy for pain and global symptoms in adults with IBS.” This was supported by other meta-analyses as well.

 

Application Tip for Peppermint Oil to Boost Digestive Wellness

One of the best ways to use peppermint oil is to inhale it from the bottle and/or dilute 1-2 drops in a tsp or two of carrier oil and rub it on your belly. You can also diffuse it during mealtimes.

 

Summing Up About Stressed Holiday Bellies and Peppermint Oil

The relationship between stress and the digestive tract is a two-way street. Stress can cause havoc on digestion and absorption, gut immune response, and lead to a “leaky gut.” On the other hand, an upset belly can be stressful on the mind.

Along with probiotics and mind-body techniques, essential oils can ease digestion and calm the nerves. Peppermint oil is the most famous essential oil for how it can soothe an irritable belly and help with holiday bloat.

I hope this information can help you to feel more at ease and comfort your tummy.

Next time, we’ll dive deeper into more tools for a happy, holiday belly.

Many blessings for a beautiful holiday season ahead.

 

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Resources:

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

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Disclaimer: This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. (Affiliation link.)

This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.

Thanks Pixabay and Canva.