It’s an accumulation of the little habits you do every day that affect so much, including energy levels, immunity, brain function and even gut health. It’s essential that the lifestyle choices you make are healthy ones, because many behaviors can result in negative consequences. For instance, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, saturated fats and even certain medications can create microbiome imbalances and impair your gut. But there’s one common habit in particular that that many overlook, which may be destroying your gut health: stress.
“Stress doesn’t only affect mood—it can also change how the digestive system works,” explains Dr. Andrew Dam, DO, Gastroenterologist, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center. “As gastroenterologists, we frequently see patients whose digestive symptoms worsen during periods of prolonged stress. This occurs because the brain and digestive tract are closely connected through what is known as the gut–brain axis.”
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Why This Overlooked Habit Impacts the Gut
A woman is sitting at a desk in an office with a laptop and a glass of water, seemingly feeling stressed and overwhelmed by her work. The setting is modern and professional, with large windows allowing natural light to flood in. Female entrepreneur with headache sitting at desk. Businesswoman under terrible physical tension at work.When you’re feeling stressed, your body shifts into “fight or flight” mode. “This changes the balance between the stress response and the body’s normal ‘rest-and-digest’ functions,” says Dr. Dam. “As a result, signals between the brain and gut can change, affecting intestinal movement, increasing sensitivity to normal digestive activity and altering immune responses in the gut. These changes can contribute to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.”
Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone,” serving as the main stress regulator in the body. While it can be useful in short bursts, as it helps people react quickly when in need of quick alertness or a boost of energy, if it stays high for an extended period of time, it can negatively impact digestion.
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Stress Can Actually Change the Composition of Your Gut Microbiome
That said, your microbiome is extremely sensitive to any changes in your body’s environment—including chronic stress.
Stress can impact the microbiome by altering gut motility, shifting the environment where these microbes reside. It can also affect digestive secretions and blood flow throughout the gut.
Implementing a few simple stress-management techniques into your lifestyle is a surefire way to keep your gut health in check. Dr. Rao suggests meditation, yoga, regular exercise and even journaling. Adding more movement to your day can boost your mood, mental health and overall sleep quality.
Take it from Aristotle: Every choice you make can impact your well-being. Keeping stress at bay can promote a healthier gut—and if your gut is happy, you’ll be happy.
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Dr. Andrew Dam DO, Gastroenterologist, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical CenterDr. Supriya Rao, MD, a Board-Certified Physician in internal medicine, gastroenterology, obesity medicine and lifestyle medicine and managing partner of Integrated Gastroenterology ConsultantsMa, L., Yan, Y., Webb, R. J., Li, Y., Mehrabani, S., Xin, B., Sun, X., Wang, Y., & Mazidi, M. (2023). Psychological stress and gut microbiota composition: A systematic review of human studies. Neuropsychobiology, 82(5), 247–262.Livermore, J. A., & Jones, S. E. (2015). Local–global overlap in diversity informs mechanisms of bacterial biogeography. The ISME Journal, 9, 2413–2422.Hence then, the article about this common daily habit is destroying your gut health here s how to avoid it was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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