Your emotional state controls your digestion more than you think.
“The gut literally has a mind of its own, and it is intimately, almost instantaneously, connected with the one in our brain,” says gastroenterologist Anil Minocha, MD, author of Natural Stomach Care (Avery, 2003).
Statistically, one out of 5 Americans has problems with functional digestive disorders. This means that their digestive system is structurally healthy, but its function is affected by certain factors. The most common digestive problem which occurs due to intense emotional stress is IBS- Irritable bowel syndrome which is accompanied by chronic pain, diarrhea, constipation and bloating. Also, there are people who are not diagnosed with a disorders but still experience heartburn or upset stomach each time they are about to give a speech or get on a plane. The conventional treatments for these disorders include fiber and over-the counter-medications which are poorly effective and often have numerous side effects. Or instance, fiber can cause bloating, diarrhea drugs can lead to nausea, etc.
An year ago, the FDA removed the IBS prescription medication Zelnorm from the market after it has been scientifically proved that it can cause heart attack and stroke. Therefore, many people opt for psychosocial approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation techniques, and hypnotherapy—and experience powerful results.
“The magnitude of improvement that has been reported with psychological treatments [for IBS] seems to be similar to or greater than that reported with medications,” stated an article in the April issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. That’s not to say IBS is “all in your head.” This means that your gut is more closely connected to your psychological state than you think.
A mind of its own
Ten years ago, Michael D. Gershon, Columbia University neurobiologist and MD, invented the term “the second brain,” which describes the web of nerve cells and fibers within the wall of the gut. The gut has over 100 million nerve cells, which is more than in any other organ, including the spinal cord. Also, it contains the same neurotransmitter as those in the brain (including more than 90 percent of the body’s serotonin).
Storehouse of emotion
Psychoneuroimmunologist Candace Pert, PhD, author of Molecules of Emotion (Simon and Schuster, 1999), explains that our gout has the same neurotransmitters as those which make us feel good when someone smiles at us or jerk when watching a violent movie. This affects the esophagus, the intestines as well as the anus.
“People thought that the emotions were housed in the brain, but it turns out that the hundred or so chemicals that modulate our emotions are also found throughout the body, particularly in the gut,” says Pert. “Whether someone is smiling at you or grimacing at you while you are eating can literally open or close one of these sphincter valves,” helping or obstructing digestion.
If you are under stress for a longer period, it can lead to decreased secretion of stomach acid and can slow down digestion, which further leads to overgrowth of bad bacteria which can cause numerous gut problems. Also, chronic stress can slow down the gut`s cell regeneration which normally occurs every 3-5 days. When this regenerative process is obstructed, it causes the intercellular microscopic gaps to allow the partially digested food molecules to enter into the bloodstream, which leads to development of dangerous health condition, known as leaky gut. “On the other hand, when we give our bodies messages that we live in a safe environment, it calms the whole body down, including the gut,” says nutritionist Elizabeth Lipski, PhD, author of Digestive Wellness (McGraw Hill, 2005).
Sending the right message
“A significant number of IBS patients tend to worry a lot, think the worst, and blow things out of proportion,” says Jeffrey Lackner, PsyD, at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine. “That works if they can tackle a problem and do something about it, but if they can’t, it can lead to physical problems, many of them GI-related.”
Lackner conducted a study which included 75 IBS patients. The participants were divided into three groups, where the control group was under their usual therapy which included medications, one group underwent 10 sessions of therapistadministered cognitive behavioral therapy, and the last group had self-directed CBT. After a period of 12 weeks, 72% of the self-directed group experienced considerable improvement, while 62 percent of the therapist group and 7 percent of the control group improved.
Another effective therapy for IBS is “gut-directed” hypnotherapy: The patients is put under hypnosis and is asked to imagine that she has the power over her aching stomach ( in some cases she may be told that when she puts her hand on the stomach, it feels calm and warm).