Have you heard about the connection between your gut health and your mental health?
According to Harvard Health Publishing, the brain has a direct connection to our stomach and intestines,
and vice versa. Meaning that a person’s stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of
anxiety, stress, or depression.
For those of us that suffer from anxiety or depression, this can mean that we may have the power to
influence the rate or severity of our symptoms. As well, we may have the power to manage the way we
use food to fuel our bodies and our minds.
Intuitive eating is one way that we can be mindful of what we consume and how it affects us. Trust your body and try different foods, and then listen to your body’s response. How does it make you feel? Tired?
Energetic? How does it impact your anxiety symptoms or depression rates? Not only does intuitive
eating promote a healthy attitude toward food, but it also is a way to honor and more closely listen to
your own needs.
Stomach problems are a very common symptom of anxiety. If you are experiencing stomach discomfort or gut irregularities, reaching out to your doctor is important. Although another important consideration
is your stress levels. Examining your levels of stress or anxiety and working towards addressing them
may be an option to address gut distress.
Gut issues should be assessed by a medical professional, but if you are looking for another route to
tackling those struggles, you may want to consider addressing your mental health. Seeing a therapist can
be very beneficial. Entering into a therapeutic relationship with a mental health professional can help
you to better understand what you are feeling, why you are feeling that way, and how to address it.
They can offer effective tools to manage your symptoms and help you heal areas of your life that need
attention. Also, just talking to someone can offer tremendous ease in addressing the many physical
symptoms of stress.
So listen to your body and be willing to notice the connection between your gut and your mind.