The gut-brain connection is powerful and more connected than you may think. Research has found that gut health and mental health are so intertwined that poor gut health can lead to stress and depression, and depression can lead to imbalanced digestive health. It can go either way, which is why stress reduction is such an essential part of getting your gut health in check.
Let’s take a look at one of the number one ways to support better gut health, and in turn, support your body’s stress response.
One of the Best Ways to Fix Gut Health
A healthy gut is dependent on a few things. From a clean and healthy anti-inflammatory diet to supporting the healthy bacteria in the gut, stress management is also key. Reducing your stress is also important for supporting overall mental health, so it’s essential that we make stress reduction a priority.
When you’re stressed, your body goes into a state of fight or flight, which can negatively affect gut health. Chronic stress can impact the blood flow to your gut and lead to uncomfortable digestive upset.
This is where stress reduction comes in. You want to support the parasympathetic nervous system to allow your body to relax and get out of that chronic state of fight or flight. Things like yoga and meditation are excellent for this.
To help your body adapt to stress, you can also support your adrenals, which can help support balanced cortisol levels in the body. Our adaptogenic herb blends Yinergy and Vigor are ideal for helping your body adapt to stress, can help support healthy cortisol levels, and may help you feel a bit more balanced.
Healthy gut bacteria may also play a role in mental health. Poor gut bacteria is thought to be connected to depression, so here’s one more reason to support the beneficial bacteria in the gut. You can do so by consuming probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso and eliminating processed and artificial foods from your diet. Stress reduction yet again plays a role here and can also help support healthy gut bacteria.
Set a goal to practice some form of stress reduction daily. Whether it’s doing some gentle exercise, meditating, sipping on some herbal tea before bed, or taking your Yinergy or Vigor in the morning, stress reduction is an essential part of balancing gut health.
Chronic stress is a recipe for poor gut health and inflammation. So, when you make stress reduction a priority, you may be surprised to see other areas of your health improve as well.