A nutritionist has shared how stress can affect our gut health, and simple ways to support it
A nutritionist shares light on how stress impacts our appetite (Image: Getty Images)
A nutritionist has highlighted how everyday stresses, like receiving unexpected bills or feeling undervalued at work, can disrupt gut health. Kim Plaza, a nutrition and education advisor, explains that stress can upset the natural balance of the gut, often leading to discomfort.
The stress hormone cortisol is linked to reduced diversity in gut microbes, which can negatively affect digestion and the production of mood-boosting vitamins, such as B vitamins. Additionally, stress can influence our appetite, sometimes causing us to choose less healthy foods. This combination can result in digestive symptoms, including bloating, gas, and general discomfort in the digestive system.
Stress can cause a loss of appetite(Image: )
But Kim insists there are simple ways to help, such as paying attention to how you feel and supporting your gut with nourishing foods that feed beneficial microbes.
“Lack of sleep, financial pressures and time constraints don’t just affect our mood,” Kim explains. “They can disrupt the delicate balance of microbes that support digestion, immunity and even mental wellbeing, which can impact our ability to digest food and make mood-supporting vitamins, such as B vitamins.”
She cautions that one of the most frequent mistakes is resorting to extreme diets without proper guidance, which often offer little benefit for digestive health.
“Small, consistent changes such as paying attention to how we feel, prioritising rest, and including gut-nourishing foods such as kimchi and kefir can make a significant difference in helping our bodies cope better with stress,” she added.
Her guidance comes after research commissioned by Bio-Kult, which polled 2,000 adults and revealed the nation’s biggest sources of stress include lack of sleep, rising household costs, and not having enough hours in the day.
Almost a quarter (23%) grapple with achieving work/life balance, while 29% find surprise costs, such as car repairs, challenging to manage.
The research also discovered that 55% of adults observe changes in their digestive system when under pressure, including bloating or reduced appetite. Almost half reported their stress shows up in both physical and mental ways, whilst 12% experience predominantly physical symptoms.
Fewer than one in ten rate their gut health as excellent, and two-thirds reckon everyday pressures can affect internal health.
A spokesperson for Bio-Kult said: “There are so many different places that stress can attack us from. Life, work, relationships – modern life can be hard to deal with, for so many reasons, but there are things we can do to help.
“It’s not a solve-all, but making sure your gut is in a healthy place is a great way of making sure your mind and the rest of your body can deal with stress better.”
THE TOP 20 STRESSES IN EVERYDAY LIFE:
1. Not getting enough sleep at night
2. Rising household costs
3. Unexpected costs, e.g., car needing work, plumbing issues etc
4. Trying to manage household chores
5. Not having enough hours in a day to get everything done
6. Lack of time for yourself or hobbies
7. Coping with an illness or health issue in the family
8. Trying to maintain a healthy work/life balance
9. Arguments/disagreements with my partner
10. Pressure to meet deadlines at work
11. Getting an unexpected bill in the post
12. Feeling unappreciated at home
13. Not seeing family members because life gets in the way
14. Being a working parent and juggling routines
15. Feeling unappreciated at work
16. Not being able to afford a holiday
17. Seeing friends progress in life ahead of you e.g. in careers, love life etc
18. Feeling left out of social plans
19. Having to work additional hours due to circumstances outside of your control
20. Worrying about how well your kids are doing in school
