Easy Ways to Live Well: Steph McGovern discusses bloating
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Stomach bloating affects up to 15 to 30 percent of the general population. It’s usually a physical clue that our digestive system isn’t working quite as it should, as this can be due to a variety of factors. However, a person’s mental state can also have a direct impact on your bloating symptoms with a simple method proving highly effective at targeting both.
Having a feeling of unease in your stomach due to anxiety can cause bloating in the belly.
This is due to the fact that anxiety and worry can upset the delicate balance of digestion.
In some people, stress and anxiety slows down digestion, causing bloating, pain and constipation.
Doctor Ashton Harper, medical advisor for Bio-Kult said: “There’s evidence that the brain and the gut communicate with each other via numerous systems including neural, hormonal and immunological.
“These do not function independently.
“Because of this interconnected relationship, it means that if one system is ‘disturbed’ it will result in the other system being ‘disturbed’.
“In simplest terms, mental stress equals upset tummy.”
With this in mind, finding tools to help combat your stress and anxiety will also equally help to reduce your bloating.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction appears to be an effective tool to reduce anxiety in patients with generalised anxiety disorder or those prone to stress.
Patients who learned mindfulness meditation had less stress reactivity and were more resilient to stressful situations studies have found.
Lodro Rinzler, a Buddhist meditation teacher said: “With meditation, we encourage people to relax with the breath as is because the intention is to become familiar with all of who you are and what is happening right now, as opposed to what we wish might happen.
“Many people come to meditation because they want to feel less stressed out or anxious, to sleep better, or any of these other touted results of the practices.
“But there’s more to it than just getting a good night’s sleep.
“The practices are transformational for one’s whole life if given the proper time and instruction.”
Other ways to help with stress and anxiety include:
- Exercise
- Consider supplements
- Reduce your caffeine intake
- Spend time with friends and family
- Eat well-balanced meals
- Get enough sleep
- Take deep breaths.
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