The Connection between Stress and Digestion Part Two

As I was talking about in Part One…

Stressors activate the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) which is the emergency response nervous system or “Fight or Fight” nervous system.  Stress takes priority over all other functions as digestion and put on HOLD while we deal with the perceived THREAT at hand.  Ideally, that perceived threat passes and we recover then move on, switching back into the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) to “rest and digest”.

How does the the nervous system relate to our stress response and proper digestion?

Dr. Wilsons talks about the healthy digestion function on stress and our nervous system. Our autonomic nervous system has three parts:

1. Enteric:
   1. “second brain” or “gut brain”
   2. manages every aspect of digestion
   3. innervates the smooth muscles of our digestive system, glands and organs
   4. produces neurotransmitters, the brain chemical messengers) in the gut that work with our cognition, mood and digestive function
   5. interacts with the rest of the ANS to regulate the digestion processes and modulate the digestive function during stress
2. Sympathetic:
   1. responds to stress
   2. mobilizes the body for physical reaction
   3. usually inhibits digestion to increase resources to the brain, heart and muscles that are needs for the “EMS” team
3. Parasympathetic:
   1. maintenance, repair, restoration, relaxation and digestion
   2. “rest and digest” system
   3. supports digestive processes as:
      • saliva and digestive enzymes are secreted in the mouth
      • muscular contractions in the intestines
      • sphincters are opened to allow normal passage through the system (stomach-SI-LI-colon)
      • mucus is secreted over inner walls of stomach and intestines to protect against chemicals released for digestive processes and breakdown of food
      • digestive system lining maintained and repaired constantly
      • beneficial gut bacteria grow in a balanced intestinal environment (see RESTORE 4 LIFE blog)
      • immune cells in the digestive tract protect (part of our first line of defense team) the body tissues against infection in the gut (70% of the immune system is in the gut).

Now you are still wondering how this relates to STRESS?

Remember, stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and chronic non-stop stress alerts lead us to becoming sympathetic dominant (stuck in the SNS).  Any source of stress (physical, emotional, internal or external),  triggers the activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA Axis) system and notifies the adrenals to release stress hormone cortisol.  The SNS is the “fight or flight” nervous system, and activates the body to run or to fight.  The stress hormones cortisol, adrenanline and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), shifts the digestive processes that may be occuring to be put on hold.

Continue to Part Three of STRESS & the DIGESTION System.

Learn more how to get help by asking for The WHOLESTIC Method Coaching with myself, Debbie Potts and learn more on supplements with www.drwilsons.com for reclaiming your health from living life as a race as myself for too many years!