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How gut health and mental health are linked: Anxiety and Digestion
When you’re stressed, do you ever notice that your stomach hurts?
It could be:
- A tight feeling in your stomach before a big event
- A feeling of fullness that gets worse when you’re anxious
- When you’re overwhelmed, you might feel sick, have diarrhea, or lose your appetite.
You aren’t making it up.
At Branz Nutrition Counseling, we help clients understand how anxiety and digestion are linked and, more importantly, how to help both in a way that doesn’t require a diet.
Our dietitians can help you feel better without strict food rules, whether you need help in person or online in Kirkwood, MO, or O’Fallon, IL.
The Gut-Brain Connection: How Anxiety Affects Digestion
Picky eating (common and often developmental)
The gut-brain axis is a link between your gut and brain that is always sending messages back and forth.
The Gut-Brain Axis is really important. This connection means that the Gut-Brain Axis affects us in ways.
- The Gut-Brain Axis shows us that stress and anxiety can directly impact our digestion.
- The Gut-Brain Axis also means that digestive issues can increase feelings of anxiety.
- The Gut-Brain Axis tells us that our nervous system plays a role in how our body processes food.
When our body is in a fight-or-flight state the Gut-Brain Axis is not working properly because digestion is not the priority.
This can lead to a lot of problems with the Gut-Brain Axis, such as:
- Slowed or rapid digestion of food
- Increased sensitivity in the gut
- Changes in our appetite
- IBS- symptoms that can be very uncomfortable for people, with the Gut-Brain Axis issues
Common Symptoms of Anxiety-Related Digestive Issues
A lot of the people we see in Kirkwood and O’Fallon have problems with their stomach. These problems include
- Bloating
- Stomach pain or cramping
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Nausea
- Acid reflux
- Feeling full quickly or not wanting to eat
These Anxiety-Related Digestive Issues can come and go depending on how stressed out the people’re which can be really confusing and frustrating for the people with Anxiety-Related Digestive Issues.
Why “Just Fix Your Diet” Is Not The Solution To Anxiety-Related Digestive Issues
If someone has told you to
- Stop eating dairy or gluten
- Only eat foods
- “Eat healthy food”
- Not eat certain foods at all
It might have actually made the Anxiety-Related Digestive Issues worse for the people with Anxiety-Related Digestive Issues.
Eating little of certain foods can
- Make you more anxious about food
- Mess up your bodys signals for hunger and fullness
- Make your stomach more sensitive
- Make you afraid to eat certain foods
At Branz Nutrition Counseling we try to help people with Anxiety-Related Digestive Issues in a way that is good for their stomach and their mind. We do not just focus on weight. We want to help people, with Anxiety-Related Digestive Issues eat in a way that makes them feel good.
Our Approach to Treating Anxiety and Digestive Issues
We do not believe that one plan works for everyone.
Our dietitians at Branz Nutrition focus on helping people with anxiety and digestive issues.
They do this by:
- Nervous System Support – Our dietitians help your body feel safe so it can digest food properly.
- Gentle Nutrition Strategies – We support digestion without being too strict about what you eat.
- Food Relationship Work – We help people feel less anxious about eating and we help them stop following food rules.
- Sustainable Habits – Our dietitians help people create routines that fit their lives.
- Collaborative Care – We often work with therapists and medical providers to support your body.
What Working With a Branz Nutrition Dietitian Looks Like
At Branz Nutrition Counseling you can expect an approach that is free of judgment.
You will not get a meal plan or be told that some foods are good and some are bad.
Our dietitians will teach you about your body. Give you tools to manage anxiety and digestion.
We will support you as you make progress.
You can expect:
- A approach that does not judge you
- No strict meal plans or rules about what you can and cannot eat
- Education about how your body works
- Tools to manage anxiety and digestion
- Support that changes as you make progress
Anxiety and Digestion Support in Kirkwood, MO
Our office in Kirkwood, Missouri offers:
- In-person counseling about nutrition
- Virtual appointments so you can meet with us from home
- A comfortable and supportive space
This is perfect if you are looking for:
- A dietitian in Kirkwood, MO who specializes in gut health
- Help with anxiety and digestion near your home
Virtual Nutrition Counseling in O’Fallon IL
If you live in or, near O’Fallon, Illinois we offer:
- Virtual sessions so you can meet with us from home
- Flexible scheduling so you can meet with us at a time that works for you
- Options that work with your insurance
This means you can get help from the comfort of your own home.
Nutrition’s true power lies in realistic, shame-free choices that fit your life, not perfection or exclusion. Let’s explore what works for you.
Our St. Louis area dietitians specialize in pediatric nutrition counseling and eating disorder treatment.
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