Stress and Digestive Issues Connection

Speaker 1 0:00

Gas , bloating , diarrhea , constipation we get it all . As shift workers , we have all sorts of problems with our digestive tract , don't we ? In today's episode , I'm going to address the main reason why we have problems with our digestive tract and what you can do about it . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified Nutritionist , veteran Law Enforcement Officer and 24-7 Shift Worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigors of shift work but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and well-being so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show . Hello and welcome back to a healthy shift podcast where I uncover evidence-based strategies to help shift workers thrive and not just survive . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , a veteran shift worker and evidence-based nutritionist , and I get great pleasure in personally welcoming you to this episode of the show and thank you for listening .

Speaker 1 1:26

Today I'm delving into a topic that hits close to home for majority of us , but majority of you will be completely unaware of the connection , and that is , the intricate link between stress and digestive issues in the lives of shift workers . Now I had a client talk to me about a problem that she was having going back a couple of weeks ago and she said I've got gut problems and I've got to go and have a series of tests and ultrasounds and things like that . And when she messaged me and she told me about it , the first thing I said to her was I'm going to diagnose you with female shift worker . And I think she probably thought I was joking , but after she'd had all the tests done and there was absolutely nothing to see , it was quite interesting that she came back to me and she said I think you're right , I think you have diagnosed me with female shift worker and there's a reason why this actually occurs . And I know I've covered off before on the digestive issues for females in shift work , but I do really want to go into for all of us today , because we really do not realize just how much this impacts on us . And when the medical pros tell us there's nothing to see , boom , you're a shift worker and this is one of the problems , so let's just go through and try and understand what the culprits actually are .

Speaker 1 2:58

So after almost four decades of being in the shift work trenches , I have literally seen firsthand the toll that stress can take on our bodies . I have my very own story , which I relayed in episode 17 , which is titled stress , the silent killer . My story where work related stress led me to having a transient ischemic attack where I thought I was literally going to die , while I was at what could arguably be my best condition physically ever , and I was 56 , 57 years old . So I was at the top of my game and stress got me and I didn't realize that it was actually attacking me from within . Stress gets you like that and that's why it is known as the silent killer .

Speaker 1 3:53

Now , when it comes to digestion and our digestive tract , stress has an enormous impact on us . So why and why does this occur ? Well , there's this absolutely fascinating thing called the gut brain axis , and this is literally a highway of communication which runs between our brain and our gut . Now , research shows that stress can disrupt this axis , which leads to a myriad of digestive issues . We end up with things like irritable bowel syndrome , ibs , we have diarrhea , we can have constipation , we get indigestion , we get reflux , we get gas , we get bloating and we even end up with inflammatory bowel diseases , which can rear their heads in response to this chronic stress that we suffer . So while stress may seem like a psychological issue , its impact extends deep into our digestive tracts . Our bodies are actually wired to respond to stress with a fight or flight mode , and what it does is it releases hormones such as cortisol that can literally wreak havoc in our digestive systems . When we're in a stressed or a sympathetic state , which is fight or flight , our digestive tract inhibits digestion . All up , that's it . It shuts it down because it doesn't need to be digesting while it's actually in fight or flight mode . And when we're stressed , this is literally what it does . Now , shift workers often experience increased stress due to our own irregular sleep patterns . We don't have a regular sleep pattern . We can try as hard as we like , but having to do night shift , day afternoon swing shifts , quick changeovers , all sorts of things like that , it puts a real demand on our body and our demanding work environment , as well as juggling our personal lives , causes us massive problems in this way as well .

Speaker 1 6:02

Now , as a certified nutritionist , when a client comes to me with digestive issues , my very first start in the process of elimination is stress . Believe it or not , we don't look at oh , you need to be FODMAP , or you need to be this or that . The first protocol is how's your stress ? What is your stress level like ? What are you doing to manage your stress ? And the next protocol is caffeine , because these two impact on our digestive tract enormously . And , hello , shift workers , stress , caffeine , gut issues . Put your hand up , if you can relate . No , no , you're still in your car , not yet , because you'll hurt your hand , right Anyway .

Speaker 1 6:47

So this is also compounded greatly by our desynchronized circadian rhythm , meaning we're up when we should be asleep and we're asleep when we should be awake . Our system is about as confused as it can possibly get . Now . What this means is that we're releasing hormones at wrong times , which also has an impact on us . It doesn't know where it's at . Our system is entirely stressed just in itself , even if you don't feel stressed in yourself . A desynchronized circadian rhythm , where you are suffering from what's known as social jet lag and social jet lag , is where what we're actually doing doesn't match up with what our eyes are actually seeing compared to our internal clock . And that's called social jet lag , and I've spoken about that on another podcast myself .

Speaker 1 7:44

All right , so one of the biggest ways that we stress our body is eating during the biological night . Now , the biological night is considered on the delayed onset of melatonin , which is literally Around about 9 pm At night . So from 9 pm At night until melatonin ceases production , which is around 6 to 7 am . Eating during those times while our body is sleeping , it's the worst possible thing that we can actually do . So , even though that we're awake , our system is resting Well , it's meant to be , but what do we do ? We put food in it . So eating overnight causes our gas Massive distress in itself . And what do we eat overnight ? Of course , highly processed carbohydrates and fats Chips , chocolates , lollies oh , will you look at that ? Jenny's brought us in brownies , and these things are the things that we find all the time . Someone brings in donuts , someone's bringing in brownies , and they're at the counter there . It we just can't help ourselves and we end up eating these highly processed carbohydrates and fats , and these are Literally the things that are causing us the biggest problems . Now , our system literally can't digest these and around and around our highly insulin resistant system , they go until they end up being parked as adipose tissue and , worse , they elevate our triglycerides in our bloodstream , which causes cardiovascular disease . It elevates our cholesterol and this runs the risk of heart attack and stroke . And it really is Pretty dire because while our system shuts down on its circadian clock , overnight it starts to close down . Our pancreas does not secrete enough insulin , so therefore we We've got no transporter to get the glucose to the muscle , and then when it gets to the muscle , it's shut down anyway because we are insulin resistant , and this means that this just literally Runs around in our bloodstream until it's got nowhere to go but get parked to stored energy , and that is body fat . So this is what happens All right now .

Speaker 1 10:04

Nutritional strategies here , as an evidence-based nutritionist , I'm all about finding an actionable solutions . Shift workers this is the problem . The pragmatic approach is this , and that's what I want to give you . So to counter effect , counter-attack the effects of stress on our digestion , there are a few things that we must take action on ourselves . We need to take the responsibility . You can't just turn around and go . I can't do this or I can't resist this . This is your body , this is the vessel that is carrying you around Every single day , and you need to look after it , because if you don't make time and resist these things now . You're gonna have to make time to be lying in a hospital bed later , trust me .

Speaker 1 10:50

Now what we need to do is we need to nourish our bodies Cleverly . We need to incorporate fiber rich foods , whole grains , fruits , vegetables , legumes . These support a healthy gut microbiome which plays a pivotal role in our digestive health . And Don't forget omega-3 fatty acids , which are found in fatty fish , walnuts , flax seeds . They have anti-inflammatory properties which can be a godsend for our stressed out guts as well . Super important , but most importantly , we need to fast during this biological night to give our system a break .

Speaker 1 11:33

And , ladies , have you ever looked around at your male counterparts and thought why don't they seem to suffer as much as we do ? Is this just part of being a lady ? Well , I'll be brutally honest with you here as a female . Internally , you are completely different to a male , and your male colleague has got a more efficient System full stop , just because he's male . Biologically , females take 14 hours longer to digest food on average . Their stomach is less acidic , the stomach empty slower , the colon is longer and the colon empty slower as well . And when are your sexual reproductive organs , ladies ? They're internal and they occupy exactly the same space as the colon , and it really is a Recipe for disaster to a shift working female . So when we look at that and then we look at a female that's in the luteal phase of her cycle , where she's got a highly agitated ovaries and uterus , with a colon that's compromised as it is occupying the same place , we have a recipe for disaster there , and it really is and does cause massive problems for female shift workers

Digestion and Well-Being in Shift Work

Speaker 1 12:50

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Speaker 1 12:50

And this is why it is imperative that females in particular do fast between , at the latest , midnight and 6am . But if you can go from 9pm to 6am and clients of mine that have started this fasting and we've worked on the fasting they can't believe how much better they feel . They cannot believe how much quicker they bounce out of their night shifts without feeling all sluggish and heavy . It makes such a difference . 14 hours extra to transit your digestive tract is a long time , and this is what you need to make sure that you're giving it that opportunity to rest , because these highly processed carbohydrates and fats that you're putting into your system , they're fermenting in your gut and this is where the gas and the bloating can come from .

Speaker 1 13:40

Alright , so let's have a look at that . We've got stress . We've got a desynchronised circadian rhythm and we've got a compromised digestive tract . Ladies , you're up against it full stop and , yep , you've got your right to put your hand up and say we suffer more from shift work and you absolutely do . Biologically , it is proven . So you've got to take extra steps to really look after yourself around that . Now , that's the nutritional side of things .

Speaker 1 14:10

But what about the power of our own mind and body techniques ? That we need to look at and brace yourself , because here comes the happy clapper and it's called happy clapper because it makes us clap happy . It works , trust me . Now let's sprinkle a little bit of tough love here to deal with some of this , and it's time to prioritise your own self care , no matter what . That is , my fellow shift workers , you need to go and do those massages . You need to take those hot baths and just relax . You need to do mind body techniques , practice deep breathing , meditation , journaling , have yourself a gratitude practice and yoga can all work wonders in managing stress and relaxing our bodies all really , really important . Now , you might not need to do all of them , but you could certainly help yourself by doing one or two or a few of them . I know people that do all of these , and it does make such a difference to relax your body , get rid of stress and also give your digestive tract a really nice run at it , because when we manage stress effectively , we're giving our digestive system a really well deserved break too .

Speaker 1 15:27

Remember , it's not just about surviving shift work . We want to thrive , and we want to thrive in every aspect of our life , and we want to have more energy to do the things that we love outside of shift work . It's a good opportunity for money , but it does have an impact and we need to look after ourselves . I just want to go through on this topic which is probably one of the things that brings it up is a listener Q&A before I wrap up . So let's tackle that question , and the question is what are the best times to eat while you are actually working shift work ?

Speaker 1 16:07

And this is a tremendous question , because irregular eating patterns during shifts literally disrupt our digestion , and the key here is consistency . What we need to do is to do our utmost best to try and establish a regular meal time even amidst our regular hours , and I don't know what that looks like for you , but you will learn and your system will learn that if you eat at the regular times that you should normally eat at , your system will cope really well with it . And I highly recommend that people try and eat at breakfast time , at lunch time and at dinner time for what would be the normal times to have breakfast , lunch and dinner . And if you miss lunch because you are literally asleep well , you're asleep , you don't need it Becauseー . Try to eat at regular time so that your system anticipates that that's what's going to happen and then you can eat at those times and avoiding outside of those times , because the more you eat Outside of those regular meal times , the more problems your digestive tract is going to have and it's going to cause you that gas Bloating and everything else that goes with it .

Speaker 1 17:24

All right , so , in conclusion , we've covered some serious ground over that . The stress digestion connection is actually real , but , armed with these evidence-based strategies that I've given you , you can take charge of your gut health . From nourishing foods to our mind soothing practices , the happy clapper practices , you've now got tools to actually thrive . So have a think about what there is that you can actually do . So let's make a pact to prioritize our well-being , because the more energy we have , the more we can save a life outside of these shifts , alright . So thank you for joining me on this insightful journey .

Speaker 1 18:05

If you found today's episode helpful , don't forget , please hit , follow and please , more importantly , share this with your fellow shift workers . If you've got people at work that are complaining about their poor gut or gut health or diarrhea or whatever , share this , and it may very well help them . So share with your shop fellow shift workers . Put it up on your board . Let them know that these , this podcast , is here . Keep these questions coming and remember you've got the power to be a true shift work champion . And , as always , please remember to be patient and kind to yourself as you navigate the challenges of shift work and Prioritize your mental health and well-being .

Speaker 1 18:50

And , as always , I want to thank you for tuning into a healthy shift . I hope you found this episode helpful and inspiring . All right , and I want you to do this for me and promise me that you'll keep moving forward , one step at a time , so that you can start your journey to make a healthy shift . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app You're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to a healthy shift Dot com . I'll catch you on the next one .