Speaker 1: 1:42

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 rigours of shift work, but thrive. My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love. Enjoy today's show and welcome to A Healthy Shift. I'm Roger Sutherland, your host and veteran shift worker of just over four decades.

Speaker 1: 2:28

Now, today we're tackling a common issue amongst shift workers and that is the digestive issues like gas, bloating and discomfort. Now, these are not just a minor annoyance. They can significantly impact your well-being, especially you ladies. But you ladies, you don't have this all on your own, because the guys do as well. It's all about the circadian rhythm. So let's talk about that and how it impacts on it and give you some strategies that will actually help you. So, first of all, I got this as a question from someone who I don't know whether you've noticed, but in the show notes you can actually message me and message the show and let us know what you thought of it, and so what I've done is I can't reply to that message. That message just goes there for other people to actually see, to let us know what you thought of the show. Now, this is enormously helpful because what it does is it lets other people know what you thought. It's like writing a review on episodes or on the podcast, so that when other people find it, they can go oh no, I need to learn about this, and this is what this person has said. So if you go to the show notes, you'll see message the show and you can message. Now I got a message from someone asking about, as a male, what strategies are there or what podcasts would you listen to in relation to gas bloating and discomfort, and it made me realize that I've probably done this to death for the ladies, but this is a problem that actually impacts on the men as well. So what I want to do is I want to cover both in today's episode. Won't be long. It's an espresso episode, so let's get into it.

Speaker 1: 4:15

So why does shift work actually mess with our digestion? So, first of all, let's understand that our body operates on that 24-hour internal clock that is known as a circadian rhythm. Now, this regulates various functions and one of those is our digestion. Every single cell in our body has its own clock and they all need to be in sync. Hello shift workers. What happens when they all go out of sync? Well, we've got different biological functions happening at different times. I've likened this before to if you imagine, the body's master clock is like the conductor of the orchestra, and then every different cell in our bodies has all got completely different instruments and they're all playing their own piece of music. And that's what a shift worker is like. One of our regular day walkers, our regular day walking friends. Their clocks are more in line with the master clock all the time, but as shift workers, because our master clock is running at that normal time.

Speaker 1: 5:19

But then we eat food and we actually trigger that clock in our digestive tract, or those clocks in our digestive tract, which then throws out the liver clock, which then throws out all the clocks right through the whole body, and it causes all sorts of disharmony in our body, which is where we end up with all sorts of problems like cardiovascular disease, heart disease and things like that, not to mention the cancers that it causes as well, and this is why it's important that we stay in line as much as possible, but let's concentrate mainly on the digestion in this one as well. All right, now, when we work a regular hours, especially night shifts, our rhythm gets disrupted, as I just explained, and our digestive system isn't as active during the night. So when we actually eat during these hours, it can lead to issues like gas and bloating. Now, second, irregular eating patterns are common in our shift working world, isn't it? Because we eat at odd hours, we skip meals, we rely on getting highly palatable carbohydrates and fats as convenience foods that can really upset our digestive tract. And third, not only is our body stressed just from this dysregulated circadian rhythm, but because of our very roles, we can also end up fairly stressed ourselves, which in turn will affect our digestion, which leads to symptoms like diarrhea or constipation or stomach cramps or gas or bloating or stomach pain.

Speaker 1: 7:00

And this is where a lot of people, and particularly a lot of female clients, come to me to start off with telling me that they are at their wit's end and they're going to go and have gastro tests done because they've got IBS and gas and bloating and things like that. And what I do is I say to them have some time with me, get 12 weeks with me, don't go down the line of a dietician doing all the IBS tests and everything else. Just spend some time with me and I will help you with this. And if it doesn't, then you've lost nothing. Because the amount of clients that have come to me with gas and bloating and digestive issues that I've worked with and we've ended up just solving that problem quite simply with a number of things that I do in my coaching, in the way I go about coaching, and I've got a couple of testimonies on my website there from clients who came to me with this issue and they have had it solved, saving them a fortune in actual testing and all of those sort of things as well.

Speaker 1: 8:10

So it does make a massive difference to getting things like stress, regular eating patterns and understanding these circadian rhythms and when to eat and what to eat makes a huge difference. So what is there that we can actually do to try and alleviate the issues that we do get here right, and one of the things that we need to do more than anything else is to maintain this consistent sleep, day and night schedule right consistent sleep, day and night schedule right, because it's really important that our body understands that this is daytime and this is what we do during the day, and this is nighttime and this is what we do. So we need to try and keep these consistent sleep schedule. Trust me, I know this seems strange when it comes to your gut health, but I've got to tell you consistent sleep and a routine. Our body thrives on routine and we need to make sure that our routine is always there, because our circadian rhythm is an anticipatory system as well, and it starts to anticipate the time that we're going to have breakfast. We get hungry for it, and then it anticipates the time we're going to have lunch, and it gets hungry for it and it anticipates the time we have dinner, and in those processes, it's also preparing your body to digest food at those times.

Speaker 1: 9:34

Now, as shift workers, one of the biggest problems that we have is what we do is we wake up at 10.30. So we decide that that's a good time to have breakfast, and then we have lunch at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and then, because we're still full, we're snacking on rubbish and then we decide we're going to have dinner at around about 8 or 9 o'clock. This is no good. This is literally what is causing all of the problems for you, and one of my biggest and golden rules around meal timing is whatever a day walker, whatever time a day walker would eat breakfast, lunch and dinner is the time that you should be doing the same thing. And there will be bonus points as well for putting majority of your main meals in earlier in the day and lightening those meals up later in the day. And there's a very valid reason for that as well, because our body starts to shut down later in the day. It's designed to actually digest and metabolize nutrients most efficiently in the morning and then, as it goes through later in the day, it starts to wane off and starts to lighten up. In what? Preparation for sleep, of course. So we don't want to be putting our main meal into our gut at eight o'clock at night and then going to bed on top of that. This is what causes a lot of issues digestive issues, food that is left unprocessed, sitting in our digestive track all the way through, and you females have already have a compromised digestive track. So what we need to do is we need to make sure that we are supporting it the best possible way that we can Now one of the other golden rules after sleep and getting that regular sleep pattern going.

Speaker 1: 11:19

And I understand as shift workers we can't get to bed and get up at the same time every day. Well, we can more or less almost get up at pretty much the same time, but we can't always go to bed at the same time, but we still need to get up. You can't catch up on that sleep, so getting up at a regular time is still going to be far beneficial. Up early, hydrate before you caffeinate, get that light, get that sky before screen, get that early movement and you will find that it will alleviate a lot of your gas and bloating and digestive issues, because your body is anticipating that and that is what it's going to get and that's the most important thing. The other thing that we need to do is we need to be focusing on. It's no good saying, oh, I've got gas and I've got bloating and oh, it must be my cycle, or I'm allergic to this or I've got an intolerance to lactose or whatever. Hang on a second.

Speaker 1: 12:14

Are we eating a lot of highly processed foods? Are we eating a lot of fats and carbohydrates? Now, I'm not demonizing carbs, I'm just talking about the highly processed ones that are going to ferment and cause gut issues in your gut. One of the most important things that I think that a lot of us need to do is we do need to be consuming predominantly low GI foods from around about three o'clock in the afternoon, gi foods from around about three o'clock in the afternoon, because if we're having low GI foods, this stabilizes our blood sugar, keeps that fiber in our system and stops us from reaching for these highly palatable carbohydrates and fats that cause all sorts of problems in our gut as the night goes on or later in the day it gets. Because, let's be honest, a lot of us don't end up with gas and bloating at 9, 10 o'clock in the morning. It comes later in the day as we've started to put in a few of those treats let's just call them and then that's what actually happens. It causes us more problems. So I would say, and my recommendation is eat normally and eat majority of your food breakfast and lunchtime, and then start to wane away with low GI foods from three o'clock onwards.

Speaker 1: 13:30

Now, if you're one of the clients of mine or you're someone who is actually in the Shift Workers Collective, you've got access to my ebook, which is the low GI foods, which gives you recommendations around that Really important, and this is the sort of thing that I have in there for people to actually have access to. So this is why the Shift Workers Collective is so beneficial to help you with things like this. It's not just about the podcast and SOC man. You've got access to me to help. Anyway, there's a link in the show notes for you to go and have a look and learn all about the Shift Workers Collective.

Speaker 1: 14:05

We're not here to talk about that. We're here to talk about the other thing and the third step. We've got sleep first, then eating nutritious and regular meals on the regular Breakfast, lunch and dinner, two snacks, not eating outside of those times. Just try it that way and watch the improvement that you actually get in your gut just by eating at that breakfast, lunch and dinner time. It's when we eat outside of that that we have problems.

Speaker 1: 14:33

The next step is to avoid eating during the biological night. What is the biological night? Well, I actually talk about the biological night being from the onset of dim light, melatonin, which is around about eight o'clock or nine o'clock at night when it gets dark, and it's about two hours after dark, and that is when it becomes the melatonin onset. We know that our body does not digest and metabolize sorry, it doesn't metabolize and store nutrients as efficiently when melatonin is elevated in the body. When this happens and you are eating at that time, you are actually straining your system and your system is not running as well. So what actually happens? We end up eating a lot more. Sorry, we end up eating a lot more of these highly palatable foods. We also get to the stage where what actually happens is we then get to eating sorry, we lost my train of thought there. We actually get to the stage where we are eating food and we're overeating food at night in a system that is basically sleeping, and this is what we want to try and stop it from actually doing, because this is a massive problem for us All. Right, so that's another one that we need to.

Speaker 1: 15:55

The next thing that we need to really focus on and I mean really focus on overnight is to hydrate, and hydrate extremely well. Now, I'm not talking caffeine and energy drinks here. I actually mean putting water through your system to support your body and get your body actually running and functioning really, really well, because when your body's functioning well, hydrated, it's got everything moving through it really well, it's got no strain on it, and then it starts to run really quite efficiently. A lot of constipation and sluggish digestion comes back to poor hydration or you are dehydrated. So that's something else that we want to make sure that we're on top of.

Speaker 1: 16:41

What we also want to do as number four is we want to make sure that we are moving our body. Let gravity do its thing. All right, by being vertical and walking or moving, it's allowing gravity to actually force our digestion to occur. Moving through our body, it lets gravity pull things through. So even just short walks will help with this, because sitting for hours on end slows everything right down, and when you are tired and you are eating outside of your normal synchronized diurnal circadian rhythm, have a think about what it would possibly be doing to your gut and everything that's not moving through it at all. This is something that is a massive problem for a lot of people who work in call centers, as radio dispatchers, as people who sit and work in control rooms and things like that, that are just sitting and they're not moving anywhere near as much as what they should be Just getting up and going for short walks can make an enormous difference to you.

Speaker 1: 17:44

Now, number five and I would consider one of the most important, ryan is to manage your stress. Very, very important, because stress and that vagus nerve running down, there is a gut-brain axis and when your brain is stressed and you are anxious and you are thinking about things, it will impact on your gut as well. So if you are having trouble managing home and work and things like that and you're highly stressed, you are coupling that with the stress of your body that is just naturally stressed because it's outside of its circadian rhythm and you are going to find that this comes out in gas and bloating and digestive issues in your gut. So this is something that's really important, and I mean really, really important is something that's really important, and I mean really, really important. All right, that you manage stress.

Speaker 1: 18:37

One of the first things that we are taught as a nutritionist is, if someone comes to us with I mean I'm a little bit different because I understand shift work extremely well and the impacts that shift work has, but for a normal nutritionist that you go and see, one of the first places that they will start when you start talking about oh, I can't have gluten or I can't have lactose or I can't have this is. They'll look at stress first up, and once you get your stress under control, it's incredible the difference that it actually makes in your gut health as well, and you might not feel stressed, but remember, shift work has your body very, very stressed anyway. So if you're eating outside of those hours, you're stressing your body. If you're awake outside those hours, you're stressing your body. If you're not getting that movement, you're not getting that hydration in.

Speaker 1: 19:32

All those things that I've spoken about are all things that we need to do to keep our digestion happy, to help us to keep things moving, so we don't end up with this gas and bloating. Now I've had many times where I just wish I knew what I know now the difference it would make, because I felt so bloated and so comfortable that I just didn't want to get to the stage where I'd eat at all. And this cycle just gets worse and worse. You eat less, your gut slows down even more and then the discomfort builds. Ladies, have a think about it. When you feel bloated up and gassed up, what's the last thing you feel like doing? Eating? It's probably one of the worst things. What we need to do is eat and drink a lot more water to get things moving through our system, which is another thing.

Speaker 1: 20:17

Now, this took me many, many years and study to learn and understand and a lot of trial and error to figure out what it was that actually worked for me. But the first step was learning that this wasn't something wrong with me. It was actually shift work and once I understood that, I could then take action. Once I understood how it was impacting and why it was impacting, then I could take the action. And then, lo and behold, it all changed and it made a massive difference for me.

Speaker 1: 20:48

Now, one thing that you are probably going to ask me about, because one of the first things that we reach for when we've got gas and bloating is what oh got to get a probiotic. It makes such a big difference to me. So what about probiotics and supplements for it? Well, the truth is and this is where it's really important most people, you don't need to throw any money at any fancy products at all. Just start with the basics. Get the basics right first, because when you get the basics right, you would be amazed at how well your body actually looks after you Eating at a regular time.

Speaker 1: 21:22

Remember breakfast, lunch and dinner. More whole foods. Less processed rubbish food right, less processed and particularly less processed food. During that biological night between 9 pm and 6 am, solid hydration all the time right. So we need a lot of hydration, we need some form of movement and we need to manage our stress. When you can confidently say I've got all of that right under control, I do all of that and I still suffer, then that's a time when you can go and have a chat with your GP or a dietician who maybe understands shift work Good luck finding one of those, but a dietician and someone who understands shift work, because sometimes there can be underlying issues like IBS or a food intolerance or something else that needs looking at. But at least you will know that you have got the essentials right, the most important things right, okay.

Speaker 1: 22:19

So let me just leave you with this as a result of this one and wrap it all up now. Your body is doing its best to keep up with you and that goddamn tough schedule that you are working, but if you give it a little bit of care, some small doable steps can make a massive difference in how you feel. Honestly it really can. And the better you feel then, the better that you can show up not just for the job but for yourself and your family and colleagues and people outside of your shift working life. And you know this is my mantra giving you more time and energy to do the things that you love outside of your shift working life. You don't want to be doing three or four nights of night shifts, really leaving yourself crippled because of gas, bloating, eating outside of those times, to then suddenly find yourself on your days off that you're trying to recover from it all.

Speaker 1: 23:12

Keep that in mind, all right, and if this episode's been helpful for you, please share it with a colleague or a workmate, because you never know who's quietly struggling with these exact same issues. And if I can help you personally, I would love to do that, because I've helped many people in this very situation, and you can find me over at ahealthyshiftcom. Thanks for listening. Stay safe and stay healthy. 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 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 ahealthyshiftcom. I'll catch you on the next one.