Best Foods to Help a Stressed Out Gut

If you’ve been dealing with stress lately, you aren’t alone. But sometimes our external stressors end up stressing out our insides. Our gut microbiome usually takes a serious hit when we are stressed out. So if your gut is feeling your stress, you’re going to want to read this article. We will cover everything that can cause stress to your gut microbiome and give you suggestions of the best foods to help a stressed-out gut.

If you’re ready, let’s get started!

What is the gut microbiome?

The gut microbiome is a crucial part of your digestive system. It is where your carbohydrates go to be fermented so their nutritional potential can be extracted and used. 

In your gut microbiome, you have trillions of microorganisms that break down larger food particles into smaller and usable molecules. The byproducts that are given off through this process can be used to help repair damaged cells, reduce inflammation, and make sure that all of your cells and organs are functioning optimally. 

Depending on the type of food you eat, your gut microbiome will respond differently. When compared, the Mediterranean diet was superior to the Western diet (often seen in the US) for gut health. Since the Mediterranean diet is so high in the things that the gut microbes love to eat, it makes for a healthier gut and overall life. 

So the type of food has a large impact on the health of the gut microbiome. When it becomes unhealthy the gut microbiome can promote disease progression. An imbalanced gut microbiome is called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is a symptom and potential cause of most diseases.

Why is the gut microbiome important?

The gut microbiome is a major modulator of our immune system and therefore has a huge impact on how healthy we are and how well our bodies react to negative external forces. 

It basically is in control of whether we are sick or healthy. It’s also in control of whether or not we have diseases progress or not because it controls the inflammatory markers within our body. 

Keeping the microbiome healthy is a key factor in maintaining health. But how exactly does that work?

How does the gut microbiome get stressed?

There are many factors that go into the health of your gut microbiome. The largest one is our food because it is directly affecting every structure in our digestive system. However, food isn’t the only way the gut microbiome can become stressed. 

Some of the stressors on your gut can be out of your control. These can include:

• Whether you were born vaginally or c-section
• Whether you were breastfed or bottle fed
• Medications (especially antibiotics) as an infant or young child
• Vaccinations
• Environmental contaminants
• Chemical exposure

Now, there are other ways that your gut microbiome can become stressed that are in your control. These can include:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Limiting chemicals you’re exposed to (i.e. lotions, shampoos, cleaning products, makeup, toothpaste, etc.)
• Not overusing medications especially antibiotics
• How much sunlight you get
• Overuse of hand sanitizer
• Exposure to microbiomes that can boost your immune system
• Stress levels
• Sleep quality

Now all of these things play a role in the quality of your microbiome. But the most important factor that we can control is our diet. And once we have that under control we often see the other aspects of our life coming together to support the same goals that healthy nutritious eating does.

Best foods to help a stressed-out gut

Since our gut is in control of so many things, it is referred to as our second brain. It’s able to offer some control over our primary brain and our moods. By fixing our gut microbiome we are also able to better manage stressful situations and live not only a healthier life but a happier one too. 

So what foods are best to help a stressed-out gut? 

Foods high in polyphenols

Polyphenols are one of the top superfood groups that you can provide your body and gut. Polyphenols help to repair damage, improve the quality of the cells, and maintain health.

Some great foods that are high in polyphenols include:

• Dark chocolate (70% or higher cacao)
• Tea (unsweetened)
• Lemons
• Ginger
• Herbs

Foods high in fiber

Fiber is one of the top foods to feed your gut bugs. They love fibrous foods because they last a long time and provide a ton of nutrients to your body. Some high-fiber foods that are good during times of stress include:

• Garlic
• Spinach
• Root vegetables
• Chick peas

Healthy fats and protein

Healthy fats support your gut and your brain and allow for you to manage stress easier. Some great ways to get more fats and protein in your diet include:

• Wild-caught fatty fish (salmon, sardines, and anchovies)
• Avocados
• Nuts and seeds
• Eggs
• Organic ground beef

All of these foods provide your body with essential minerals and vitamins that often become depleted during times of stress. All of the following minerals, vitamins, and nutrients are essential for managing our stress levels and keeping our guts healthy. 

• Omega 3’s — antiinflammatory and great for your gut
• Vitamins B, C, and D 
  • B vitamins are known to be major sources of stress control
  • C can be reduced when cortisol levels are high which inhibits the ability to absorb iron
  • D helps to support mood, gut, and brain health
• Magnesium — helps with digestion and maintains the stress response system
• L-theanine — is an amino acid and it helps to keep you feeling calm. L-theanine is what gives teas their relaxing effects even though they have caffeine in them.
• Turmeric — antiinflammatory properties and polyphenols to help feed the gut microbes
• Collagen — helps to improve the quality of your gut lining
• Zinc — supports the gut lining and health while improving your immune system
• Glutathione — supports cellular and gut lining health especially during times of stress
• Iron — when you get stressed out and begin to feel fatigued and run-down, it is because your iron levels have dropped. Keeping your iron levels up can help you to feel better and manage stress easier.
• Calcium — becomes depleted during times of stress so keeping up with it will ensure better health

If you make sure to base your diet on these things during times of stress, you’ll be able to better manage your stress levels and health. Putting the right foods in our body during stressful times is crucial to managing stress and not allowing our bodies to become overwhelmed with inflammation that eventually leads to disease. Eating sugary, salty, and processed foods can make it harder to manage stress, contributes to inflammatory states, and makes you sick. 

So keep up with eating healthfully for your gut and body and you’ll be amazed at how much better you manage your stress!

Let us know your favorite healthy snack when you feel stressed!