The Self-Care Night and Supplements to Stop Bloating

When a person is sick their body’s ability to have high levels of energy and focus can become more difficult. The same can be said for digestive issues that can arise from time to time. When someone experiences prolonged bloating or constipation, not only can it be intensely frustrating but take your focus away from your responsibilities. 

This is why it is important to learn how one’s own body reacts to certain issues and how to tackle them when they do arise. What people tend to ignore is that sometimes their body’s unpleasant reactions can sometimes be related to stress or overworking. Today, we are going to highlight some potential activities one can do to support their overall health in times of need to achieve no more bloating and a satisfied stomach. 

Why Self-Care is Important When Having Digestive Issues

Have you ever taken the time to feel the way your stomach reacts to feelings of anxiousness or stress? For some people, it leads to an uneasy feeling in their stomach. This is due to the connection between the brain and your digestive process. When your brain starts to get stressed it sends a signal to the rest of your body which leads to your flight-or-fight response being triggered. When this response is triggered in the body, it is the signal to your body to halt all non-essential functions needed for immediate survival – this includes your digestive process. When your digestive process is delayed it leads to digestive issues such as indigestion and heartburn. 

This connection is also known as the gut-brain connection that exemplifies the sensitivity that the gastrointestinal tract has to emotions. Now, we have discussed how emotions can affect your gut, but it is important to acknowledge that the connection does not just go one way. If you are struggling with anxiety, sadness, or high levels of stress, these can be caused by digestive issues. This can be made especially clear if other potential factors of digestive distress are ruled out such as food intolerances. 

This can become an endless cycle of stress/frustration being the root of the problem to now being the reaction to said digestive issues. In order to break this cycle and to help your body heal and get back to a place of peace there must be rituals that are practiced to maintain stress levels and to improve digestive processes. 

Self-Care Activity Recommendations for Better Digestion 

The first step to healing your mind and body when it becomes overwhelmed is to relax. As easy as it might sound, the first step to self-care is the one that people tend to struggle the most with, because it tends to get in the way of the day-to-day responsibilities we allow ourselves to become consumed with. What is classified as ‘relaxing’ varies from person to person which is why until you decide what relaxation looks like for you it will be much harder to allow yourself to do it. For some people relaxation looks like binge-watching their favorite television show or reading their favorite books, while for others it can be meditating. Give yourself the time to explore your own desires and needs. 

In order to spark inspiration we have curated a small list of activities that promote relaxation and better digestion. 

Yoga

Yoga can increase circulation in the body which helps to relieve stressful symptoms as well as help to get the body moving again. Circulation in your body is essential for proper digestion, because it picks up the nutrients in the food your body chooses to absorb. Since it is a gentle exercise, it can be practiced by everyone – even those who have restrictions or injuries that prevent them from doing more extraneous activity. Some of the specific yoga poses that have been especially beneficial for digestion are the seated side bend, seated twist, and supine spinal twist. 

If you are not someone who is fond of yoga, a great substitution is any form of movement that will lead to emotions being exerted and giving a signal to your body to start doing its job.  Relaxing does not necessarily mean to lay in bed all day, but rather finding activities that bring peace to your mind. A sedentary lifestyle can be both damaging to your brain and your gut, so beware of going long periods of time without moving your body. Some evening friendly activities include going on a run, doing an online workout routine, or playing music and exerting energy by dancing. 

Journaling and Tea

There is nothing quite like having a hot cup of tea and reflecting on the day’s events. Sometimes, when your brain is overstressed it leads to overthinking which can be really debilitating to one's energy levels if not monitored. Sometimes in order to calm the constant thinking that is going on in one’s head, they might speak to someone or write about what is on their mind. 

Your thoughts and stresses can become less of a weight on your shoulders when you speak to a loved one or write it down on paper. Many types of tea also have a calming effect due to the natural properties within the tea leaves. Peppermint tea is especially helpful for calming digestive issues. This combination is a great way to wind down for the evening to promote a stress free environment. 

Taking Your Supplements

It can be really easy to have symptoms of anxiety or stress when you are constantly constipated or bloated. Taking one’s supplements is a great example of self-care, because it shows you are prioritizing your health. Supplements for bloating such as the three within our 3-step wellness routine were specifically curated with your wellbeing in mind.