Mental Health

If you’ve ever experienced 'butterflies in your stomach’ then you have felt effects of the stress-gut connection. Stress is associated with a variety of bodily effects and may contribute to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Understanding and managing stress can help reduce symptoms of IBS and leave you feeling well again.

Have you ever felt ‘butterflies in your stomach’ when nervous? According to science, there is a very real connection between gut and mind. This ‘gut-brain’ explains how stress and anxiety can contribute to IBS, and also how the food you eat can impact your mental health. By understanding the mind-gut connection, science can help improve your mental and gastrointestinal health.

Ever since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a “public health emergency of international concern”, lives have changed for many of us. Our thoughts, conversations and daily activities have become dominated by the coronavirus narrative.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the world by storm and become a global pandemic. The flu-like symptoms are well known, such as dry cough and fever, however, the gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are less widely acknowledged. Symptoms such as diarrhoea and loss of appetite occur in up to half of patients with coronavirus, and it is crucial that these symptoms are made known (1). This article explains the digestive issues caused by the Coronavirus and compares them to symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition experienced by 1 in 7 people globally (2).

If you could choose between visiting your doctor’s office and receiving care from the comfort of your home, which one would you prefer?

Ever just know that someone else doesn’t like you without ever finding out for real? If you have, you may have been suffering from one of the many thinking traps or cognitive distortions that can hijack your brain. In 1976, psychologist Aaron Beck first proposed the theory behind cognitive distortions and in the 1980s, David Burns was responsible for popularizing it with common names and examples for the distortions.

Anxiety causes activation of the ‘fight or flight’ response – which can be a good thing, prompting us to take extra precautions. However, when these feelings persist in when there is no threat, they may take a toll on our physical health and cause diarrhea. Understanding this link may help you avoid symptoms and feel well again.