HOW TRAUMA AND CHRONIC STRESS DISRUPT DIGESTION THROUGH THE GUT–BRAIN AXIS
Trauma is often discussed as a psychological experience, but its effects are deeply physiological.
In Chinese Medicine, emotional shock and chronic stress disrupt the Liver system, which is responsible for the smooth flow of energy throughout the body.
When this flow becomes constrained, digestion is frequently one of the first systems to suffer.
This is why symptoms such as bloating, IBS, nausea, food sensitivities, and irregular digestion often emerge or worsen after stressful life events.
Modern neuroscience now mirrors this understanding through research on the gut–brain axis.
The gastrointestinal tract contains its own nervous system and communicates continuously with the brain.
When trauma shifts the nervous system into a fight-or-flight state, digestion is deprioritized.
Stomach acid production decreases.
Digestive enzymes do not activate efficiently.
Blood flow is redirected away from the gut.
In this state, the body is focused on survival, not assimilation.
Many people are familiar with this concept through the work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and The Body Keeps the Score.
Chinese Medicine has described this same body-based response to trauma for thousands of years, long before modern language existed to explain it.
From this perspective, digestive symptoms following trauma are not signs of weakness or dysfunction.
They are intelligent physiological responses.
Healing does not begin with forcing digestion.
It begins by helping the nervous system feel safe enough to soften.
Practical Ways to Support Digestion After Stress or Trauma
Simple, consistent practices can help signal safety to the gut:
Sit down when you eat
Avoid screens or stimulation during meals
Do not eat during arguments or emotional overwhelm
Sip fluids 30 minutes before meals or 1 hour after eating
Take a few slow, steady breaths before the first bite
Small shifts in state often matter more than drastic dietary changes.
Research reference:
Foster JA, Neufeld KAM. Gut–brain axis: how the microbiome influences anxiety and depression.
Trends in Neurosciences
PMID: 23612920