NERVOUS STOMACH / BUTTERFLIES

AYURVEDA PERSPECTIVE ON NERVOUS STOMACH / BUTTERFLIES

Introduction

When you experience a "nervous stomach," a looming sense of uneasiness overwhelms your abdomen, right to the pit of your gut. You get that familiar "uh-oh" feeling, even in situations where the threat is minimal, or the consequences mild. You may think you were born with a lack of courage to face normal life challenges. The reality is that perhaps you simply have a sensitive stomach. You may not know it, but bravery and emotional stability can be recovered by following some basic Ayurvedic tips to restore digestive strength.

A nervous stomach tends to strike in specific situations. Take for example, it is the night before you are set to start a new job, or you are waiting to be picked up for a first date. Perhaps you are sitting down to take a final exam, or are waiting for your name to be called to give a presentation in front of your entire department at work. It is normal to experience uneasiness in the stomach during these situations. Your 'gut brain' contains over 1/3 of your whole nervous system, and is specially designed to interpret these threatening situations. Your symptoms of a nervous stomach may resolve shortly after the anxiety provoking situation has passed.

However, a nervous stomach can also be a chronic complaint. If you have that uh-oh feeling in your gut often, even when faced with more minor concerns, or for no clear reason whatsoever, you may be dealing with a nervous stomach. These gut feelings strongly influence your decisions. Emotional reactivity to gut anxiety can disrupt your ability to think through a situation. Easing gut tension can give you more emotional resilience, poise, and grace under stress.

This article will reveal what factors may be contributing to your nervous stomach, and also share some of the top Ayurvedic diet, lifestyle and herbal solutions to provide lasting relief.

Symptoms of a Nervous Stomach

Every person will experience the sensation of a nervous stomach slightly differently. Some may feel a slight tension, uneasiness or nauseas in their abdomen. The sensation may be in the pit of the stomach below the belly button, in the region around the belly button, or higher up just below the rib cage. Some simply feel hungry when anxious (stress overeater), or lose their appetite altogether (stress undereater).

Others have more poignant symptoms: their stomach starts to do somersaults and it feels like the intestines are getting twisted and tangled in knots. Some may feel like hot liquid is pouring on their stomach as their body releases acids, bile and digestive juices in response to the stress. The anxious feeling may be accompanied by uncomfortable cramping, embarrassing gas and bloating, and a sudden urge to pass a bowel movement.

What Causes a Nervous Stomach

If there are butterflies in the belly, Vata is aggravated. However, the cause may have qualities of any one of the three doshas, Vata, Pitta, or Kapha. Vata nervousness is associated with gas and bloating. Pitta anxiety is associated with inflammation and irritation. Kapha nervousness is associated with heaviness in the gut.

You May Actually Be Nervous!

The most obvious reason for experiencing a nervous stomach can be overlooked. It is very possible that the digestive distress of a nervous stomach is simply a result of you feeling nervous about something! Perhaps you are about to engage in one of those "butterflies in your stomach" situations like preparing to give a speech in front of a large crowd or asking your boss for a raise.

The vagus nerve transmits signals between your brain and your gut. Feelings of anxiety and nervousness are relayed from the brain to digestive tract. If you feel uneasy, scattered, and unsettled due to stress and anxiety, these feelings will be transmitted to the digestive organs.

Feelings of nervousness, along with stress and anxiety, can create tension in the body. The muscle below the belly button and above the pelvic bone tends to tense up in situations where you feel threatened or vulnerable. This area is known as the "threat point." When the threat point is tense, it creates a sensation of butterflies in the stomach.

Your Gut is Tense & Tight

If your gut is tight and tense, it will trigger feelings of anxiety. Your gut may be tense if there is hidden pain, irritation, or bloating in the digestive tract. Or, you may have a habit of tensing your abdomen due to emotional trauma. Ayurveda believes that emotional traumas can be stored as chronic tension in the belly.

Abdominal tension reduces blood flow to digestive organs and can weaken digestive strength (agni). Stress also activates the sympathetic nervous system, or "fight or flight" mode, which reduces most digestive secretions, while increasing acid release in the stomach.Fortunately, you can release this gut level tension and the trauma, once and for all, using some of the techniques below.

Something Else is at Play

A nervous stomach is not a specific medical condition, but is often a symptom of other conditions. Gas or constipation that stretches intestinal walls creates a feeling of pressure, which can make a person nervous. Nervousness may come as a side effect of toxins building up in the digestive tract, which irritates the gut and creates a general feeling of dis-ease. Or, it may be due to any number of digestive disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), food allergies, or parasites. If you feel you are dealing with a chronic nervous stomach and can't figure out why, seek medical advice to rule out a more serious digestive condition.

How to Calm a Nervous Stomach

Belly Breathing

Belly breathing is the first and most important technique to relieve tension in the gut. Belly breathing restores movement to tense muscles, relaxing them. It restores good circulation to digest organs. It flushes stagnant blood and lymph, which cleanses the gut of toxins, and provides immediate relief to gut nerves.

Massaging the abdomen also helps release any tension you are holding in the abdomen. A nervine oil, like brahmi oil, ashwagandha / bala oil, or Vata oil, will provide soothing relief to the central nervous system and calm anxiety.

Together, belly breathing and massaging the gut activate the parasympathetic nervous system, relaxing your body. Another option is to rub the soft spot behind the earlobes, in between the neck and jaw. This gently stimulates the vagus nerve which also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping reduce feelings of anxiety and a nervous stomach.

These activities can be done any time of day, whenever symptoms arise. They can also be added to your daily routine at key points in your day: in the morning, after work, and before bed. For more information about reducing stress in the gut, purchase this lecture on Protecting Your Digestion from Stress & Anxiety.

Implement a Routine

The gut loves familiarity and relaxes in familiar situations. The gut becomes anxious and tense in situations of instability or unfamiliarity. The instability could be emotional, coming from unstable life situations. Or it could by physical, due to travel, a recent move, or an erratic routine.

Altogether, a routine builds familiarity, helps your gut calm down, and restores a sense of stability and security. It calms an agitated nervous system and reduces feelings of anxiety. Start by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, and establish a regular schedule for meal times.

Once that becomes a habit, consider adding a full body self-massage ((abhyanga)) to your daily routine. Although a full self body massage adds twenty minutes to your morning routine, it is very relaxing to the entire nervous system.

When dealing with a nervous stomach, it is important to avoid a hectic lifestyle as much as possible, and limit running around on an irregular schedule. Ensure you stay warm by dressing appropriately, wearing thick socks, a hat and scarf if needed. Cold aggravates Vata dosha, associated with nervousness, and anxiety. Cold also causes tension and muscular constriction.

What to Eat

When experiencing a nervous stomach, it is important to eat easy to digest food to reduce digestive strain. Avoid difficult to digest foods. Cook and serve food warm. Avoid foods that are raw and cold, as these are harder to digest.

Add some sweet and salty foods to help you feel "grounded" during times of nervousness or anxiety. Ayurveda makes a very clear distinction between wholesome sweet and salty foods and their processed counterparts. White sugar and table salt both irritate the nervous system and can make anxiety and a nervous stomach worse. Something with a little natural sweetness, like rice pudding or a cup of golden milk is a comforting option to soothe anxiety, while a pinch of mineral salt helps nourish nerve tissues.

Avoid digestive irritants, such as coffee, vinegar and alcohol. These irritants will increase gut level sensitivity, amplify feelings of stress and induce a "fight or flight" state. Strong spices such as cayenne should also be avoided, as spicy foods irritate the tissues of the digestive tract and can worsen abdominal pain and cramping. As much as possible, sit down and take your time when eating, and avoid eating on the run.

In all cases of digestive discomfort, including a nervous stomach, ensure you are implementing these 10 tips for healthy digestion.

Herbal Remedies

If stress and anxiety are the source of a nervous stomach, herbs such as shankhapushpi, ashwagandha, tincture of milky oats, and kava kava, can help calm an agitated nervous system and balance Vata. To support digestion, use the digestive herb chart on Joyful Belly to find the right herb for your digestive health.

Antispasmodics can help relax the smooth muscles of the digestive tract, alleviating cramping, tension, and constriction in the abdomen. Some everyday kitchen herbs and spices with antispasmodic properties include cardamom, fennel, fresh ginger, and mint. These herbs also help dispel embarrassing gas too. If the digestive tract is irritated or inflamed, anti-inflammatories like amalaki, shatavari or marshmallow root may be also useful.

Conclusion

A relaxed, tranquil gut bolsters identity. facilitates feelings of security, and can soothe confusion. When you consider that one third of your brain is in your gut, the adage trust your gut takes on a new dimension. We all are familiar with gut feelings. That term is not just an expression, but an abdominal barometer of security..

Most people will experience a nervous stomach from time to time, and thankfully it tends to be a temporary complaint. Those butterflies that swirl in your stomach generally pass once you have gone through the anxiety inducing situation. However, you may go about each day with a distracting feeling of uncertainty in your gut that sticks around, even when there is no immediate threat. It can have a significant impact on your day to day life, particularly if it affects your bowels and means you need to stay within reach of a toilet.

Many people regularly experience nervous anxiety in their gut. If that's you, instead of criticizing yourself for lack of confidence or courage, consider the possibility that a sensitive stomach is to blame. Strengthening digestion is Ayurveda's area of expertise, and it can help restore emotional stability and reduce feelings of a nervous stomach through lifestyle, diet, and herbal support. By understanding the cause of a nervous stomach and resolving the problem at its source, you can calm the butterflies in your belly for good.