Radish, Kumquat, Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Looking back on my life, my satisfaction with life was directly proportional to the status of my gut health.

When everything flowed smoothly, I generally felt happier, felt more light, free, confident, and overall good about life. Times when I’ve been really backed up and bloated I’ve also generally felt really weighed down, tethered, insecure, and just less than my vibrant, perky, best self.

This is especially true in the summers.

The worst summer of my life was probably the summer of 2016. My gut health was at an all time low. Despite expensive tests and lots of treatments, I could not figure out what was making my so bloated. I walked around with a belly so distended that my brother thought I was wearing a fanny pack under my shirt.

I felt like I couldn’t enjoy my summer at all.

I felt so gross about myself that I wanted to hide my body/my belly. The heat felt smothering because I couldn’t fit my cute summer clothes over my bulging belly. The gut issues affected other areas of my life—like my constant anxiety, low mood, itchy skin, and overall insecurities.

I kept going to expensive doctors and practitioners, doing tests, doing lab work, getting acupuncture, eliminating various foods, trying all sorts of different practitioners, medications, and supplements.

What I didn’t realize then that I know now is that my nervous system was incredibly dysregulated that summer, which threw off my already fragile gut health, and then they worked as a team just spiraling downwards.

Nervous System x Gut Health

When you experience stress or uncertainty, your body undergoes a series of physiological changes that can dysregulate your nervous system, ultimately impacting your gut health. Understanding this connection can help you manage your stress and maintain a healthy digestive system.

Stress activates your body's fight-or-flight response, governed by the sympathetic nervous system. During this response, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which prepare you to face immediate threats. While this response is essential for survival, chronic activation due to ongoing stress or uncertainty can have detrimental effects.

One key area affected by chronic stress is the gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication network between your central nervous system and your gastrointestinal system. The vagus nerve, a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system, plays a crucial role in this communication. Under normal conditions, the vagus nerve helps regulate digestion by promoting the secretion of digestive enzymes, stimulating peristalsis (the rhythmic contractions that move food through the digestive tract), and maintaining a healthy balance of gut microbiota.

However, chronic stress can suppress vagal tone, reducing the effectiveness of the parasympathetic nervous system. This suppression disrupts normal digestive processes, leading to issues such as chronic constipation and bloating. Studies have shown that individuals with high stress levels often report more gastrointestinal symptoms. For instance, a study published in the journal Gastroenterology found that psychological stress can exacerbate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), including constipation and bloating.

Chronic stress also affects the gut microbiome, the diverse community of microorganisms living in your digestive tract. Stress-induced changes in gut motility and reduced secretion of digestive enzymes can create an environment that favors the growth of pathogenic bacteria over beneficial ones. This dysbiosis, or imbalance in gut microbiota, has been linked to various gastrointestinal disorders, including constipation and bloating. A disrupted microbiome can also produce excessive gas, contributing to extreme stomach distention.

Furthermore, stress can increase intestinal permeability, often referred to as "leaky gut." This condition occurs when the tight junctions between the cells lining your intestines become compromised, allowing undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to enter the bloodstream. This can trigger an immune response and inflammation, further exacerbating gastrointestinal symptoms. A study in Clinical Psychology Review highlighted that stress-induced changes in gut permeability could lead to systemic inflammation and contribute to gastrointestinal distress.

In addition to these physiological effects, stress and anxiety can alter your eating behaviors. You might experience changes in appetite, such as overeating or undereating, which can impact your digestive health. Overeating, especially high-fat and sugary foods, can slow down digestion and increase the risk of constipation and bloating. On the other hand, undereating can reduce the volume of stool, making bowel movements less frequent and more difficult.

That summer, I had a lot on my plate. I was at an internship that was exceptionally toxic, I was simultaneously taking a law school class and 3 MBA classes, I had a lot of changing dynamics in my friendships, and I had a lot of unprocessed feelings that I was numbing and escaping from. It makes sense that my cortisol levels went up, my gut health went off, and that resulted in my distended tummy & seaming GI issues.

Escaping the Cycle

Your gut health affects your nervous system, and your nervous system affects your gut health. When your nervous system is off, it can cause bloating and constipation, which in turn, can dysregulate your nervous system even more.

It’s an ongoing cycle, and it can be really hard to escape the cycle.

Some tools that I used to escape the cycle:

• mindfulness

• breathwork

• movement

• intentional heat & cold exposure

• connecting with my highest self

• Neural ReWiring Practices

• eating foods rich in prebiotic fiber, insoluble and soluble fiber, probiotics, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory ingredients, and polyphenols

This Dish

kumquat, watermelon radish, sugar snap peas, on a bed of a miso-tahini sauce

The Benefits

good for gut health, your nervous system, skin, and mood. specifically:

• kumquats, sugar snap peas, & radishes are all rich in fiber, which acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial gut bacteria. This promotes a healthy microbiome, essential for digestion and nutrient absorption. Dietary fiber adds bulk to stool and helps maintain regular bowel movements. This can prevent constipation and promote a healthy digestive system. A healthy gut microbiome, supported by fiber, can influence the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which impacts mood and emotional well-being.

• Miso is a fermented soybean paste that contains probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that support gut health. Probiotics help maintain a healthy balance of gut flora, improving digestion and nutrient absorption

• Garlic is rich in prebiotics, specifically inulin, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria. By promoting a healthy balance of gut flora, garlic helps improve digestion and boosts the immune system. Additionally, garlic has antimicrobial properties that can help keep harmful bacteria in check

• The fiber in sugar snap peas acts as a prebiotic, feeding the beneficial bacteria in your gut. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for overall digestive health, as it helps maintain regular bowel movements and reduces bloating by balancing gut flora

• Kumquats contain natural sorbitol, a sugar alcohol with laxative properties. Sorbitol draws water into the intestines, which can help stimulate bowel movements and relieve constipation. This mild laxative effect helps reduce bloating by promoting the passage of stool

• Tahini, made from sesame seeds, is a good source of fiber and healthy fats. The fiber aids in digestion and promotes bowel regularity, while the healthy fats support the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and provide energy

• Lemons are high in vitamin C and fiber. The fiber in lemons helps to add bulk to stools and promote regular bowel movements. Vitamin C also supports the immune system and has antioxidant properties that protect gut cells from oxidative stress

• Miso contains B vitamins, including B12, which are essential for nervous system health. B vitamins play a crucial role in nerve function and the production of neurotransmitters

• Garlic contains sulfur compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help protect the nervous system from damage and support overall brain health

• Sugar snap peas contain folate, which is vital for brain health and the production of neurotransmitters. They also provide vitamin C, which supports nerve function

• Radishes contain potassium, which is essential for nerve function and the transmission of nerve impulses

• Kumquats are high in vitamins C and A, which support skin health. Vitamin C promotes collagen production, while vitamin A helps maintain healthy skin cells and reduce signs of aging

• The combination of lemon, kumquats, and sugar snap peas provides a significant amount of vitamin C, which synergistically boosts collagen production, promoting healthy skin and aiding in wound healing

The Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 watermelon radish (can sub 2-3 regular radishes)

• 1 cup sugar snap peas

• 1 cup kumquats

• 5 tbsp miso tahini sauce (recipe below)

Instructions:

1. smear the tahini sauce on a plate

2. chop up snap peas & kumquats. I like to do the snap peas on a diagonal

3. cut up your radishes super thin. I used a mandolin, but you don’t have to!

4. add all the veggies on top of the tahini & eat

Ingredients:

• 1 cup tahini

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1.5 cups water

• 2 tbsp white or chickpea miso

• 2 whole lemons, peeled

Just blend everything together until super smooth!

Links

• I used this raw tahini

• I used South River white miso

• This is the mandolin I used

• IF YOU USE A MANDOLIN, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE USE MESH GLOVES, These are the ones I use

For More on the Nervous System & Gut Health

I highly recommend you check out the Blush Academy, where there are digital courses on nervous system regulation, tons of recipes, breathwork sessions, hands on practices, and an upcoming GUT HEALTH course that will be your best friend for living your best, most vibrant, life. You can learn more about the Blush Academy here.