Digestive Issues: What causes them?

Digestive issues refer to any disorders of the digestive system and its organs. Common symptoms of these complaints include nausea, bloating, stomach pains and constipation, which can vary from being a mild inconvenience to interfering with daily activities. Although there are many factors behind the onset of digestive issues, it’s not a case of one size fits all, and if you are concerned about your symptoms, it’s always worth discussing them with your GP. Our bodies are different, and what affects one individual might not cause problems for someone else. But there are certain factors commonly associated with digestive issues that you might recognise. 

Food intolerances can cause Digestive Issues

If your body has difficulty breaking down specific food items, you may be intolerant and experience physical symptoms such as bloating, stomach ache and diarrhoea. Typical food intolerances include gluten, lactose, eggs and rich or spicy foods, although any ingredients can initiate digestive complaints. While food intolerances aren’t as severe as food allergies, they do have the potential to make you feel unwell and can interfere with your day-to-day life. Suppose you regularly experience digestive issues after meals. In that case, keeping a food diary to highlight any correlation between what you eat and how your body reacts afterwards can be a good idea. A food intolerance test will also help you better understand your body and if there are any items that your digestive system is sensitive to.

Constipation

Constipation can be a common cause of digestive issues and can affect people of all ages with any health condition. As a symptom, constipation occurs for many reasons, and it can leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable with stomach pain. If you suffer from constipation, there are certain lifestyle changes you can try that often make a difference. Eating more fibre and drinking more water can help regulate bowel movement, as can being more active and exercising regularly. It’s also worth cutting down on processed foods that contain little fibre and avoiding alcohol, as this can lead to dehydration.

Can stress cause Digestive Issues?

It’s not uncommon to experience digestive issues during periods of stress. This is because a stressful situation can cause your body to go into ‘fight or flight’ mode when the stress hormone cortisol is released. When this happens, our digestive system effectively shuts down, and our stomach acid levels are affected; we can feel nauseous and get diarrhoea or constipation. Stress can also exacerbate other digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s (IBD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and peptic ulcers. Combating stress is easier said than done, especially when we live high-pressured lives, but regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage anxiety and maintain healthy digestion. Not only will keeping active help improve sleep, but it can also relieve constipation and release endorphins, which act as natural painkillers.

Learn more about food intolerance tests

If you’d like more information about food intolerance tests and how they can help you understand your body better, please visit our website or add your details to the contact form. We will always try and answer any questions you have, but we are not medical specialists and should not replace the advice of a doctor.