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If stress is affecting your health here’s what to do about it.

Stress hits your hormones hard. And this can make its effects felt in the darnedest places…

If your digestive system is upset

Adrenaline slows digestion so food hangs around in your gut for longer, leading to constipation and bloating. Conversely, noradrenaline acts to open up the bowel, which leads to diarrhoea. That’s one reason why irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is often stress-related, can manifest itself with apparently opposite symptoms.

Take action: Probiotic supplements boost the good bacteria in the gut and this will help combat the effects of the stress hormones. If IBS is a problem for you, there has been some progress in the last few years.