Discover how childhood trauma disrupts digestive health through nervous system dysregulation, and learn practical strategies for healing both your gut and trauma responses through nutrition, stress management, and therapeutic approaches.

When you understand that these are normal biological responses to abnormal experiences, it can be incredibly validating and empowering. Your body isn't broken—it's responding exactly as it was designed to respond to threat.
doctors told me that my stomach doesn’t function properly due to the nervous system. I then found out that the cause is most likely because i was sexually abuse when i was around 3. Tell me what i can do to heal from this trauma and what can i do to affect the nervous system in such a way that my stomach starts to function well again (as for now i can’t eat much food). Most exhaustive list of practical things i can put in place is most welcome


Criado por ex-alunos da Universidade de Columbia em San Francisco
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Criado por ex-alunos da Universidade de Columbia em San Francisco

Lena: Hey everyone, welcome to today's episode. I've been thinking a lot about trauma lately, especially after reading about how our bodies physically respond to traumatic experiences. Did you know that trauma can actually affect your digestive system? That blew my mind.
Miles: Absolutely, and it's something that doesn't get talked about enough. The research shows there's this fascinating connection between trauma, especially PTSD, and gut health. It's called the brain-gut microbiota system, and it's a two-way street. Trauma can disrupt your gut bacteria, and those disruptions can then worsen your trauma symptoms.
Lena: Wait, so you're telling me that the bacteria in my stomach could be affecting my mental health? That's wild.
Miles: Exactly. Studies have found that people with PTSD have significantly lower concentrations of healthy gut microbes and higher levels of inflammatory bacteria. And get this - individuals with more severe gut dysbiosis actually experience more severe traumatic symptoms.
Lena: That explains why so many trauma survivors struggle with digestive issues. So what can people actually do about this? Are there ways to heal both the trauma and the gut?
Miles: That's where lifestyle interventions come in. Let's explore how things like nutrition, exercise, and stress management can help heal both the gut and the brain after trauma.