Feeling Stressed or Irritable? You Might Be Low in Magnesium
There was a time when I couldn’t figure out why my gut felt unsettled. I was eating well, staying hydrated, and doing all the “right” things—yet still felt off: bloated some days, restless on others, and irritable for no clear reason. It wasn’t until I started learning about magnesium that the puzzle pieces began to fit together. This essential mineral turned out to be far more connected to my digestion and sense of calm than I’d ever realised.
When Stress Drains the Body
Stress isn’t just mental; it’s physical. When life feels busy or uncertain, our bodies react as if we’re in danger: the heart beats faster, muscles tighten, and the digestive system slows down to conserve energy for “survival”.
How Deep Breathing Improves Your Gut Health
When we think about digestion, we usually focus on food—what to eat, what to avoid, what might be causing symptoms. But there’s another, quieter player in the story of gut health, one that rarely gets the spotlight it deserves: our breath.
Take a moment. Is your breath shallow or deep? Do your shoulders rise with each inhale, or does your belly gently expand? Most of us rarely notice how we breathe, but it says a lot about how calm or tense we are.
When we’re stressed, anxious, or rushing through the day, our breathing often becomes shallow and centred in the chest. It’s quick, tight, and doesn’t draw in much oxygen. Over time, this can lower oxygen levels in the body, slow digestion, and leave you feeling bloated, sluggish, or uncomfortable after meals.
When Stress Affects Digestion
A few years ago, my family and I were displaced by a flood. Like thousands of others in our region, we had to leave our home and move from one temporary place to the next until we finally found somewhere safe again. While I’m grateful we got through it, the experience left its mark in ways I hadn’t expected.
As I tried to keep moving forward, I felt worn down—mentally and physically. My digestion, always a bit sensitive, became completely unpredictable. Bloating, discomfort, and sudden changes in bowel habits mirrored the chaos around me. It was then that I truly understood, beyond theory, just how deeply stress can disrupt the gut.