The Connection Between Gut Health and Anxiety: What Your Body Might Be Telling You

If you’ve ever had a “gut feeling” about something or felt sick to your stomach during a stressful time, you’ve already experienced the deep link between gut health and anxiety.

What many people don’t realize is just how connected the gut and brain really are. In my work as a therapist, I’ve seen how this connection plays out in both subtle and significant ways. When anxiety is high, gut issues often aren’t far behind. And when gut health is off, anxiety can feel even heavier.

Let’s talk about what might actually be happening in your body and how healing can come from more than just one direction.

The Connection Between Gut Health and Anxiety

There’s a growing body of research confirming what many of us have suspected for a long time: your gut and your brain are in constant conversation. This connection is known as the gut-brain axis. It’s a two-way street, meaning what happens in the gut can influence your mood—and what happens in your mind can influence how your gut functions.

The gut is sometimes called “the second brain” because it houses a large part of the body’s nervous system and produces neurotransmitters like serotonin (yes, the same serotonin that affects your mood). 

When the balance of bacteria in your digestive system, your gut microbiome, is disrupted, it can affect how you feel emotionally. Likewise, chronic stress and anxiety can throw off that same balance and lead to symptoms like bloating, constipation, or nausea.

I see this a lot in clients who describe feeling “off” or physically tense but can’t always name why—it’s because it’s not just in their heads.

How Anxiety Presents Physically

Anxiety isn’t just mental. It can show up in your body in all kinds of ways. For some people, that might mean tight shoulders, a clenched jaw, or a racing heart. For others, especially those with long-term stress, it can show up in the digestive system.

Here are just a few ways gut health and anxiety connect:

• Frequent stomach aches or cramping

• Bloating or gas that seems to come out of nowhere

• Changes in appetite, like eating too much or not feeling hungry at all

• Nausea or “butterflies” that linger

• Bathroom issues, like constipation or diarrhea

These symptoms are your body’s way of speaking — sometimes it whispers, and sometimes it screams! If you’ve been treating these issues separately, such as seeing a doctor for stomach issues while also working on anxiety, it might help to explore how they can be connected.

Holistic Practices That Help With Gut Health and Anxiety

Because gut health and anxiety are connected, it makes sense that healing can happen from both sides, too. That’s where holistic support comes in. By supporting both your mind and your body, you give yourself a stronger foundation for long-term healing and greater well-being.

Some gentle ways to support this connection include:

• Prioritizing whole, nourishing foods, especially ones that are rich in fiber and probiotics—your gut loves those

• Staying hydrated throughout the day

• Building a consistent sleep routine

• Engaging in daily movement — even just walking or stretching

• Slowing down when you eat

None of this needs to be perfect. It’s okay if you create a great habit for a few weeks, only to fall off for the next few weeks. Even small changes can help your body start to trust that it’s not in danger all the time, so there’s no need to strive for perfection.

Exploring Integrative Approaches in Therapy

In therapy, we often focus on thoughts, patterns, and emotional wounds. But sometimes, progress also comes when we invite the body into the room. That’s why I take an integrative approach with clients who are struggling with gut health and anxiety. We will talk about symptoms, but we will also explore how your nervous system has learned to respond to stress.

Sometimes, that means getting curious about how early life experiences have shaped how safe (or unsafe) your body feels. Other times, it means exploring how your current environment is keeping you stuck in “fight or flight” mode.

What I love about this work is that it’s not about fixing you; it’s about helping you return to yourself and making sure that your body and brain feel more stable. 

Using Grounding or Mindfulness Techniques

One of the most helpful tools I introduce in therapy is grounding. Grounding techniques are ways to gently bring your attention back to the present moment. They calm the nervous system, slow racing thoughts, and help your body feel more settled. These techniques don't just ease anxiety, they can actually support better digestion over time.

Here are a few practices you can try:

• 5-4-3-2-1 grounding: Name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste.

• Deep belly breathing: Place a hand on your stomach and slowly breathe in and out, feeling your belly rise and fall. (This tells your brain that it’s safe to slow down.)

• Mindful eating: Try eating one meal a day without distractions. Focus on the smell, taste, and texture of your food.

These small shifts create a ripple effect. When your nervous system feels safe, your gut does, too.

Techniques like these and therapy can help you understand what your body has been holding, offer space to breathe, and open up new pathways for healing. If this feels like the next step for you, I’d love to walk alongside you.