Shameflammation: Your Gut-Feeling Connection

Written by Audrey Hayward

Shame, a common human emotion that we all experience in our lives. Embarrassment, humiliation, feeling fundamentally flawed; the feelings we get when we are ashamed never provide positivity to our emotional wellbeing. Turns out, it has similar effects on our physical wellbeing as well. 

You know how when you’re really focused on an action happening, whether that’s your pasta water beginning to boil or your cookies finally being done in the oven, it seems to take forever? In contrast, the times you are distracted by other things, the time seems to go by so fast? Well, our bodies work similarly. 

Dr. Will Cole, the creator of the term “shameflammation” describes this gut-feeling connectedness and relationship that we all possess. With the gut and brain being formed from the same fetal tissue in the womb, they are forever connected together through the gut-brain axis (Leaf). This very real thing, contains a network of nerves that directly connect the brain and the gut providing bidirectional communication between the two, linking the emotional and cognitive parts of the brain to intestinal functions. Basically saying that our brain and gut are constantly sending signals back and forth to each other (Carabotti et al.).

THE SECOND BRAIN

You may be wondering; how much can the gut impact your emotions right? A lot. In fact, the gut is actually referred to as the “second brain” of the human body (Kuo). As you may know, our gut is home to most of our immune system (75% to be technical), and deals a lot with inflammation. With 95% of serotonin and 50% of dopamine produced in the gut, if your gut is preoccupied fighting inflammation, those lovely neurotransmitters that provide us happiness will be put on hold (Appleton). In fact, SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) is actually associated with anxiety and depression (Kossewska et al.). One study back in 2017 showed that out of their testing population that had SIBO, 50% tested positive for depression and 37% tested positive for anxiety (Center).  This in turn, allows our gut to be a major authoritative part of our mood, emotions, and mental health.

SHAMEFLAMMATION

So what is shameflammation? Essentially, it describes the connection between emotional suffering and physical suffering (specifically with the gut). When we deal with shame, it could be numerous things: unresolved past trauma, dread, chronic stress, and more. When our bodies are under constant stress, our immune and nervous systems go into a fight or flight inflamed state due to the excess and constant production and stream of cortisol. 

You may feel like you’re doing everything the wellness gurus say to “heal” your gut (working out, eating better, etc.) but you still feel that something is off. No matter how much cottage cheese, kombucha, or high-fiber foods you eat, if you don’t get down to the deeper roots, aka the emotional roots, your body will not react. 

STRESS IS THE ULTIMATE JUNK FOOD

Dr. Cole explains that a large number of people struggling with shameflammation are dealing with an overflow of information they receive online about wellness, diet, and exercise. People struggle and stress about not working out enough, making sure they are eating the right foods, or even overthinking their gut health. All of this contributes to hidden sabotage to themselves causing them to plateau with progress and contribute to negative health effects rather than positive - decreasing both their physical and mental health. All of this said, Dr. Cole says that one of his first tips to patients is to ask yourself what your relationship with food and your body is like. 

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

When people are extremely fixated and stressed about their bodies or a specific goal, it actually causes them to unknowingly sabotage themselves by causing and getting stuck in a prolonged fight or flight reaction. When the sympathetic nervous system is activated (fight or flight) there are obvious reactions like dilated pupils, accelerated heart rate, tense neck and shoulder muscles, sweating, and more. However, there are also a lot of hidden effects like digestion slowing (or ceasing), rise in blood pressure, and releasing cortisol (depresses the immune system). Ultimately, the goal is to get your body back to a state of rest, with the parasympathetic nervous system engaged. 

FEED YOUR BRAIN, YOUR BODY WILL FOLLOW.

Our brains are truly the boss when it comes to the chain of command in our bodies, with our brains feeding all the cells within our bodies. If all we feed our brains is confusing/conflicting content on social media, jealousy/comparison to others, and shame - our entire body will be impacted by that too. 

So how do we help avoid or stop this shameflammation cycle? 

1. Digital detox

1. This one has been said a thousand times, but for a reason. Our phones (as much as we feel we can’t live without them) pull us out of the present moment, introduce toxic comparisons, and are a constant tie to work. By turning off your notifications or putting your phone on airplane mode at the end of the night or around family, you can create a healthy boundary with you, your phone, and the world around you. Dr. Cole suggests instead of using your phone, simplifying your life with things that support your parasympathetic nervous system (rest & digest). Forest bathing, natural light and sun in the morning, and meditation rituals are all things generally accessible to everyone and free. 

2. Curate your life

1. Whether that be the podcasts you listen to, who you’re following online, or the people in your life - edit it. Find what information or people trigger you and cut it out - keep what lifts you up instead of what adds to your confusion, frustration, and shame. Under the giant umbrella that is the wellness industry, there are so many different opinions online of what’s healthy or right, so listen to your body and what feels right to you. The more information in this case, might not be the best. 

Taking care of yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually isn’t what you should do, it’s basic self-respect. I truly hope this article helped you, and the shameflammation cycle doesn’t get you! Live your life the way you want to live it - not how people are saying you should. What’s the point of being healthy for a life that you aren’t living? 

Be well,

Audrey

Resources

Appleton, Jeremy. “The Gut-Brain Axis: Influence of Microbiota on Mood and Mental Health.” Integrative Medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469458/.

Carabotti, Marilia, et al. “The Gut-Brain Axis: Interactions between Enteric Microbiota, Central and Enteric Nervous Systems.” Annals of Gastroenterology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367209/.

Center, 1Montefiore Medical. “The Prevalence of Depression in Small Intestinal Bacterial... : Official Journal of the American College of Gastroenterology: ACG.” LWW, journals.lww.com/ajg/fulltext/2017/10001/the_prevalence_of_depression_in_small_intestinal.1206.aspx#:~:text=Of%20the%20patients%20who%20tested,%25. Accessed 20 May 2024.

Kuo, Brayden. “The Gut and the Brain.” Home, hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/gut-brain#:~:text=The%20enteric%20nervous%20system%20that,brain%20when%20something%20is%20amiss. Accessed 20 May 2024.

Leaf, Dr. Caroline. “Are You Suffering from Shameflammation?” Dr. Leaf, Dr. Leaf, 22 Mar. 2023, drleaf.com/blogs/news/are-you-suffering-from-shameflammation.

V;, Kossewska J;Bierlit K;Trajkovski. “Personality, Anxiety, and Stress in Patients with Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth Syndrome. the Polish Preliminary Study.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36612414/#:~:text=Objective%3A%20Small%20intestinal%20bacterial%20overgrowth,associated%20with%20depression%20and%20anxiety. Accessed 20 May 2024.