Upset Stomach Whenever You Feel Stressed? Soothe Your Digestion with Acupressure

The Donguibogam concept of qi stagnation is strikingly similar to modern medicine's gut-brain axis theory. Our body has a secret conductor called the autonomic nervous system, which regulates all biological activities that happen without our conscious awareness, such as digestion, heartbeat, and breathing. When placed in a stressful situation, our brain immediately declares a state of emergency and activates the sympathetic nerve, putting the body into a tense state. At this time, stress hormones such as cortisol are secreted, focusing blood flow toward muscles to prepare to flee or fight. Conversely, the activity of the parasympathetic nerve responsible for digestion sharply declines. It is just like shouting, 'Now is not the time to digest!' in an emergency. The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication system where the brain and gut closely exchange signals. When problems arise in the brain due to stress, the impact is directly transmitted to the gut, which can lead to gastric acid secretion imbalance, decreased gastrointestinal motility, and a deficiency in digestive enzymes. This can extend beyond simple bloating into chronic dyspepsia, gastritis, and even irritable bowel syndrome. In addition, the vast number of microorganisms residing in the gut, namely the gut microbiome, affects not only immunity but also mood and emotions, and stress can break the balance of these beneficial bacteria, further worsening gut health. Conversely, an unhealthy gut negatively affects brain function, amplifying anxiety and depressive feelings. This is precisely why Donguibogam viewed qi stagnation as both mind and body hurting together. Modern medicine scientifically reveals that autonomic nervous system imbalance and gut-brain axis interactions are key causes of stress-induced dyspepsia, once again proving the wisdom of Donguibogam from 500 years ago. Rather than merely suppressing symptoms, regaining balance in the gut-brain axis through stress management is truly the beginning of genuine healing.