From Burnout to Balance. How Stress Was Wrecking Rachel’s Gut Health

When Rachel (name changed for privacy) came to see me, she was 56 and at her wit’s end.

Once a passionate foodie who loved to cook and eat, she now approached every meal with fear. Aggressive digestive issues had taken over her life — extreme pain after eating, bloating, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, and relentless fatigue. Her symptoms had become so severe that she had actually become ‘scared’ of eating.

She had seen her GP, undergone tests at the hospital; a gastroscopy showed higher than normal levels of stomach acid, but everything else was ‘normal’. She was prescribed medication, but deep down she felt something deeper was going on — something being missed. Convinced she had multiple food intolerances, she came to me asking for tests to “finally get to the bottom of it.”

But when I met her, I saw a different layer — a Nervous system stretched far beyond its capacity.

Despite appearing “fine” on the outside, her inner world was telling a different story. And the fundamental cause? Not food intolerances or allergies — but chronic, unrelenting STRESS.

Behind the scenes, she was holding it all: supporting a husband who wasn’t well, caring for elderly parents, managing an emotionally demanding job, and keeping her family life afloat. Her own needs had slipped further and further down the list — until her body started speaking louder than she could ignore.

Like many clients, she was nervous about working with a nutritionist. Worried I’d take away the few remaining pleasures in her life. That’s such a common — and understandable — misconception.

Instead of jumping into food eliminations or running tests, we started slowly. We focused on rebuilding trust with her body and supporting her digestion gently and practically — through a series of small but powerful steps she could integrate before, during, and after meals.

By week two, she felt a difference: less bloating, less discomfort, and a growing sense of calm around food.

We added in Nervous system support — both through simple lifestyle shifts and targeted supplementation to help her body move out of ‘fight-or-flight’. As her Nervous system regulated, her digestion followed suit.

By week six, she had improved by around 80%. The pain and bloating around meals had all but disappeared. She was eating three meals a day again, without fear. Her energy returned and she visited her GP at week eight to ask him to decrease her medication with the view to stopping altogether as she felt she no longer needed it. Her love of food — once buried under layers of anxiety — began to flourish again. She was seeing friends, cooking and sharing delicious meals, enjoying dessert and a glass or two of wine.

And yes, she needed someone to guide her. To show her that food can be more than fuel — it can be nourishment, joy, and healing. That when we prioritise our health, we can feel amazing, no matter our age or what life throws our way.

We continue to work together but are coming to the end of our journey. It has been such a privilege to support her on her journey and to witness this transformation. I do this as a job but even I never fail to be amazed at the powerful effect that naturopathic nutrition has on health and wellbeing.

If this sounds like you or anyone you know and you would like my help, please do get in touch, I’d be delighted to hear from you.

Book your free health review to start here.