Why Your Gut Feels Off and What Helps: A Deep Dive into AD, IBS, and hEDS

If you have hEDS, your gut might feel like it’s on a rollercoaster. Bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and early fullness can flare unpredictably. On top of that, POTS or autonomic dysfunction (AD) can make standing, moving, or even eating feel like a gamble. The good news: gentle, practical strategies can calm both your gut and your autonomic nervous system.

Why Your Gut Overreacts

Your digestive system is smart—it adjusts movement, blood flow, and secretions constantly:

Food enters → stomach stretches → signals sent to the gut and brain
Blood flow shifts → more goes to the intestines for digestion
Nerves in the gut (part of the autonomic system) tell muscles when to contract or relax

In hEDS, this system can get “out of sync” because:

Connective tissue is more lax → gut walls stretch too easily → slower motility or bloating
Nerves overreact → AD/POTS causes blood pooling → nausea, fullness, dizziness
Brain-gut communication misfires → IBS-like pain and hypersensitivity

This explains why some hEDS patients feel their gut flares more when standing, dehydrated, or stressed, rather than just after certain foods.

Why AD Makes It Worse

AD isn’t just about a fast heart rate or dizziness. It affects your whole body - including your gut. When blood pools in your legs and abdomen:

Digestion slows → nausea, bloating, early fullness
Motility gets irregular → constipation or diarrhea
Pain signals amplify → visceral hypersensitivity

Many people mistake this for classic IBS, but it’s often a mix: the connective tissue + autonomic dysfunction combo creates GI symptoms that are trickier than a typical gut-only disorder.

Simple Steps to Calm Your Gut and Nervous System

Think of these as small steps that stack over time, helping blood flow, gut motility, and nervous system stability.

Lower abdomen + sudden ballooning usually means gas trapping + slowed motility, which is very EDS-typical. Do this, in order:

First 5-15 minutes

Left side → knees to chest
Left side for 2–3 minutes. Then hug knees to chest, gently rock side to side - this mechanically moves gas out of the sigmoid colon.
“Wind-relieving” sequence

- Knees to chest → release
- Right knee to chest → release
- Left knee to chest → release
- Repeat 5–6 cycles. Slow and relaxed.

Clockwise massage, low belly only
- Just above the pubic bone, moving right → up → across → down. Apply feather-light pressure; too much makes it worse.

Calm the gut (this matters)

Long exhales

- Inhale 4, exhale 8.
- Do 10–15 breaths.
- This shuts down gut spasm. If breathing doesn’t slow, nothing else works.

Heat
- Directly on the lower abdomen for 15–20 minutes.

If you need faster relief

- Peppermint (tea or capsule) if you tolerate it
- Warm water, small sips
- Walk slowly for 5 minutes after the breathing, not before

Why this keeps happening in EDS (quick truth)

Your colon isn’t tight enough to push gas efficiently, and your nerves overreact to normal distension. The result: pressure cooker in the lower belly.

For the next meal

- Eat half the portion you think you need
- Warm, soft foods
- Protein + low-ferment carbs (white rice, white bread, pasta, potatoes, quinoa, and corn tortillas, plus (hard cheeses) and some fruits/veggies (berries, spinach, carrots, cucumbers)
- Eat slowly, seated, no distractions

1. Eat Smart, Not Less

- Small, frequent meals: 5–6 mini-meals instead of 3 big ones
- Mindful chewing: Slow bites, chew well, avoid gulping air
- Gentle fiber: Soluble fiber like oats or psyllium can help constipation without bloating
- Low-FODMAP trial: Short-term adjustment can reduce gas and bloating—track carefully

2. Hydrate and Support Blood Flow

- Steady fluids: 2–3 liters water/day, small sips throughout
- Electrolytes: Oral rehydration salts or drinks can support circulation
- Compression: Socks or an abdominal binder keep blood moving and reduce upright nausea

3. Move Mindfully

- Seated exercises: Cycling, rowing, or swimming avoids blood pooling
- After-meal micro-movements: Seated leg lifts or ankle circles for 5–10 minutes improve gut motility
- Gentle core work: Supports abdominal muscles, reducing visceral strain

4. Temperature and Comfort

- Cool environment: Heat worsens AD symptoms
- Warm abdomen, cool forehead: Heating pads ease cramps; cooling cloths reduce dizziness

5. Sleep and Daily Rhythm

- Elevate head slightly: Helps reflux and morning orthostatic symptoms
- Consistent sleep: Stabilizes autonomic function
- Short restorative naps: 10–20 minutes in reclined or seated position to reset energy

The Bottom Line

AD and IBS in hEDS aren’t just “upset stomachs.” They’re a sign your gut and nervous system are out of sync. Combining strategies - hydration, posture, meals, gentle movement - usually calm flares, improve motility, and reduce dizziness or nausea.

Think of it like this:
Eat small → hydrate smart → move gently → nerves calm → gut relaxes → energy improves.

Start small, track carefully, and always loop in a doctor familiar with hEDS. Over time, these tweaks can tame the gut and an overactive autonomic system into something much more manageable.

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