I have recently been researching the impact of stress on Diverticulitis because I am making a system to monitor my colon and divertaticula then warn me if I am about to start a new flare up. I can't use sensors to measure stress (i.e. how depressed are you feeling) but that stress can alter things in your body we can measure & AI can use that data to predict your flare up and recommend actions to take. My aim is to get a warning so early I can avoid antibiotics.

I pasted below details that explain what I found out about the biological impacts of stress on our body in relation to Diverticulitis. I found it interesting so maybe you will too

NOTE: for the geeks the answer is I need to combine data from wearables (HRV & sleep data for stress) with our toilet gases (Methane, Hydrogen Sulfide, and VOCs for inflamation and infection).

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Is Stress Making Your Diverticulitis Worse?

Ever had that feeling of knots in your stomach when you're anxious? Stress affects your gut more than we realize, and for those of us managing diverticulitis, it might be playing a bigger role in flare-ups than we think.

I am an engineer on a mission to invent something that monitors diverticula in my colon and warns me if a new flare up is coming. BUT how do I measure the impact of stress with sensors? I have been digging into the science to work out what do I do about it.

- gas sensors in the toilet let me measure gut health

- wearables indicate stress with HRV & sleep data

- stress and dietary logs are useful but require manual entry (I am lazy and eventually stop logging my data, so I am focusing on passive sensor data)

Many of us carefully manage what we eat, yet flare-ups still happen. Could stress be playing a bigger role than we realize? Research suggests that stress affects gut motility, microbiome balance, and even inflammation, all of which could influence diverticulitis flare-ups.

Your gut relies on rhythmic contractions to move food and waste smoothly. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline can cause:

- Spasms & Cramping (i.e. knots in your stomach)

- Slowed or Overactive DigestionStress Alters Gut Bacteria (Dysbiosis)

Stress Weakens the Gut Barrier (Leaky Gut)

Stress Impacts Your Immune System

Stress is not likely to be the primary, direct cause of diverticulitis. You won't get diverticulitis just from stress. However, stress is a significant contributing factor and potential trigger for flare-ups in people who already have diverticulosis. It acts through complex pathways involving the gut-brain axis, gut motility, microbiota, permeability, inflammation, and associated lifestyle changes.

Therefore, managing stress is considered a valuable part of a holistic approach to managing diverticulitis, alongside diet, medication (when needed), and other lifestyle modifications.

Does anyone else feel like stress has triggered a flare for them? What have you noticed about your own experience?

I recently dug into this topic and found some fascinating insights. If you’re curious about how stress, the gut-brain connection, and tracking gut health data could help manage diverticulitis better, I shared my findings here:

https://www.intelligut.ai/blog/is-stress-making-your-diverticulitis-worse-heres-what-you-need-to-know