When we feel stressed, we tense up, and when our bodies tense up they don’t work as well. This can place strain on the body, and the digestive system is just one part that can suffer. To digest food, our intestines and stomach need to produce enzymes (little catalysts for chemical reactions that break down food) and be relaxed enough to move the food through the digestive tract. When we’re stressed and tense, this doesn’t happen as well as it would normally, which can upset digestion and even increase symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Mindfulness can help us to let go of tension and relax, which allows our bodies to work the way they should.