Broken Heart Syndrome, Gut Health, and the Science of Wholeness
My main mission is to offer health education for women in hopes that it empowers us to take good care of ourselves and those who we take care of.
A few years ago, I took my mom for cataract surgery. The procedure itself went fine—except a cardiac issue was unexpectedly identified. As the ultrasonographer conducted an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of her heart), he said gently, “Your heart comes with a soundtrack,” as he recorded the sounds of the valves opening and closing.
The comment was touching. We all have a heartbeat, and each one has its own unique, precious sound. A shared experience, yet deeply individualized. How humane.
During the visit, the ultrasonographer used the term “broken heart syndrome,” which, it turns out, is an actual diagnosis. I looked it up again recently and found this definition from the Mayo Clinic:
“Broken heart syndrome is a temporary heart condition that's often brought on by stressful situations and extreme emotions. The condition also can be triggered by a serious physical illness or surgery. People with broken heart syndrome may have sudden chest pain or think they're having a heart attack. Broken heart syndrome affects just part of the heart, temporarily disrupting the heart's normal pumping function.”
My mom and I considered her very real, very recent heartbreak. Her partner and her sister had died within 48 hours of each other. Could that be contributing to what was generally being framed as an “electrical” issue in her heart?
How could it not be?
She is whole. Her grief, her biology, her history are all connected. The heartbreak and the heart rhythm cannot be separated.
And that idea—that we are whole beings, with deeply connected systems—is foundational to functional medicine. What happens in one part of the body absolutely influences the rest. And more often than not, the gut is right at the center.
When the Gut Is Quietly Disrupting Everything
Not long after that experience, my brilliant friend Karen sent me an article titled “Preventing environmental enteric dysfunction through improved water, sanitation and hygiene: an opportunity for stunting reduction in developing countries,” by Mbuya and Humphrey, published in Maternal & Child Nutrition in 2016.
In 2011, the growth of one in every five children was stunted worldwide. You might think it was because of poor diet or diarrhea, right? But the article pointed to something more insidious: subclinical gut disease—a disease that doesn’t always present with obvious gastrointestinal symptoms.
There are two main mechanisms at play:
Poor digestion and nutrient absorption
A leaky gut that chronically activates the immune system
Most children are born with a healthy immune system. While this research focused on children, the implications apply to adults, too. In fact, these gut-driven mechanisms underlie a wide array of health issues we see every day.
5 Essentials About Your Gut Health
Here are five things I wish more people knew about the gut:
1. Gut imbalances can drive all kinds of symptoms.
Some conditions—like irritable bowel syndrome, gas, or bloating—clearly point to digestive dysfunction. But others—like acne, eczema, depression, anxiety, fatigue, fibromyalgia, or autoimmune disease—might not seem connected. Often, they are.
2. Vegetables are vital.
They’re high in fiber, which fuels the cells in your colon and helps maintain microbial balance in the gut. You can’t shortcut your way to a healthy gut without them.
3. Your stool is a window into your health.
Ideally, it should be dark brown, shaped like a banana, and sink to the bottom of the toilet bowl. It’s worth paying attention.
4. Mood begins in the gut.
Many of our neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA—those chemical messengers that affect mood and emotional health—are made in the gut.
5. Gluten and dairy are common inflammatory triggers.
Their molecular structures are similar, and they often play a role in gut-related inflammation, especially when symptoms are persistent or mysterious.
We are not a collection of disconnected systems. We are whole. Your gut affects your immune system, your skin, your brain, your heart—and yes, even your grief.
If you have questions, leave them in the comments below. If you have a story, I invite you to share it. Your experience—like your heartbeat—is yours alone. But someone else might see themselves in it.
And that shared understanding? That’s part of the healing too.