Don’t Sweat It! Reduce Stress with these Diet & Lifestyle Tips.
I have a client who’s a college athlete. As she was gearing up for the new school year, we talked a lot about the stress she experiences on campus and what to do about it. In fact, this is a common thread with many of my clients. And, like so many of the challenges my clients face, understanding it is the first step to dealing with it. So here’s some of what I shared with my college client last week….
Stress is commonly thought of as inherently bad. That makes sense. After all, when you hear the word “stress,” what do you think of? Deadlines at work, sitting in traffic when you’re late, a health concern, difficulty with your family, financial struggles.
But not all stress is bad for you. There are positive things in life that can cause stress on the body, too. Good stress – also called “eustress” – gives you an excited feeling you might experience on a blind date, riding a roller coaster, or competing in a sport. Eustress actually energizes you, increases alertness, and motivates you to achieve your goals.
At the other end of the spectrum, bad stress depletes your energy and takes its toll on your body. Short-term episodes of negative stress are part of life and don’t have a tremendous effect on overall health. The problem occurs when stress is ongoing and feels beyond your control. This kind of stress can cause insomnia, weight gain, headaches, high blood pressure, and inflammation.
Chronic stress affects many systems in the body, but two of the biggies are blood sugar balance and digestion:
Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” and is elevated in times of stress. This contributes to big fluctuations in blood sugar, which can affect energy, mood, cravings, and more. Disrupted sleep (common in chronic stress) also causes cortisol to rise, magnifying the effect.
When your body experiences stress, it redirects blood flow away from the digestive tract to the muscles and brain, leading to stomach issues.
The good news is that your body is equipped to deal with stress if you give it the right tools.
And, of course, you know I have to start with what you eat….
A varied whole-food diet gives your body the nutrients it needs to fight the effects of chronic stress like inflammation.
Eat as many diverse colors as possible. Getting a wide variety ensures that you’re hitting all the vitamins and minerals without having to keep track or rely on supplements. Nature is pretty miraculous that way.
Avoid skipping meals in order to keep your blood sugar stable.
Avoid processed foods and added sugar which can contribute to inflammation and blood sugar spikes.
Stay hydrated.
One mineral worth calling out when it comes to managing stress is magnesium and it’s a must! Known as “nature’s muscle relaxant,” magnesium supports energy production, nerve and muscle function, blood sugar regulation, sleep, and mental health. Eat as many magnesium-rich foods as you can. These include leafy greens, such as spinach, Swiss chard, and kale; avocado; nuts and seeds, including almonds, cashews, pistachios, and pumpkin seeds; salmon; dark chocolate and cacao powder; and whole grains, such as brown rice and oats.
Due to over-farming, our soils aren’t as rich in magnesium as they once were, so many people are deficient. Here’s one place where a supplement might be in order. Another option – soak in an epsom salt bath and absorb magnesium through your skin. It's also a great way to de-stress from your distress!
What else can you do in addition to diet? Plenty. Breathing and relaxation techniques can really help. Here are a few of my favorites:
Alternate-Nostril Breathing: This technique involves inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the other, then reversing. Sit in a comfortable position. Hold your left nostril closed while you inhale through your right nostril. Then hold your right nostril closed and exhale through your left nostril. Next, keep the right nostril closed and inhale through the left. Hold the left nostril closed and exhale through the right. Repeat the alternating pattern for 5 minutes. This is a great practice to get into before eating because it calms the body and gets it ready for digestion.
4-4-4 Breathing: Inhale deeply for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Exhale for a count of 4. Repeat for 4 minutes.
Progressive Relaxation: In this technique, you contract each muscle group forcefully for 1-2 seconds, then release. Start with the face, then upper arms, lower arms and hands, abs, glutes, thighs, calves, feet. Repeat 2 or 3 times.
There are plenty of detailed instruction resources for these techniques online.
Remember, your body can only heal itself, prevent chronic illness, or let you perform at your best if you do your part by adopting a healthy lifestyle. I work with my clients to help them do just that. Whatever your goal, it’s not always easy to know where to start. Lucky for you… that’s my part.
