Written by Dr. Sandra Miranda, ND
We are all feeling the pressure during these cold winter days to stay healthy and on track. Maybe you are stuck at home avoiding the cold weather. Stress just seems part of our daily lives, and it seems like an impossible thought that life will ever slow down. You are not alone right now! The stress is real!
What would you think if I told you there were some simple ways to help you manage your stress response naturally?
Food can play a bigger role in our stress levels than any of us may think. You know the saying, “you are what you eat?” Well, if you spend your time “stress eating” you’re doing just that. Eating your stress.
Nourish your body.
If we want to have a better chance at managing our stress response, one of the most important things we can do is support our bodies with healthy food and goof vitamins.
You know what the most important food group is to avoid when stressed?
Without a doubt, it is the highly processed and carb-heavy foods and sugar.
Unfortunately, these are what we all reach for most when we are stressed – they are convenient, fast, and many of them are what we like to call “comfort foods.” However, many of them are highly chemical laden, and much more difficult for our bodies to digest, and many may contain foods or compounds that our bodies are sensitive or allergic to. All of this leads to increased inflammation of the gut, poor digestion (and subsequent malnutrition), and a further stress response from the body. So now our bodies have to work that much harder to return to a state of calm and balance.
Okay, so besides avoiding these carbs, sugar and processed food, what else can you do to help your body manage stress better?
Leafy Greens: I know you’re probably tired of hearing how important leafy greens are to your diet, but seriously – it’s true! Aside from the multitudes of overall nutritional value that greens provide, they also have folate and magnesium. These are two important nutrients that are crucial for mental health support. Low levels of folate have been linked to depression and anxiety, as folate is important in the synthesis of neurotransmitters. Magnesium helps our muscles (and really our whole body) relax, it helps regulate our cortisol response, and is a necessary cofactor for many of the body’s daily functions. SO – mix some greens into your morning smoothie, hide them in your meatballs, or just mix them with a little olive oil and garlic and saute them up a bit, but get some greens in your daily life!
Green Tea: Okay – I hear you saying, “How is a caffeinated tea going to help me manage my stress? Isn’t it just going to make me more anxious?” The answer here is “not necessarily.” Green tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which has been proven to decrease blood pressure and anxiety. This helps to relax the brain from the current stressful situation, while the caffeine helps to direct mental focus so that you can still function. And the amount of caffeine in a cup of green tea is far less than you would find in a cup of coffee, so it won’t give you “the jitters” that you might get from coffee.
IV vitamin treatments: there are many reasons why this is the best therapy for our adrenals (stress) glands. Many people don’t absorb their vitamins very well and IVs is a way of making sure that all the nutrients go directly to the cells. We use the vitamins and minerals 10x more when we get and IV treatment. This makes sure that the treatment is more effective and that your healing is way quicker that just relying on oral supplements. Most of my patients come in once a month and it is an excellent way to boost up your adrenal glands. This way your are better able to deal with stress and avoid the cravings and the “stress eating”. Click here to read more on our IV vitamin treatments. (scroll to the bottom of the page)
For healthier coping mechanisms to handle stress, please reach out, and seek added support when necessary! 905-239-3900
