How to Manage Stress Naturally – Nutrition's Role in Stress Management
Everyone experiences stress—it’s a part of life, and no one is immune to it. Whether it’s the pressure of work, personal challenges, or just the day-to-day hustle and bustle of life, stress affects all of us in one way or another. I get it because I’ve been there too. The overwhelming feeling of juggling it all, trying to keep up, and struggling to find that balance. It can feel like stress is constantly knocking at the door, and no matter what you do, it doesn’t seem to go away.
Ironically—the three years I spent studying to become a nutritional therapist and learning all about the effects that stress can have on the body, were three of the most stressful years of my life. Trying to juggle coursework, assignments and practical’s, along with a full-time job and a social life was at times impossible, and always exhausting. I admit that I struggled to look after myself in those moments, despite knowing all the “right” things to do, and at times both my mental and physical health suffered as a result.
I’m sure many of you can relate. It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to do everything, wanting to do everything, and stressing when you just can’t. And when stress takes over, self-neglect often follows—it doesn’t matter how much we know about it; sometimes, it just wins.
So, what exactly is stress?
Stress is not just a feeling – it is a non-specific physiological response of the body. By 'non-specific,' I mean that stress doesn't have a single, clear cause or symptom. It's a general reaction that can be triggered by a variety of situations or factors. Basically, your body reacts to stress in the same way, regardless of the source. This means that, whether you're running away from a tiger or dealing with work pressure or relationship issues, your body’s stress response remains the same.
The Stress Response
When the body perceives stress, it activates the sympathetic nervous system, triggering the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline – hormones that prepare the body to either fight the threat or flee from it (think “fight or flight”). These hormones increase your heart rate, elevate blood pressure, and boost energy, helping you to react quickly. However, adrenaline and noradrenaline, while helpful in preparing for quick action, can also trigger pro-inflammatory signals, contributing to inflammation in the body.
At the same time, cortisol is released. Cortisol increases your blood sugar level for added energy and suppresses non-essential functions like digestion. Interestingly, cortisol is an anti-inflammatory hormone in this phase, temporarily reducing inflammation to help the body focus on immediate survival.
This short-term activation of the stress response is crucial for dealing with immediate threats, but it’s only meant to be temporary.
Understanding Chronic Stress
Hans Selye, a pioneering endocrinologist, theorized that humans respond to stress in three distinct phases, which he termed the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS). According to Selye, the body reacts to stress in three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
Alarm: When faced with a stressful event, the body goes into "alarm" mode, releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to prepare for action. This is essentially the “fight or flight” response, as mentioned above.
Resistance: The body then enters the "resistance" stage, where it adapts to the stressor. This is the “simmering” phase where your body works hard to manage the stress and stay in balance.
Exhaustion: If the stress continues for too long, the body enters the "exhaustion" phase. In this phase, cortisol (your stress hormone) remains elevated to manage the stress. However, over time, as cortisol remains high, the cells in the body become less responsive to it, a condition known as cortisol resistance. This means the body’s ability to use cortisol effectively is diminished, and over time, cortisol production itself starts to decrease.
The first two stages of stress, the alarm and resistance stages, aren’t inherently bad. In fact, they’re essential physiological responses that help us manage and deal with stress. Since stress is an unavoidable part of life, these stages enable us to adapt, grow, and evolve as human beings, allowing us to face challenges and become more resilient.
But chronic or high-intensity stress can lead to maladaptive responses, as seen in the exhaustion phase. Instead of helping you grow and adapt, the prolonged activation of stress hormones like cortisol leads to energy depletion, hormone imbalances, and an inability to cope with ongoing stress. The body starts to struggle to maintain balance, resulting in physical and mental exhaustion. This can have wide-ranging effects on your health, contributing to issues like weakened immunity, digestive problems, hormonal imbalances, and even chronic diseases.
How Chronic Stress Promotes Inflammation In the Body
Inflammation is your body's way of responding to injury, infection, or harmful stimuli, and it plays a key role in healing and repair in the body. Cortisol helps to suppress inflammation as part of the body’s immediate stress response. Think about it like this: if you had to run away from a tiger, the last thing your body would care about is fighting off an infection. That would be a waste of precious energy that could be better directed to your heart and muscles which need it in order to survive. So, cortisol temporarily puts inflammation on hold to help you focus on dealing with the stressor at hand.
However, in the context of chronic stress, the role of cortisol shifts, becoming problematic. As already discussed, chronic stress is characterised by elevated cortisol levels in the long term. Elevated cortisol in the long-term results in:
Cortisol Resistance: where the cells in the body become resistant to cortisol effects, diminishing its anti-inflammatory capabilities.
Release of Pro-Inflammatory Molecules: where chronic elevated levels actually dysregulate the immune system, increasing the production of pro-inflammatory molecules.
This, coupled with the pro-inflammatory effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline as part of the “fight or flight” response leads to an inflammatory state and is the reason why chronic stress is often associated with increased systemic inflammation and conditions like autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders.
The Pro-inflammatory Cycle:
So, here's how the cycle plays out:
In acute stress, cortisol suppresses inflammation to help you manage the stressor.
But when stress is chronic, the body can become less sensitive to cortisol, and high levels of cortisol contribute to inflammation instead of controlling it.
On top of that, the body’s sympathetic nervous system activation and ongoing stress can also increase pro-inflammatory molecules, contributing to a state of low-grade chronic inflammation.
Outcomes of chronic stress on the body
Chronic Inflammation: As mentioned earlier, chronic stress leads to sustained inflammation in the body. This long-term inflammatory state is linked to several chronic health conditions, including autoimmune diseases, arthritis, and even certain types of cancer.
Weakened Immune System: Chronic cortisol production suppresses immune function, reducing the body’s ability to fight off viruses and bacteria, making you more susceptible to infections and illnesses.
Digestive Issues: Chronic stress can also affect gut motility, leading to either constipation or diarrhea, and alter gut microbiota, which plays a role in digestion and immunity.
Hormonal Imbalances: Chronic stress can disrupt hormonal balance, leading to a variety of issues. It can cause irregular menstrual cycles or even stop periods altogether, as stress can interfere with reproductive hormone production. It can also contribute to thyroid imbalances, leading to fatigue, weight gain or loss, and other symptoms.
Cardiovascular Disease: Long-term stress is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. The body’s constant fight-or-flight response puts strain on the heart and blood vessels, leading to inflammation and a higher likelihood of clot formation.
Weight Gain: Cortisol is a fat storage hormone meaning it signals the body to retain fat as a survival mechanism. When we're stressed, the body thinks it's facing a threat, like running from danger. To help us survive, the body stores extra fat for energy, in case we need it to deal with a prolonged fight or flight situation. This fat is mainly stored around the belly because it's close to vital organs and can be quickly used for energy. Over time, consistently high cortisol levels lead to the accumulation of this abdominal fat, known as visceral fat, which contribute to health issues.
Mental Health Challenges: Chronic stress is closely associated with mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and mood swings. The imbalance of neurotransmitters due to sustained cortisol exposure can impair brain function and lead to mental fog, memory problems, and difficulty concentrating.
Sleep Disruptions: Stress can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep, leading to insomnia. Chronic sleep disruption can then exacerbate the effects of stress, making the body less capable of recovering and leading to a vicious cycle of poor health.
Muscle Tension and Pain: Stress triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response, which can lead to chronic muscle tension. Over time, this can result in pain, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and back. Tension headaches are also common.
Decreased Libido: Chronic stress can lead to a reduction in sex drive due to the persistent release of stress hormones, which can interfere with reproductive hormones and sexual function, making intimacy feel less desirable or harder to achieve.
Breaking the Cycle
The good news is that it’s possible to restore balance and negate the negative effects that chronic stress has on the body.
The first step is addressing the root causes of stress, and the second is reducing inflammation. By doing so, your body can recover and heal from the damage stress has caused. Restoring balance doesn’t mean eliminating stress entirely—that’s not realistic. Instead, it's about supporting your body in managing stress more effectively and minimizing its harmful effects. Nutrition plays a pivotal role in this process. The right foods, consumed at the right time, can help lower inflammation, support the immune system, and regulate hormone levels, all of which contribute to better stress management
How to Break the Stress-Inflammation Cycle Using Nutrition – When, What and How
When to Eat
Eat regularly: Try to eat every 3-4 hours to prevent dips in blood sugar, which can trigger cortisol release and increase feelings of stress. A healthy routine of regular, balanced meals supports your body in managing stress better. Read my first blog ‘The Basics for Building a Balanced Meals’ for tips on how to create a balanced meal that supports blood sugar balance.
Don’t skip meals: When stressed, it can be tempting to skip meals or snack mindlessly. However, skipping meals or going too long between eating can trigger your body’s stress response, which can worsen inflammation.
What to eat
Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods: During times of stress, your body needs extra nutrients to support the adrenal glands and combat the negative effects of cortisol. Focus on incorporating foods rich in vitamin C, B vitamins, Magnesium and Zinc in particular. Whole foods—vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains are full of these nutrients and other nutrients that support stress management. Avoid processed foods as much as possible (i.e. things in packaging or things with multiple ingredients).
Consume complex carbs for steady energy: Complex carbs play a crucial role in maintaining stable blood sugar levels, which is vital for managing stress. Unlike simple sugars that cause rapid blood sugar spikes followed by crashes, complex carbs are absorbed more slowly by the body, providing a steady source of energy, helping you avoid the highs and lows that can lead to increased stress levels. To include more complex carbs in your diet, focus on whole grains and fiber-rich foods like sweet potatoes, quinoa, oats, and brown rice.
Protein for Blood Sugar Regulation: Protein also plays a critical role in stabilizing blood sugar levels. When you consume protein, it slows down the absorption of glucose from the carbs you eat. This slower release also helps to prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes linked with increased stress. To include more protein in your diet, focus on lean poultry (chicken, turkey), eggs, tofu and legumes.
Healthy fats to reduce inflammation: Healthy fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids, are critical for reducing inflammation and supporting brain function, which are both key for managing stress. Omega-3s have been shown to lower levels of cortisol, helping to mitigate its negative effects on the body. Fats are also important for hormone regulation, including the hormones involved in the stress response. Additionally, healthy fats provide a long-lasting source of energy that helps prevent the blood sugar dips that can lead to irritability and anxiety. To include more healthy fats in your diet, focus on incorporating omega-3-rich foods like fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, and sardines), chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts, as well as monounsaturated fats like olive oil.
How to Eat
Eat mindfully: The state in which you eat is just as important as what you eat. Eating in a relaxed state (as opposed to a stressed, distracted, or hurried state) helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” mode. This helps improve digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall food processing. Take a few deep breaths before meals, chew slowly, and try to eat without distractions (such as phones or work).
Eat in a calm environment: Create a peaceful eating environment by sitting down to eat away from work, screens, or stressful tasks. This helps trigger your body’s relaxation response, making digestion easier and more efficient.
Avoid overeating: Overeating can trigger an inflammatory response in the body. Instead, focus on portion sizes that nourish your body without overloading it, helping you feel satisfied but not overly full. Try implementing the Japanese practice “Hara Hachi Bu” which involves eating only until you are 80% full.
Other Lifestyle Tips to Support Stress Management
Stay Hydrated: Dehydration can exacerbate stress and make it harder for your body to cope. Aim to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Rest and Recover: Make sure you prioritize sleep. Your body needs time to repair itself, process stress, and regenerate. Lack of sleep only worsens the impact of stress.
Movement: Regular physical activity helps reduce cortisol levels and supports mental health. Whether it’s walking, yoga, or more intense exercise, moving your body can help you cope with stress and reduce inflammation.
Final Thoughts
Breaking the cycle of stress and inflammation requires a holistic approach, and by incorporating stress-reducing, anti-inflammatory nutrients into your diet and practicing mindful eating habits, you can better support your body’s ability to manage stress. Stress is an inevitable part of life, but how we handle it makes all the difference. Nutrition, lifestyle changes, and professional guidance can help you achieve a more balanced, healthier life.
If you’re struggling with chronic stress, seeking the guidance of a nutritional therapist can be incredibly valuable. Nutritional therapy looks at your diet as a whole and identifies any areas where you may be lacking key nutrients vital for stress management. A nutritional therapist can assess your unique situation, taking into account your lifestyle, health history, and individual needs. By working with a professional, you’ll receive tailored advice on how to improve your nutrition, optimize your body’s stress response, and enhance overall well-being. Nutritional therapists don’t just provide generic advice; they offer personalized strategies and ongoing support to help you make sustainable changes. With nutritional therapy, you can better understand how the right foods can help reduce inflammation, balance hormones, and improve your body’s ability to cope with stress in a healthy, sustainable way.
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