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Writer's pictureMelissa Shelton

Stress and Nutrition

Nutrition plays a huge role in our body’s ability to deal with stress. When our body and mind are balanced we are more equipped to deal with environmental impacts and stressors, and our bodies are more capable of returning to homeostasis. Without the proper nutrients fueling our body we can get caught in a loop of stress, fatigue, and poor lifestyle and dietary choices. When we are stressed it’s a lot easier to grab convenient foods like fast food, highly processed easy meals, and increase our caffeine intake, which all lead to more stress on the mind and body.

“Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be your food” is a famous quote by Hypocrites that always sticks with me. I think about our ancestors and how nutrition used to be such a crucial factor because our lives and well-being depended on it, depended upon nature. Over the ages food has been hunted, gathered, and grown, not only for nutrients and energy, but also for health and the restoration of health from disease and illness (Seaward, 2021). Nutrients are important because they support the bodies’ ability to conduct basic functions, regulate chemical processes, provide energy, and contribute to body structure (Green & Shallal, 2020).

Going back to another solid quote or verse “the body is a temple” and I believe it should be treated as such. Diet is important, quality, whole, organic, wild foods are important, and pure clean water is important. The word diet seems to be interpreted as a trend rather than a lifestyle change and I always like to bring this up because it’s important to understand that diet isn’t a trend, it’s a long term commitment and it shouldn’t feel like a chore but rather a conscious loving choice, something you are doing to become a better you every day, one small choice at a time. 

With that being said, the Mediterranean diet is one that aligns closely to our ancestral diet, it consists of foods high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish, seafood, nuts), which have been proven to improve anxiety, stress, and mental health imbalances. It is also packed with dietary fiber which has been shown to decrease inflammation throughout the body, including the brain, which also plays a huge role in decreasing anxiety and supporting stress management (Naidoo, 2020). The Mediterranean diet includes fish, poultry, whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, seeds, and olive oil. It limits red meats and processed foods. It is important to find organic and local foods if possible, wild caught meats, and spring or distilled water.

 

 


(Living the Mediterranean Lifestyle, 2016).

 

 




 

References

Naidoo, U. (2020). Eat to Beat Stress. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine15(1), 39–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827620973936

Seaward, B. (2021). Essentials of managing stress. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Living the Mediterranean Lifestyle. (2016, January 7). American Society for Nutrition. https://nutrition.org/living-mediterranean-lifestyle/

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