Stress is a normal part of life, but how we handle it can affect our health for the rest of our life! Many people know that exercise and relaxation techniques help to reduce stress, but actually, what you eat plays a major role in how (physically and emotionally) stressed your body is on a day-to-day basis! What we eat affects our brain, our mood, and how our body reacts to stress. And learning about the connection between nutrition and stress can help us make better choices for a healthier, happier life. :) 

How Your Gut Affects Stress

Your gut is home to trillions of tiny organisms called microbes. These microbes help digest food, but they also (majorly) affect how we feel. Scientists call this the gut-brain connection. And what is interesting about this connection is that there are some good microbes that help to control and lower our stress, while other harmful ones can actually make stress worse. What is even more interesting about this is the correlation between eating bad foods and having more bad microbes, while eating healthful, real foods tends to cause us humans to have more good (anti-stress) producing microbes!!

Good and Bad Microbes That Affect Stress

• Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium: These good bacteria help produce chemicals like serotonin and GABA, which make us feel calm and happy.
• Faecalibacterium prausnitzii: This microbe helps lower inflammation, which can reduce stress and anxiety.
• Akkermansia muciniphila: Supports gut health and lowers stress-related inflammation.
• Escherichia coli (some types): Certain strains of E. coli can cause inflammation and make stress worse.
• Clostridium (some types): Some strains of Clostridium release toxins that may lead to mood problems.

Eating fiber-rich nonstarchy vegetables like artichokes, asparagus and garlic, as well as fermented foods like yogurt, and fermented vegetables can help us grow good gut bacteria that fight stress naturally! Imagine a world where you have no anxiety and life is fun, exciting and flowy all because of your decision to eat better foods every day!!!

Why We Crave Junk Food When Stressed

Many people eat ultra-processed foods like chips, candy, and fast food when they feel stressed. This happens because these foods trigger the brain to release dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel good. They actually reduce our cortisol, the stress hormone that can seem to control our lives. The problem is, this is temporary only until we get stressed again… This relief doesn’t ever really last long enough for us to solve our root problems which are really around how we respond to stress in the first place.

How Junk Food Affects Stress

• Guilt and Shame: After eating unhealthy foods, people may feel bad about their choices. They may even “rebound” by trying to go on a diet, which we all know doesn’t last and most often makes us feel even more guilty for not being able to sustain it (even though they are most often unsustainable anyway!!)
• Frustration: The energy boost fades quickly, often leaving people feeling irritable and moody.
• Higher Stress Over Time: Eating lots of processed foods can make the body more sensitive to stress and anxiety triggers, making things way worse in the long run.

Instead of using food to deal with stress, finding (many) other healthy stress management techniques can help break this cycle.

Healthy Ways to Manage Stress Naturally

Food alone isn’t the best way to handle stress. It’s important to use different activities that help the brain learn healthier ways to respond to stress. A mix of calming and energizing activities works best.

Calming Activities:

These activities help relax the body and mind, lowering stress levels.

• • ***Quit the caffeine which has been shown in numerous research studies to exacerbate anxiety
  • Meditation for mindfulness and relaxation
  • Deep breathing exercises to lower heart rate
  • Knitting or crafting to focus the mind

• Reading a book to escape your mind for a bit

• • Stretching or yoga for body relaxation

• Also consider taking an adaptogen which is a group of herbs that help our body adapt to stress! Examples include ashwagandha, rhodiola and eleuthero root

Energizing Activities:

These activities help release tension and boost energy.

• Weightlifting or strength training to relieve stress
• Hiking or walking outdoors to refresh the mind
• Watching an exciting movie such as an action movie for entertainment
• Dancing to upbeat music for a mood boost
• Playing sports for physical activity and social interaction

It is best to have at least 5-10 different stress-relief activities to use in different situations. This makes it easier to handle stress in many healthy ways.

Final Thoughts: A Balanced Approach to Stress Management

Stress is a part of life, but how we deal with it matters. Eating gut-friendly foods can help support our brain and stress levels. Avoiding too many processed foods can prevent mood swings and long-term stress problems. And finally, using both calming and energizing activities can re-train and re-wire the brain to respond to stress in a better and more healthy way.

By making smart food choices and practicing different stress-relief techniques, we can feel more balanced, healthy, and in control of our lives so that we live a happy and less stressful life!!!