Dietary Success Means to Stress Way Less!

At first blush, it seems a little strange to place such a huge importance of nutrition onto stress management, but the science shows that they are tied very closely together. The good news is that science also shows that you can start to improve one with the other!

No matter if the stress you experience is quick (like one bad day) or chronic (a demanding job), your body is responding to all of your stress in the exact same way. So if you have a quick anxiety spike, then your hormone levels will also spike but then they will gradually go back to normal. If you are stressed constantly, however, then your hormones will stay elevated for the duration.

I think your gut already knows: this isn’t great.

Let's begin this post, first, with a deep, soothing breath. Imagine yourself in an open, clean, beautiful meadow. The quiet of the country air, the sound of a breeze in distant trees. Cool grass. Animals are known to bring down blood pressure, too, so imagine your dog with his head on your lap, or a barn cat rubbing against your arm, or a sleepy calf at your side.

This feels really good, doesn't it? If we all felt contented like this all time, we would physiologically feel better, mentally more stable, our mood would be elevated at any given time.

But the pursuit of joy all the time is hard. Worth it but hard.

There are people out there who are going to tell you that your pursuit of joy and control are wrong, selfish or pointless. They, however, are fundamentally, scientifically the ones in the wrong, and here is proof from your own body:

· Stress puts a greater demand on your body for oxygen, energy and nutrients, so with all of your stress, you are quite literally draining your physical body of its resources. When you are stressed your whole mind and body responds – shallow breathing, clenched fists, a churning stomach. This is not just a feeling, it is your whole body hard at work. But not necessarily working to your benefit.

· Acute stress may cause appetite suppression. So all that churning stomach mentioned before? It makes you lose your appetite. No matter how appealing the meal in front of you, it tastes like ashes and you hardly touch a bite. Without food, your body starves – literally! – and eventually you will crash.

· Chronic stress may cause comfort eating, particularly for foods high in sugar, fat and calories. So the opposite of appetite suppression, maybe you are soothing your stress and anxiety with pizza, cinnamon rolls, ice cream and cookies or pasta. Now, none of these is inherently bad for you, until it becomes a coping mechanism. Then, rather than eating it as a treat, it becomes a regular meal. Now you have a problem.

· Stress eating tends to ignore quantity and nutrition which obviously plays into comfort eating. When you order that pizza, are you enjoying and savoring one delicious piece? Or. Maybe, are you downing half of that pizza, or more? Pay attention to quantity. Better yet, enjoy it next to a big Italian salad with a great dose of nutrition!

· Stress disrupts sleep. How many of us have laid awake at night stressed about everything we need to do, haven’t done, bills that need paid, low bank accounts, work piling up, an irritated boss – the list is endless. In the morning, you are probably drained at best, and tired individuals may rely on stimulant like caffeine. Do not get me wrong, I love my morning coffee, and with two small children there are plenty of days when I really need a strong pick me up. But if you skip that coffee or Mountain Dew, does it give you a headache? Do you crash? Drag? Pay attention to your reliance. It may be masking a lot.

· Cortisol (the stress hormone) causes belly fat which is associated with insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases, increased risks of type 2 diabetes and some breast cancers. Human bodies of course comes in all shapes and sizes, and there is beauty in all of them! But there are dangers in some of them, too. If you are concerned about your weight or how it is making you feel, then absolutely get your labs drawn, check your blood pressure and oxygen levels – your vitals will tell you how things really stand. Chemistry does not care about society, it only cares about the facts of your individual physiology. You may be in great shape, but you may not. Know Thyself and tune in to that.

· Stress causes heartburn, flatulence, diarrhea and constipation, oh my!

Frankly, none of these feels any good. You do not want to feel lousy every day. If you feel sick, tired and brain fogged, you do not want to do anything. You probably do not even want to do the things you actually like doing. So flip the script, so to speak. Get energized and get ready and able to take on the world.

When you decide to make changes to your diet in order to address your stress, then take a moment, first, to enjoy that feeling! It's exciting!

Second, start somewhere small and manageable. Look at picking some area of your nutrition that you know needs changing. For example, if you are in the habit of quick frozen meals every night, do not suddenly start to try to plan, shop for and cook full meals - that is too much change at once. You will burn out and quit (see a pattern here :) ). Instead, simply add a side salad to each meal. Later, swap the Ranch dressing for a vinaigrette. Later, learn to cook with your favorite vegetable three different ways. Later, experiment with plant based proteins, or something else which strikes your interest. See? Simple, small, manageable, progressing with every step. If you start with your nutrition, it will spike your energy, mood and confidence, and this is what you and take with you into managing your stress at work.

How your body feels is the foundation to your motivation.

Better, when we feel great, we take that energy into the world. Maybe we see patients for a living, maybe we deliver groceries to a lonely senior, maybe its our jobs are to sell manufactured goods – no matter what you do or who you cross, if you feel good, then it will show, and you can leave someone else feeling great, too.

Confidence and joy are as contagious as doubt and misery. Which will you chase? Which will you spread?