In the treatment of stress, depression or anxiety, medications seem to be at first place. What if you want to go for a holistic approach?
Physical activity has been proven to reduce stress and depression. This includes meditation, breathing techniques and even exposing the body to cold and hot temperatures regularly (saunas/ice-baths). You may be missing a key component: your diet. Do you know about your “second mind”? It is interesting to note that it’s located in your stomach. Your gut, which contains trillions and trillions of bacteria, can influence your mood. We examine the relationship between stress and foods that affect your overall health.
What can you do to improve your health? Learn more about our Certified Wellness Coach Course!
Go with your gut
Recent research has shown that the gut-brain link influences more than mood. The signals sent by your brain to your stomach play a major role in your hormonal and immune systems. It has been shown that “dysbiosis”, or an unhealthy stomach, is common in many central nervous systems disorders such as anxiety-depressive behavior (1).
What you eat will therefore have an impact on how you feel. Stress can also have a significant impact on your ability to absorb nutrients. Stress releases cortisol. High levels of cortisol in the body can cause problems such as poor absorption and delayed gastric emptying.
Inflammation is the root cause of many problems in the relationship between gut health and mental well-being. In one study they compared a Western diet with a Mediterranean diet. They found that those who consumed the Western diet which is high in processed foods and fats had more inflammation (2).
What you eat has a major impact on your emotional health!
FOODS TO RESOLVE ANXIETY & IMPROVE WELLBEING
Let’s first identify the major players in depression and anxiety, and then see how diet can affect their presence.
Low levels of serotonin have been observed in people who suffer from depression and anxiety. 90% of the serotonin is produced by the digestive system! Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps to synthesize serotonin. Where can I find tryptophan? Tryptophan is found in animal meat, seeds, nuts and milk.
Using this information, it would be advisable to consume a diet that helps fight inflammation but also contains rich levels of tryptophan to help fight off anxiety-depressive-like symptoms.
What five foods made the list?
SALMON
Salmon is high in tryptophan and omega 3, an essential fatty acids that reduces inflammation. Recent studies examining the relationship between omega 3 consumption and mental health found that higher omega 3 intake correlates with lower anxiety levels. A systematic review and metaanalysis of 19 clinical studies from 11 countries showed that omega-3 fatty acids improved anxiety symptoms compared to the control groups (6).
Fermented FOODs
Remember the connection between gut and brain mentioned earlier? Fermented foods contain probiotics. Probiotics help to improve “good” bacteria within your gut. Miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and tempeh are fermented foods that contain probiotics. Yogurt, kefir and certain cheeses are also rich in probiotics.
LEGUMES
Included in legumes are plants that are rich in nutrients, such as chickpeas and beans. Legumes contain a lot of magnesium. In one study, lower magnesium levels were linked to increased anxiety in mice. Recent research suggests that magnesium can regulate neurotransmitters associated with sleep. In other words, increasing magnesium consumption can improve sleep quality or onset. This is important for reducing stress levels.
EGGS
The highest quality of protein is eggs. They are a great source of vitamins and minerals – especially B6 and tryptophan! Low B6 levels are thought to be the main cause of depression, since B6 is an essential cofactor of the tryptophan and serotonin pathways. In a study of 140 people, those with depression were found to have significantly lower levels of vitamin B6 in their plasma (7).
FRESH ANTIOXIDANT RICH FRUITS
It’s difficult to choose the best fruits with anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant found in fruits like oranges and pomegranates. Polyphenols are found in berries, cherries and pomegranates. They help to fight inflammation. Bananas contain a lot of B6. B6 is a cofactor that is important in the synthesis tryptophan, which is involved in producing serotonin.
Check out our Certified Wellness Coach Course to learn more about the relationship between food and health.
WHOLE FOODS, GOOD SLEEP AND ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR REDUCING STRESS
It is important to eat as many fresh whole foods as possible. This will increase your intake of essential vitamins and minerals and reduce inflammation. It is important to also take steps to reduce stress and anxiety and improve wellness. Take these precautions to improve your overall health.
Aim to get quality sleep. A lack of sleep can have a significant impact on mood. People with insomnia are ten times more likely to develop depression than those who sleep well (8). The body also recovers during sleep! Stress levels are also lower when you get more sleep.
Avoid alcohol and other foods that cause inflammation. Alcohol depresses, depletes essential vitamins and minerals from your body, and causes inflammation throughout the entire body. Inflammation can be caused by sugary, processed and fast foods. These items should be limited to improve health and wellbeing.
SUMMARY
It matters what you eat! Your mood can be directly affected by the quality of food you eat. It is therefore important to choose foods that make you feel good as much as possible. Choose foods that are rich in vitamin B6, magnesium and omega 3, eat a lot of protein and drink lots of water. Avoid sugar, alcohol and fried food.
