Stress is a common byproduct of everyday life, and global events of the past two years have ramped up stress levels for just about everyone.
Many factors stress the body and mind, from external stressors like work commitments and family responsibilities to internal factors like what you eat and how your nervous, immune, and digestive systems function.
When you are stressed, this triggers a series of biological responses, including:
These combined physical responses are known as the fight or flight response, a coping mechanism designed to help you engage with physical challenges threatening your survival – when being chased by a dog, for instance.
In today’s always-on society, with the lines between home and work increasingly blurred, the stress response in many people remains on continual alert. Resultantly, the body does not have sufficient opportunity to recover.
Your adrenal glands are responsible for producing these primary stress hormones:
If overworked, your adrenal glands could struggle to produce these hormones in the right quantities. How, then, could diet help to bridge this deficit?
If you eat a healthy and balanced diet, you’ll ensure your body can effectively manage all physiological changes triggered by stress.
To reduce stress response, you need to identify and reduce the underpinning stressors. Adrenal function – central to stress response – is significantly impacted by blood glucose levels, so improving all areas of diet beneficial to blood sugar will pay immediate dividends and help you feel less stressed.
Stress has an adverse effect on both blood flow and blood pressure. Nutrients from healthy whole foods can improve overall blood flow in the body. Foods containing vitamin E, omega-3s like DHA and EPA, or polyphenols are all beneficial for increasing blood flow.
Improving blood flow has a positive knock-on effect on brain health, also improving the delivery of nutrients to the brain.
Emerging research also suggests that gut health might also help regulate stress levels.
If you implement all these simple dietary and lifestyle tips, you should notice a pronounced reduction in stress levels. Even if you only manage to work on some of these areas; there is every chance you will feel slightly less stressed.
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