Foods for Stress Resilience
Has your body been feeling the impacts of the stress around you? ALL of us can agree that the recent events of this past year have left us feeling stressed, moody, anxious and/or depressed at times. I know I’ve been affected! Supporting your gut microbiome has a significant impact on supporting a balanced mood. (#3)
Check out my favorite foods and recipes for supporting your bodily stress response and ultimately, an improved mood. My approach to whole-body health is one that melds not only stress balancing foods, but also stress management practices as well as stress supportive supplements that are individualized to you!
Manage Stress & Boost Your Mood VIA FOOD:
SMASH Seafood
One of the most well-researched fatty acids for brain health and gut inflammation are the omega 3 fatty acids. Benefits of adequate intake include improved memory, reduced rates of depression and even reduced inflammation in IBD (inflammatory bowel disease); omega 3s are in my opinion, gut-brain food at its finest! (#1,2) What are my favorite sources? Seafood highest in omegas and LOWEST in heavy metals (a risk with many of the more predatory seafood). Hence: SMASH->Sardines, Mackerel, Anchovies, Salmon, and Herring. How do I eat them ?! Check out my anchovy zoodles or spicy salmon bowl for some inspiration. PSA: my favorite source of sardines are these ones-I like them with a little spicy mustard + cracked pepper and eaten with Simple Mills GF crackers.
Seeds
Beyond the classical recommendation to eat more walnuts for brain health, I personally feel seeds are some of the most underutilized and nutrient-dense foods on the planet! Seeds are not only high in brain-nourishing fatty acids, they are particularly high in doses of minerals like zinc, magnesium, selenium, and iron. SO many of us are low in micronutrients due to the nutritionally depleted soils from which our food is harvested. Often, imbalances in mood and impaired stress management pathways can be greatly improved by repleting micronutrient deficiencies. I recommend increasing your intake by rotating in all types of seeds-I’m talkin’ pumpkin, flax, hemp, chia, sunflower, and sesame. I’m also a huge fan of sacha inchi seeds. Try my chia pudding or my healthier spinach artichoke dip in my cookbook for a dose of seeds.
Cacao
Magnesium=the stress management nutrient! It is one of the most important minerals for supporting our stress response system in our bodies AND it acts as a nervous system and muscle relaxant! While in my experience, most people (especially higher stress individuals) need additional supplemental mag, my favorite foods for increasing magnesium are raw cacao powder or cacao nibs. Cacao is the raw, active, and prebiotic-dense cousin of cocoa powder and it packs a punch-3T raw cacao nibs supplies about 85 mg of magnesium-most peoples needs range anywhere from 300-800 mg total daily. Enjoy some 85% or higher dark chocolate or my no sugar chocolate zucchini muffins as an evening treat.
Fiber-Rich Foods
Fiber helps our microbiome flourish by acting as food for your commensal or ‘good gut’ bacteria! In turn, this supports our neurotransmitter output, as many including melatonin and norepinephrine are made in and responded to in the gut. Over 90% of our ‘feel good hormone’ serotonin is produced within the neurons of the enteric nervous system inside the gut. Hence, boost your mood via fiber-dense foods like beans, artichokes, and leafy greens. As the weather gets cooler, I Iove to include beans in my soups and stews; some of my favorite recipes include my white chicken chili or my warm roasted veggie salad.
Green Tea
Green tea is a DENSE source of polyphenols-think of these as gut-healing antioxidant compounds. Eating or drinking a daily dose of polyphenols is one of my favorite ways to support ongoing gut-brain health. In addition, green tea packs a lighter punch of caffeine than coffee and can feel more balancing and calming to the nervous system thanks to the L theanine it contains. Support stress management by incorporating a morning matcha latte ritual (check out the brand that I drink and recommend here).
Looking to go beyond the food to boost your mood and manage your stress level? My good mood supplement protocol can be found right here. As always, please consult with your doc or dietitian before starting a new supplement regime.
Want more individualized support from me? Schedule a 30-minute complimentary call with me here so we can discuss your individual needs!
References:
#1 Anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids could help reduce depression [news release]. EurekAlert; June 15, 2021. Accessed June 16, 2021. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-06/kcl-aeo061421.php
#2 Marton LT, Goulart RA, Carvalho ACA, Barbalho SM. Omega Fatty Acids and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(19):4851. Published 2019 Sep 30. doi:10.3390/ijms20194851
#3 Of microbes and mental health: Eating for mental wellness. ASM.org. (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2021, from https://asm.org/Articles/2020/February/Of-Microbes-and-Mental-Health-Eating-for-Mental-We.
