Practical first steps for eating to curb anxiety
Anxiety is so individual because we all have our own complex stories and lifestyles, BUT, there a few things that you can do that will only greatly benefit your quality of life, and support keeping anxiety at bay!
1) Crowd out sugar from your diet. Sugar not only weakens your body's natural hunger and satisfied cues, but it promotes a cycle of spikes and drops in blood sugar. When blood sugar is low, adrenaline and cortisol rise causing those frustrating physical symptoms of anxiety! This one sounds easier said than done, so read on to number two for some support with this step!
2) Don’t be scared of healthy fats. There was a time where people were scared of fats of any kind when truly sugar was the culprit all along. Without delicious healthy fats, we literally don’t feel satisfied and want to reach for that quick glucose hit- sweets and simple carbs that mess with our gut health and mental health. Introduce ample amounts of avocados, avocado oil, olive oil, beautiful nuts like cashews and almonds, coconut oil, coconut butter, ghee, and nut butter! These satisfying foods are so good for our mental health and help us to feel deeply satisfied.
3) Eat blood sugar balancing meals! We do not have to overcomplicate health. When we eat satisfying blood sugar balancing meals, we can stay in our responsive cortex brain throughout the day instead of running around in fight or flight. When putting your meals together, use healthy carbs, protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Think ample amounts of colorful veggies, healthy fats, carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, wild rice etc, and beautiful organic proteins that give those amazing amino acids for the brain.
4) LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! It’s so important to honor the fact that you are a bio-individual. You are not wired the same as the girlfriend next to you, and the faster you can heal those inner voices and tune in to your body's cues, you can finally listen and respond instead of denying and restricting! As you crowd out sugar and bring in beautiful nutrient-dense Whole Foods, you will find you can naturally feel your hunger and satisfied cues more clearly. There is no benefit to powering through and not eating when your body is speaking hunger. When you are hungry in between meals, honor those cues with lizard brain snacks and guarantee to feel better mentally in 15 minutes! What exactly are those? Pairing a fast energy food with a slow- a healthy carb with a protein!
Always tune in here for more anti-anxiety cues, but this is a great overview of where to start! Crowding out anxiety in your life is not all about secondary food as we spoke of today, that’s why I work with clients on balancing primary foods in their lives as well. However, we all have the power to make shifts in our diet, even if it's one small choice! See the ripple effect on your overall health when you choose to nourish in a way that will balance brain chemistry, and crowd out anxiety!!
-Joy