March is National Nutrition Month, which means it is the perfect time to evaluate how the foods we EAT impact our stress levels and energy. As a busy woman juggling multiple responsibilities, nutrition plays a vital role in maintaining your stamina, mental clarity and how you adapt to the stress you are under. Cuz, let’s face it, stress is inevitable. But there is much we can do to help support our body than just eating “healthy” (which people view differently anyway). And, to know what to do, we need to understand how our body is really being affected and how our body responds to stress. The role food plays in supporting (or depleting) your energy reserves is vitally important. We need to understand just HOW important eating WELL really is for us AND we need to understand how our stress levels can really cause a lot of health issues all throughout our body.
Understanding Cortisol and Stress:
Cortisol, often called the “stress hormone,” plays a critical role in energy regulation and the body’s response to stress. When cortisol is balanced, it helps maintain stable energy levels, supports metabolism, and reduces inflammation. However, chronically and consistently high cortisol due to prolonged stress can lead to fatigue, poor sleep, weight gain, and increased anxiety.
On the other hand, low cortisol levels, often resulting from consistent stress and adrenal exhaustion, can cause extreme tiredness, brain fog, and difficulty handling stress.
So, understanding how food and lifestyle choices influence cortisol levels is key to managing stress effectively and supporting your body well.
How Food Affects Stress and Energy:
Our bodies rely on key nutrients to maintain stable energy and combat stress. When we consume nutrient-dense foods, we provide our bodies with the building blocks needed for hormone regulation, brain function, and sustained energy. On the other hand, processed foods, excess sugar, and caffeine spikes can leave us feeling drained, foggy-brained and anxious. (NOT eating is also a huge factor in how we feel.)
Energy-Stabilizing Foods:
- Lean Proteins – Support blood sugar balance and help prevent afternoon energy crashes. For example: Reach for grass-fed, organic meat options, free range eggs, wild caught fish.
- Healthy Fats – Essential for brain health and stress hormone production. (Fat is NOT the enemy it has been portrayed as.) Some options like avocado, ghee, coconut oil, and walnuts are delicious ways to get in this important food that will fuel both the brain and the body.
- Fiber-Rich Carbohydrates – Help sustain energy and improve gut health. Those complex carbs give important long lasting energy for the body. Avoiding simple carbs like processed carbs, flours, breads, crackers, chips, etc… will help to fuel your body appropriately without those hunger and energy crashes later in the day.
- B Vitamins and Magnesium – Found in leafy greens, nuts, and seeds, these nutrients help regulate the nervous system and improve mood. Often, these important nutrients are overlooked but they are essential for helping our bodies adapt to stress.
- Hydration – Dehydration can mimic fatigue, so aim for half your body weight in ounces of water daily. I always tell my clients, “water before coffee!” We wake up dehydrated. So reaching for a full glass of filtered water is an essential first for supporting your brain AND body. You can add some berries, citrus like lemons, limes or orange slices, herbs like basil and rosemary to your fresh water for a refreshing boost. Watch out for water enhancers that are sweetened with artificial sweeteners.
Mindful Eating for Stress Reduction:
Practicing mindful eating can improve digestion and reduce stress-related gut issues. This really does take practice! These tips don’t come naturally in our busy go-go-go life. So practicing them will help you to build on these healthier habits.
Tips for mindful eating include:
- Eating without distractions (Ex: no screens!)
- Savoring each bite and chewing thoroughly
- Listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues
- Breathing in between bites
- Chewing your food well. Count how many times you chew and try to get closer to 15-20 chews per bite.
Lifestyle Strategies for Stress Management:
- Movement That Feels Good – Walking, stretching, and gentle strength training can help reduce cortisol levels. Doing what I call Fun Healthy Movement is so helpful in you WANTING to move your body. Find JOY in your exercise routines or create new ways to move.
- Prioritizing Rest – Quality sleep is non-negotiable for stress recovery and energy replenishment. My clients all work towards RESTORATIVE sleep as we build out their personal sleep hygiene and bedtime routine. But it’s not just sleep that is important. Moments of REST during the day or week are important for helping your nervous system calm and recover from stressful times.
- Breathwork and Relaxation – Deep breathing, journaling, and setting boundaries can significantly lower stress. Do not discount the importance of taking a full, deep BREATH. Women, especially, tend to shallow breathe. Always in a hurry and not really even thinking about breathing. But with the first full, deep inhale and exhale, we realize what we have been missing! This is critical for helping to calm the nervous system and bring the body back into a better and healthier balance. You don’t have to watch a video on how to breathe. Just take little moments throughout your day, in the car, in the bathroom, at your desk, while washing dishes… to do a few rounds of deep breathing. A full, deep inhale through your nose where you feel your belly expanding, and then release with a full, deep exhale through your mouth. Repeat for at least 3-4 rounds.
Remember:
As Hippocrates (the father of medicine) wisely said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” The choices we make daily in our nutrition and lifestyle can either support or deplete our well-being. By prioritizing whole foods, hydration, and mindful habits, we can cultivate resilience against stress and sustain our energy levels naturally.
When you fuel your body with the right foods and align your lifestyle with your energy needs, you create a foundation for lasting vitality. Small, strategic shifts in nutrition and stress management can yield powerful results. If you’re tired of feeling drained and overwhelmed, working with a holistic health coach like myself can provide you with the personalized support and strategies to regain your energy, feel clear-headed, and finally thrive in your life, not just survive.
If you are struggling with consistently low energy, brain fog and stress I invite you to follow along with me on my Treasured Wellness Podcast. You can listen and subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts but for ease, simply click this link and it will take you right there!
