DESTRESSING AND HEALING THE BODY:
HOW TO RECOVER WITH NUTRIENTS!
A good balance of proper nutrition empowers the body to feel healthy and energised, to feel manage stress and feel emotionally balance, to combat disease, by bringing your overall health into balance! The foundation for a healthy body and mind health, management is ensuring that your body gets the nutrients it needs to function at its best; of course allowing it to manage stress and heal from the impacts that stress can have on the body!
”A NUTRITIOUS BALANCED DIET OPTIMISES THE BODY’S ABILITY TO HEAL!”
EAT WELL TO DESTRESS!
A proper nutritious and balanced wholefood definitely works to reduce stress!
From a more in-depth science-based point of view: Nourish the body, with essential nutrients that support cellular health; means that the body can quickly recover (physiologically) from the symptoms of stress! Essential vitamins support the body to manage stress, balance and regulate hormones which help us feel in balance. A top-up of and essential minerals and vitamins work to boost energy (supporting cellular activity in the body), activating the bodies healing mechanisms and enabling us to cope better with the physiological impacts of stress.
The right vitamin and mineral balance allows the body to effectively regulate hormones and manage the production of cortisol levels (stress hormone) in the body.
Essential vitamins and minerals are really important to maintain the physiological processes supporting our bodies health and managing stress. When under high levels of stress the body simply uses up these internal resources to facilitate these processes and to recover from stress symptoms.If not careful ongoing stress can leave us deficient in some of the minerals and vitamins that support and sustain the body. This is why stress might result in someone feeling ”fatigued” and ”burnt out.” Which is why proper nutrient refuels and boosts energy and mood so effectively.
NUTRITIONAL BALANCE: FOODS FOR STRESS!
We need a balanced amount of macro and micronutrients in our diet for holistic balance in the body. Here are some examples of the importance of some of the nutrients required to keep the body stress free and in balance:
- Essential fatty acids:We need a balanced amount of macro and micronutrients in our diet for holistic balance in the body.
Omega 3’s: fish oils, essential fatty acids.
-Essential for cellular function.
-Helps regulate cortisol (stress hormone) which impacts the thyroid and progesterone (female) and testosterone (male) hormones.
(FISH, SEEDS SUCH AS FLAX – seeds and nuts, including as cold pressed oils healthy sources of essential fatty acids).
- Magnesium:
Is an important mineral for recovery from lifestyle and physical stresses? It facilitates the efficient synthesis of vitamins and other minerals in the body, which rebalances hormones). Balances hormones that get disrupted by high levels of cortisol in the body.
(Magnesium chloride flakes are a natural mineral from the earth….you also get magnesium from seeds, nuts, dark green leaves).
- Vitamin C.
An important antioxidant that is able to block some cortisol secretion and oxidative damage.
Plus, progesterone levels (women) is a natural anti-anxiety, anti-depressant hormone (effects emotions and sleep). Vitamin C – ‘nutraceutical’ to help your body produce more.
(Citrus, peppers, kiwi, strawberries).
”Vitamin C supports your immune system to prevent infections and the cortisol-depleting stresses associated with them.”
- Vitamin B: Deficiency in B vitamins results in increased estrogen levels, (increasing prolactin levels and lowering testosterone in men). In women hormone dysregulation can be linked to B12 deficiencies, as B12 another essential vitamin regulating hormones (especially relevant to vegans and vegetarians, as only animal products provide the body with B12. B12 supplementation will, therefore, be essential for hormone balance for non-meat eaters).
(Animal meat sources only, supplements).
- Vitamin D. Is a hormone, it has a high impact on hormone balance and particularly the thyroid.‘’It is, in fact, a hormone, like; thyroid hormones (or estrogen and testosterone). Using the proper word “hormone” reminds us that it affects multiple parts of the body and that it is not “extra”.’’ It is essential to every cell in the body.’’ [1]
(Egg, yokes, mushrooms, low mercury fish – cod and SUNSHINE).
6. Protein and Vitamin E.
(The Pituitary gland).
‘’If you do not eat enough high-protein foods, then your pituitary cannot produce a normal supply of its own dozen or more vitally-needed hormones which, themselves, are made of protein. In addition to protein, the pituitary is stimulated by vitamin E, the richest source of this is wheatgerm, and increased amounts of vitamin A either in foods or in concentrated form, have directly.”
Secret Supplement – green juice:
Spinach, mint, parsley, ginger, organic non-tangy red apple, chlorella (green algea) and chia seeds!
All of these ingredients are high in antioxidant contents that support cellular repair and that help to combat free radical damage and risk of oxidative stress.
Chlorophyll in the greens, and particularly high in chlorella help to detox the body and neutralize toxins in the body (which can affect cellular health and vital organ function in the body).
All are rich in vital vitamins and minerals that support biological processes in the body and that maintain the health of your cells, supporting the overall body’s physiological system.
Chlorella for example (with broken cell walls to increase nutrients bioavailability), supports the body with B12, vitamin D, chlorophyll, vit C, calcium, iron, and iodine etc.
Keeping your body healthy is so worth it! What we do for our body now, is our investment towards a healthful, happy life, (in the present and in future). Keeping building the foundations for your long term health! Your future self will thank you!
Note: Re nutritional supplements: multivitamins – can be helpful, if your health suffering from long term stress, its a good starting point! Its an additional boost, to up your internal resources and increase the body’s ability to cope, especially where lifestyle is making it harder to manage your diet consistently. Although of course, it is not a substitute for a healthy diet, there is no harm in taking them in addition to a healthy diet or as a support when it’s hard to be consistently healthy). There additional herbs and roots that act as additional support during times of prolonged stress, and after situations of extreme stress. Perhaps that can be my next post!
Just a reminder: if looking to support your health the natural way please do seek advice from a qualified health practitioner.
On a final note here’s a reminder on the importance of managing stress in our lives:
Yes, when your body is working hard to manage all lifestyle imbalances, stress and perhaps chronic health issues then it needs more nutrients and essential vitamins and minerals to cope, and restore the body. A healthy diet (and lifestyle) energises and protects the body to improve and balance your health. Of course, the less we put our bodies through this the better! There are many ways to destress our lives! Deep breathing meditation and positive affirmations all have their balance in stress relief which are all extremely useful in stress management).
Check out my links!
http://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/causes/hormone-imbalance
http://www.shannonvigil.com/supplements-for-hormonal-balance/
http://www.hormonesmatter.com/are-you-vitamin-b12-deficient/
https://www.anabolicmen.com/multivitamin-testosterone/
http://drgominak.com/vitamin-d-hormone.html [1]
http://www.livestrong.com/article/497824-vitamins-that-help-with-cortisol/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/521654-diet-to-stimulate-pituitary-gland-function/ [2]
Nutritional Health & Lifestyle 