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I’ve been thinking a lot about emotions lately.
Not just the big negative feelings, like stress, anxiety and overwhelm, but the good ones too.
Like joy, happiness and connectedness.
Our family recently had a couple of exhausting, overwhelming weeks.
I won’t go into details, but I was stressed, wasn’t sleeping well, couldn’t keep my energy consistent.
By the end of the week, I was completely, physically exhausted. I didn’t want to work out, I just wanted to sleep and I was definitely not making the best food choices.
Compare that to getting to take my oldest son to a big music festival here in Nor Cal.
Getting to share this amazing day of music with my son will be one of my favorite memories.
We ate great food, heard some incredible bands, and just got to share a wonderful day together. Heck, even listening to some of my favorite songs played live was emotional.
It was a long, long day, made even more draining by the big crowd of people and big rushes of feel-good hormones. And a long drive home.
But what these two situations have in common is the physical response to emotions.
Our bodies respond to negative emotions with stress hormones like cortisol, adrenaline and epinephrine, switching us into “Fight or Flight” mode. These hormones make us sharper and more alert (for a short time), and help us deal with an emergency.
And we respond to positive emotions with hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, giving us those happy feelings when we get a hug or laugh with a friend or sing a favorite song.
Your body needs to build these hormones and neurotransmitters out of something, and you get those building materials from food (or supplements).
But when we don’t provide those materials to our body, it has to start making tough decisions, and eventually will cannibalize resources from other places, at the expense of other hormones like leptin or insulin.
I’m willing to bet most of you have felt physically drained from big emotional responses, too.
A layoff at work or a sickness in the family. Maybe an overbooked schedule or a big unexpected expense.
Your wedding, the birth of a child, an unforgettable family vacation, performing on stage.
Positive or negative, these emotions create physical responses in our bodies that require resources.
Women, you are much more in touch with these feelings than us men are, and I am sure a lot of you know what I’m talking about.
Guys, get over it, it’s good to acknowledge you are feeling the big feelings and realize how they are affecting you, and learn how to replenish yourself.
The good news is, the nutrients you need to rebuild your stress hormones and neurotransmitters come from whole, nutrient-dense foods.
What nutrients support our emotional response?
Our adrenal and pituitary glands produce the majority of our stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol.
Vitamin Bs: Metabolic demand for B vitamins ramps up during stress. Getting plenty of Bs from foods and even supplements help keep our stress response balanced.
Vitamin D: Basically a hormone itself, Vitamin D is critical for healthy adrenal glands.
Magnesium: This mineral works on your HPA axis to reduce your cortisol response, and helps improve sleep.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Fatty acids from seafood and fish, as well as some quality supplements can help to regulate thyroid and adrenal activity.
Vitamin Bs: Nutrients like B6 and B12 are necessary for building neurotransmitters like serotonin, and are crucial for healthy nervous system function.
Tryptophan: An amino acid that is essential for the production of neurotransmitters and is a precursor for serotonin.
Choline: A nutrient similar to B vitamins, Choline is critical for brain development and is a precursor to acetylcholine, necessary for cognition, memory and circadian rhythm regulation.
Fiber and prebiotics: The majority of the serotonin produced in your body is actually produced in your gut by your microbiome. Feeding those serotonin-producing bacteria lots of fiber and probiotics will make sure you are able to make plenty of serotonin.
Of course, many of these nutrients can be supplemented when diet is insufficient.
But the best way to get these and all of the nutrients you need for a balanced emotional response so you can keep feeling those big ol feelings, is from whole, nutrient-dense foods.
Eggs and dairy
Fish and seafood
Fresh beef, poultry and game
Leafy green vegetables
Legumes
Fruit
Y’all, I hope this was an interesting take on nutrition. It’s not every day we think about how our feelings need nutrition, too.
But sometimes a change in perspective is what shakes us out of our inertia and gets us to make lasting changes.
And that’s what my 6 month, 1-on-1 program is all about. Working closely with you to make a plan, come up with simple daily swaps that turn into lifelong habits.
I’ve got a spot for you in my 1-on-1 program, right now! If you’ve been thinking about doing something to get your health back on track, this is your time.
The best way to get started is to set up a quick 15 minute call with me today.
Ready? Let’s go!
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