Restoring Resilience

janlindquist
Aug 11
4 min read

Did you realize that most of us are operating in a stressed state? When our body is under stress it's drained of precious resources necessary to remain vital and resilient.

Unfortunately, we've been encouraged to always be in motion, productive and accomplished and these "badges" of honor have come at a steep price for many of us as we move toward mid-life and beyond.

What Does Stress Look Like?

Stress can manifest in our body both with physical and mental symptoms including headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Mentally, stress can lead to anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating and changes in mood.

Another important consideration is that stress can also increase existing health conditions. So be aware of how your body is responding and begin to find ways to lower the stressors.

In our modern landscape of fast everything, we've been hard-wired to want it all and fast! What this lifestyle actually creates is a body that's been working really hard to remain balanced without receiving the

necessary nutrients, sleep, movement and getting sunshine daily to thrive.

We've become used to feeling tired, wired, bloated and heavy.

Eat to Beat Stress!

To remain resilient, it's vital that we begin to prioritze these key nutrients.

Amino Acids - stess will accelerate protein breakdown, therefore, amino acids are key for repair, brain health and steady energy. If you suffer from slow recovery, muscle loss, brittle hair and nails, slow healing, and low mood,

You will benefit by eating:

Eggs
Beef, Bison, Chicken/ Turkey
Salmon/Sardines
Legumes
Dairy [milk, cheese, yogurt]
Nuts & Seeds

Electrolytes - chronic stress depletes sodium, potassium, and magnesium stores which are necessary to rebalance blood pressure, energy, and brain health. Do you suffer from muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue, brain fog, headaches or heart palpatations?

You will benefit from eating:

Avocado
Coconut Water
Aloe Vera Juice
Bone Broth
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Watermelon/ Citrus/ Bananas
Sweet Potatoes
Dairy

Magnesium - helps to regulate stress response by calming nervous system which supports sleep, balances cortisol and powering ATP our main energy carrier in cells. Experiencing muscle cramps, trouble sleeping, anxiety, irritability, headaches, constipation?

Try eating these foods:

Almonds
Pumpkin Seeds
Legumes
Whole Grains
Dark Chocolate

Omega -3s - help to calm stress-driven inflammation, support brain and mood, and steady cortisol signaling. Do you have dry skin, hair, and nails,stiff joints, are you moody, irritable and have brain fog, or poor focus?

Eat:

Salmon/Mackerel/Sardines/ Tuna/ Trout/ Oysters
Chia/ Hemp/ Flax Seeds
Nuts & Seeds
Edamame

B Vitamins - support our energy production, brain transmitters, and stress hormone synthesis, and nerve health under chronic stress. Low B contributes to our fatigue, brain fog, low mood, mouth sores, tingly hands/feet, and shortness of breath.

Try:

Beef/ Chicken/ Turkey
Salmon/ Tuna
Eggs
Lentils/ Black Beans
Spinach

Vitamin C - buffers stress by supporting adrenal, hormone synthesis, antioxidant recycling, collagen repair, and immune defense. Bruise easily, suffer from bleeding gums, cuts heal slowly, experience fatigue, irritability or frequent infections?

Eat this:

Citrus Fruits
Strawberries/ Raspberries/ Blueberries
Kiwi
Tomatoes
Red Bell Pepper
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts

Vitamin E - counters oxidative stress, protecting cell membranes and supporting our immunity and hormone function. Experience tingling, numbing, muscle weakness, balance issues, vision changes, frequent infections?

Eat:

Sunflower Seeds
Almonds
Spinach
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Avocados
Hazlenuts

It's All Connected!

Our amazing, wonderful body is always working toward balance, even when we are filling it with poor quality pseudo-foods, sitting too many hours, staying inside and staring at screens.

Paying attention to how you really feel is the first step in deciding if what you're doing is actually supporting your health.

If we begin to listen and pay attention, we can gain a lot of information about which areas need addressing.

Sleep, Food, Hydration, Movement, and Sunlight are all areas that can reduce our stressors or cause problems if not addressed.

Simple Steps to Better Stress Management.

Move bedtime earlier, aiming for 11pm or earlier consistently.
Eat meals during daylight hours, instead of snacking throughout the evening until bedtime?
Track hydration - filter your water and add minerals - aim for 1/2 your body weight in ounces daily.
Go outside and do something! Find movement you can do regularly.
Enjoy the sunshine - get outside a lot.