03 Jun How Stress Affects our Health

Posted at 20:07h in Creating Healthy Habits, Motivation by
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How do you typically eat dinner?
  • With the TV on
  • With paper plates
  • Standing
  • Eating out of a box or container
  • Whatever my kids don’t finish
  • All of these

I polled my Facebook group, asking them this question and most of them said, with TV on! Probably not surprising and relatable.

Really take a minute and think about how this meal goes down in your house?

 

Is it stressful?
Is there fighting and yelling?
Is it very haphazard and distracted? 
Absolutely no judgement if you are visualizing a stressful circus at meal time.
But this is a Huge area of opportunity. Focusing on ways you can make this experience more relaxing and enjoyable will significantly impact satisfaction with meals and help to avoid over eating out of escape or comfort. I realize perfect, calm meals aren’t always realistic, and perfection is never the goal. But try to implement at least one of the ideas I will share into your dining experience.
Many of our meal time behaviors, we Do have control over and can really improve eating habits, satisfaction at meals and digestion.
HOW we eat is just as important as
WHAT We eat.

When meal time is stressful it can affect other aspects of our health. We aren’t as satisfied from the meal because we are not taking the time to enjoy our food.

Eating quickly and while feeling stressed can really mess up digestion. When our body is under stress we up regulate the sympathetic nervous system, which tells us to fight, run, or freeze. Our body is moving blood to muscles and limbs to fight a threat and not prioritizing bringing blood supply to the core of the body and aid digestion.

In order to properly digest and absorb our food – the mind needs to be in a present and relaxed state. It needs to be in a parasympathetic state for “rest and digest” to produce the digestive enzymes and fluids to properly breakdown our food.

Our bodies are Brilliant and built for survival. So, it will always prioritize fighting or running from danger over resting and digesting. We can’t do both well, at the same time for functional reasons.

(In case you didn’t realize) This is why you tell your kids to wait to get back in the pool to swim after eating to avoid a stomach ache!

Many things day to day trigger the up regulated stressed state;

  • Negative self talk
  • Criticism
  • News
  • Social media
  • Movies/shows
  • Arguments
  • Yelling
  • Feeling overwhelmed
to name a few!!
The thing is, our brain associates both, being chased by a bear or getting into an argument with your partner as stress. When we feel threatened, emotionally or physically, the body responds with fight or flight and not rest and digest.

Being in a stressed state while eating significantly slows or stops most of the essential digestive functions, causing digestive discomfort, bowel issues, acid reflux and can lead to other health problems.

Many of our digestive issues can be remedied by eating our food in a more relaxed state. This allows our blood to flow to the core of our body for optimal digestion.

 

Stress isn’t a bad thing. It can motivate us to solve problems and find solutions. Reframing this emotion as a tool and something you can manage, may help you reduce the negative symptoms associated with it.

What happens in your body when you’re stressed?

When your body is in a state of stress, the adrenal glands release adrenaline and cortisol, which release glucose into the bloodstream as the primary source of energy for the body. This is known as the flight or fight response. Your body is in a threatened state, and the quickest form of energy is released and spikes blood sugar.

When the threat has subsided, the adrenaline wears off and blood sugar levels drop. This is when cortisol kicks in to replenish energy. Sugar is the body’s most efficient source of energy and why this is typically what you crave when you’re under stress.

When you are in a constant state of stress this process is happening often and the body tends to store sugar as energy, mainly in the form of abdominal fat. Cortisol can also slow down the metabolism in an effort to conserve energy as a survival mechanism.

Stress can be a harmful cycle where we neglect our basic needs and engage in less healthy behaviors.

  • Forgetting to drink water

  • Skipping meals

  • Trying quick fix diets that put our bodies in extreme calorie deficits (which is also a stressor)

  • Consuming high sugar & fat foods

  • Over eating

  • Moving less

  • Sleeping less

 

 

5 Habits to Add into your Eating Routine 
Sit down to eat your food which helps the body to relax
When we are standing, we are not fully relaxed and usually multi tasking.Turn off the TV and other screens
When we are more present while eating, we use more of our senses to see, smell and taste the foods. This helps stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juices that aid the digestive process.

 

Slow down, breathe between bites, and chew thoroughly 
This helps with overeating and to further breakdown food for better absorption.

 

Set the table and use real dinner and glass ware
Similar to when you get dressed and ready for the day you feel better, eating your food from dish ware and glasses you love, make the dining experience more special and enjoyable.

 

Clear clutter from the table and dim the lighting
We are very affected by our environment. Removing clutter makes us feel less scattered and stressed. Dimmer lighting helps us to feel more relaxed and less stimulated from bright lights.

 

Ways to Better Manage Stress

Incorporate regular movement into your day.

Exercise is not just about burning calories. Moving your body increases the flow of oxygen through the body and to the brain, improving mental clarity. Absolve yourself of the idea that exercise has to look a certain way. Set a realistic amount of time and do things you enjoy.

Connect with others. Meet a friend for an outdoor walk. Research suggest that just talking about what is bothering you can make you feel so much better, even if that person is not “solving the problem.”

Limit distractions while eating. Make meal time the moment.

Make meal time the occasion. Turn off screens. What you fill your mind with absolutely affects how you feel while eating. When you are relaxed and present while eating you are able to better enjoy and digest your food.

Prioritize meals during the day.

Stress can temporarily blunt hunger hormones. When you’re stressed, or trying to run away from a threat, your body is focused on SURVIVAL and pumping blood throughout your body to “fight or flight.” Digesting your food is not the priority at that moment.

Keep a food journal. This helps to gain awareness around eating habits and positive adjustments you can make.

When you start to become more aware of your eating habits you are more likely to gain control over your food choices.

Drink more water. Dehydration can be masked as hunger. Drink a glass of water first before reaching for a snack. Our bodies are made of about 60-70% water and need this to function properly. Ensure you have water with you at all times.

As a result of being more AWARE of our bodies and its needs.
By checking in with our selves more often, slowing down and being intentional at meals.
  • Digestion improves
  • Mood is less of a roller coaster
  • Cravings improve
  • Fatigue improves

 

Yes, we also need to be giving our bodies the proper nutrients to function optimally. But HOW we eat is such a discounted area that can make a big difference in overall wellness.

If you recognize this is a huge area you need more personal support with, Apply for 1:1 Nutrition Coaching with me. 

Once I receive your application and I will personally reach out and set up a free call together, so I can learn more about you and your goals and explain what next steps together would look like!

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