I’m not going to tell you that wholefoods are good for you or that you should eat a well balanced diet. You already know so much about that. Instead, I want to encourage you to heal your relationship with food, which will in turn help relieve your distress around your eating, weight, and body image struggles etc. Anxiety, trauma and eating related behaviors are closely coupled. The reason for this is that uncertainty and anxiety shut down the digestive system. It is part of how your body works when it senses perceived threat and danger.
The digestive system works best when the PNS is activated – the time needed for resting and digesting. When anxiety washes over you, it activates the SNS or “fight or flight response”. These two arms of the central nervous system are constantly in a healthy push and pull relationship. When life’s calm and stress is neither here nor there, this mechanism works well as a team to find a balance. But when life is full of uncertainty and stress, the SNS is often in overdrive and the PNS is forgotten about entirely. We forget to pull the “parachute” and meet the overwhelm with relaxation and that gentle gliding in life that only a parachute or the PNS can provide. When the fight or flight response is activated and you are ready to handle what feels dangerous or meaningful to you (e.g. important upcoming due date at work), your brain doesn’t want you chomping down on an apple. It wants you running and hiding from the scary thing or trying your darn best to get the reassurance you need from your boss and team at work.
You might have noticed that your anxiety is linked to your avoidance of eating, or situations like eating in public because of how nauseous and anxious you feel before and after it, etc. It is your job to remind your body that eating food is helpful for your mind and body, and that you need it to get through your day. And that food is not to be avoided.
When you are feeling keyed up and on edge, it can be helpful to stick with warm foods that are easier to digest rather than cold and raw foods. Stews, bone broth based soups and stir frys are very nourishing and soothing foods. Enjoy protein, healthy fats and crowd out your plate with leafy greens and fruit/vegetables at every meal. The more balanced and regular your meals, the more balanced your energy and mood will be. Healthy fats like avocado, extra virgin olive or coconut oil, or a small handful of nuts will go a long way to sustain you throughout the day without those dips in energy and mood. I often take a fish oil supplement which may be a good option for you too.
Try to avoid cutting out entire food groups. Only you can make the best choices for you. Whether you eat meat as your main source of protein or not. Whether you cut out whole grains like sourdough or not. What is important to know is that the more your micronutrients and macronutrients come from a wide variety of foods, the more balanced your diet will be, and the more stable your mood will feel. You know your body best. Do what works for you and what makes you feel the best.
Staying hydrated means having a glass of water long before you even feel thirsty. If you need to drink herbal teas to get you there, that works too. I say this because your body needs to effectively remove toxins and waste. The more you help your body detoxify with enough water, the more efficient all your body processes will be.
