How to deal with the stress of it all...
If you feel stressed and overwhelmed by current events, read this!
The news is just unbearable. Repeated exposure to heart wrenching imagery and stories of suffering and violence brings up so many feelings — heartbreak, grief, anger, sadness, fear, helplessness, they’re all there. Yet, for those of us fortunate enough to not be directly impacted by the horror of war, life resumes. We still need to do all things – work, get the kids to school, cook dinner, and in my case, have a baby (!). It’s overwhelming to an already taxed nervous system, and can really take a toll on our physical and mental health. Instead of being overcome by the heaviness of it all, how do we stay engaged and informed while continuing to show up for ourselves and those who depend on us?
There’s a term I like to think about when it comes to stress: allostatic load, which refers to the cumulative burden of stress on your body. We oftentimes think of stress as just emotional stress, but there are actually four types of stressors:
Emotional: This could be from watching the news, a dramatic movie or show, work, family, running late to an appointment, getting stuck in traffic, an argument, or other interpersonal stressors.
Physical: Any sort of injury, illness, or physical impairment (including lack of sleep, fatigue, and pregnancy)
Environmental: From toxins in the air, water, food, beauty and cleaning products, etc.
Genetic: Stress can actually be passed down through generations.
Your allostatic load is all of these stressors combined. Imagine you’re wearing a backpack and every stressor from each of the categories is a book. If you’re already carrying a heavy load and an unexpected or immense stressor arises, you could overload yourself, leading to burnout.
Cortisol, our stress hormone, is regulated by the HPA-axis, which connects our adrenals to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands in our brain. When we experience a stressful event (whether environmental, physical, or emotional), our cortisol levels elevate to stimulate the “fight or flight” response, and pulls resources from other parts of our body to muster the energy to combat the stressor.
The effects of stress are cumulative, and when we experience chronic (or long term) stress, we build resistance to cortisol fluctuations, making it more difficult for the HPA-axis to bring the body back to normal levels. Non-essential bodily functions are also impaired; the immune system might be working at a lower capacity, leaving us vulnerable to illness and inflammation; digestion can slow down leading to bacterial overgrowth, bloating, nutrition imbalances, leaky gut, food sensitivities, skin issues like eczema or acne, or other digestive problems; in women, hormone imbalances can affect menstrual cycles, heighten PMS symptoms, and impact fertility.
Your body doesn’t know the difference between perceived danger — perhaps scrolling social media or watching the news — and imminent danger. Brain imaging shows that a person experiencing pain can have a very similar neurological response to the person empathizing with the pain. This internalization of other people’s pain is called empathic distress - I learned this term last week thanks to the brilliant Adam Grant (a great IG follow, btw) and it really resonated. Empathic distress is profoundly self-focused and negative, and can lead to many of the same symptoms of chronic stress, like fatigue, anxiety, and depression.
Empathic concern, on the other hand, is focused on others rather than yourself, and can motivate you to help and be a more productive and positive force. This makes me think of doctors who have to deliver bad news or witness tragedy — I’ve always wondered how they can distance themselves from the emotion of it all while still being compassionate, but thinking of it this way makes a lot of sense to me. Our physiological reaction to stress and ability to be compassionate and productive versus distressed and depressed can be influenced by the way that we care for ourselves.
This is a time to take care of yourself, not throw in the towel. While there are many stressors outside of our control, some are within it. By using the below dietary and lifestyle tools, you can remove some of the smaller books from your backpack and lighten the load, making you better prepared to handle unexpected stressors or those you cannot control.
NUTRITION
What, how, and when we eat plays a major role in cortisol regulation. Here are some tips for using food to reduce stress:
Manage your blood sugar levels. Every time you have a blood sugar spike, you have a cortisol spike. Maintaining balanced blood sugar can help reduce cortisol fluctuations.
Start the day with a low sugar, high protein breakfast with plenty of healthy fats and fiber to manage blood sugar levels. I love a protein smoothie, eggs, or my overnight oats recipe, to name a few.
Make sure to have a protein source with every meal.
Beware of excessive carbohydrate and sugar consumption. Stress goes hand in hand cravings for sweets and carbohydrate rich foods, so be especially mindful of these urges during times of increased stress.
Reduce intake of caffeine, sugar, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol — all of which can increase cortisol levels and are easy to become dependent on. Moderate intake can be a part of a healthy, balanced diet, but sometimes we need to check in with ourselves. If you feel like you need a glass of wine, for example, it’s probably not the best thing for you.
Increase your intake of nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and high quality animal proteins. Getting more micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants) from your diet will help your body function more efficiently, which can counter the physiological effects of excessive stress. I like to challenge my clients to eat 20 different vegetables in a week to increase their micronutrient intake.
Make sure to eat balanced meals at regular times during the day. Cortisol has a circadian rhythm much like your sleep cycle, so the more of a routine you have the easier it will be for your body to regulate cortisol levels. Don’t go more than five hours without eating, and try to leave at least three hours between dinnertime and bedtime to give your body time to digest its food and your cortisol levels to regulate.
LIFESTYLE
Activate your parasympathetic nervous system (the opposite of “fight or flight”) by trying some of these lifestyle techniques. It’s not selfish to do something for yourself when it helps you show up for others.
Prioritize sleep. Lack of sleep leads to increased levels of cortisol, more irritability and dependence on stimulants to get through the day.
Do your best to remove unnecessary stressors. Sometimes the triggers are unavoidable, but if you can reduce the amount of negativity you absorb, do it.
Make room in your schedule for free time and activities that you truly love. If you like to paint, read novels, journal, bike ride or get a manicure, try to find time for it.
Exercise daily, and spend time in nature. Sometimes a walk outside or a quick 20-minute workout video is all you need.
Develop a daily mindfulness or meditation practice. Studies show that meditation alone can effectively decrease cortisol levels. Breathwork is also a highly effective tool to tap into your parasympathetic nervous system. I love box breathing and 4-7-8 breathing exercises.
Do something good for others. Volunteer if you have time or donate if you’re able to. If you’re not sure where to donate, here are a few resources: Doctors without Borders, IsraAid, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Save the Children.
SUPPLEMENTS
There’s no magic pill, but supplements can be a good complement to dietary and lifestyle interventions. While they may not reduce feelings of stress, they can help with your body’s stress response and mitigate some of the physiological consequences.
Adaptogens help your body adapt to stress. They won’t make you feel more zen, but they can be really helpful in supporting HPA-axis function. Ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil, and schisandra. Instead of buying a lot of little powders, I like a blend, like Moon Juice’s Super You (discount code: MIA), Integrative Therapeutics HPA Adapt, or Needed’s Stress Support (discount code: MIAR20).
Magnesium is really important for the stress response and over 50% of us are deficient in this essential mineral. I recommend that most people get 300mg a day. Personally, I take Moon Juice’s Magnesi-om (discount code: MIA) or Needed’s Sleep & Relaxation Support (discount code: MIAR20).
Antioxidants support your immune system and help with detoxification. Some of my favorites include LivOn Labs Vitamin C and Glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant.
Herbs and botanicals in a tea, tincture, or even as essential oils can be very calming to the nervous system. I love chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, and passionflower. This tea is one of my favorites.
Sending love to you all and praying for peace. Take care of yourself.
x
Mia