Hi guys, Board Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about what to eat (and what to avoid) when you’re feeling anxious. Struggling with stress, anxiety, or overwhelm? We are here with guidance and support! Do you have a question to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or in the Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.
Max asked:
“I was really worried badly. Are there foods that can help? Any other ideas that don’t involve pills? I’m trying to take a natural approach but all the advice out there and ‘solution’ sellers make me more stressed. Thank!”
Sorry to hear that you’re having a hard time, Max! You are not alone in dealing with anxiety or feeling overwhelmed by all the information, advice, and “solutions” out there.
It’s good for you to explore options overall and realize that food can be helpful (or harmful) when it comes to mental health. This makes complete sense, after all! The food we eat is literally how we make ourselves, and there is no separation between body and mind. Traditional healing modalities have known this for thousands of years, and modern research in areas such as epigenetics and neuroplasticity provides a wealth of evidence!
If you are suffering from a serious mental health condition, you should consult a medical professional or trained therapist if that is accessible to you. Today, more and more healthcare professionals are practicing functional medicine and adopting a holistic approach.
In the meantime, there are definitely things you can do yourself. Regardless of whether you seek additional support or not, diet and lifestyle play an important role in how we feel physically and mentally.
As an Original Health Coach, I work with many clients who struggle with feelings of anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. These days, people who do not encounter such things are the exception!
Let’s start with foods that contribute to anxiety… then look at foods that help.
Foods that make anxiety worse
You probably already know which foods tend to make you feel more anxious, but here are six common culprits:
- Street
- Seed
- Fast and highly processed food
- Foods containing highly refined vegetable and seed oils
- Coffee and other forms of caffeine
- Wine
If you’re a regular at Mark’s Daily Apple, the first four are probably not surprising! When we consume foods that disrupt the body’s natural signaling system and contribute to chronic inflammation, this puts a strain on our entire mind-body ecosystem.
Even for those who aren’t aware of the issue, eating unhealthy or supportive foods feels “depressed” to some extent and contributes to feelings of unhappiness. subconsciously safe. The body always knows!
Coffee and alcohol need special mention here, because neither is considered out of bounds in the Primal parameters. Indeed, I have many clients who eat Primal 100% of the time but abuse coffee and/or drink alcohol – and feel the impact.
Most people are aware of the energizing effects of coffee — that’s one reason they drink it! Along with a burst of energy, it causes an increase in stress hormones and can interfere with the ability to regulate cortisol levels Drinking in the afternoon also interferes with quality sleep later (even if the person who drinks it thinks that they slept well). Lack of quality sleep contributes to further hormonal disturbances, systemic inflammation and chronic stress; have a direct impact on emotions and moods; and often leads to more caffeine intake – which takes a toll on the body and mind and promotes an unproductive cycle.
This doesn’t mean you have to cut out coffee or caffeine entirely, but reducing your intake and not drinking it right after you wake up or too late in the day is especially important during times of stress or anxiety. Even switching to green tea with a lower caffeine content can help.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, many people drink to “take advantage”. The point is, it works for the first 30 minutes — that’s it! The body is the ultimate compensating organ and will balance out the artificial increase in feel-good hormones by releasing more stress hormones. Have you ever woken up with anxiety and restlessness around 3 a.m. after drinking alcohol during dinner? This is probably why!
Again, this doesn’t mean you have to give up alcohol completely. Just know that drinking can very well make anxiety worse. If you do opt in, keep it to a minimum and don’t drink too close to bedtime. Similar to coffee, alcohol also has a major detrimental effect on sleep, even when consumed in small or moderate amounts.
Unfortunately, many people tend to consume MANY of the above during times of stress and anxiety rather than less. This is because they keep the promise of temporary relief, similar to “comfort eating”. The thing is, those reliefs are fleeting and they make us feel worse!
This then creates a vicious cycle where we stress and worry… seek temporary solace… only to feel worse… and seek more solace from things that will aggravate the problem. It’s a vicious cycle that keeps repeating itself, and getting out of it can feel really difficult or even impossible.
The good news is, food has the ability to do the opposite, too! Meaning, it can provide real, long-lasting relief and can help us leave that cycle of pain behind. We just need to know what to avoid and what to choose instead. Let’s take a look.
Foods that help reduce anxiety
For many people, eating the Primal diet will help ease anxiety and reduce stress. When we nourish our body with whole foods, it can thrive instead of just surviving.
If you need a boost while eating Primal, start here. There are tons of healthy options out there, and there’s really no need to choose foods that make us feel worse. Also, here’s one place to start “anti-anxiety”:
- Eat food, the whole food is cooked in a simple way.
- Use fresh ingredients (bonus if they’re local or homegrown!).
- Sip bone broth or herbal tea (or even green tea or matcha rather than coffee).
- Pay attention to your thirst and stay hydrated.
- Experiment with mocktails with healthy Primal ingredients.
- Practice gentle eating habits, such as taking 5 deep breaths or going for a walk before reaching for comfort food, taking a moment of silence and gratitude before a meal, walking slowly, savoring every bite and don’t eat too much. This leads us to…
Anxiety & Lifestyle
Remember that eating Primal is only one aspect of the 10 Laws of Primal Maps. When I work with coaching clients, I watch not only what they’re eating, but how they’re eating and how they’re going to spend the rest of their lives!
Eating quickly, eating on the go, eating too much, and eating while watching, reading, or discussing something stressful are NEVER helpful when it comes to reducing anxiety. As best you can, make sure to eat slowly and mindfully. Also, make sure to eat while sitting and relax with stressful topics. They’ll wait when you’re done and you’ll have a better resource to deal with them!
Other Primitive lifestyle “hacks” include:
These practices have a huge impact on our body, mind, and emotions. If you’re on a basic diet, limiting or avoiding caffeine and alcohol, but still suffer from anxiety, take a look there.
Anti-anxiety game plan
Since you’re here at Mark’s Daily Apple, none of the above can be news! Sometimes knowing what will help can actually contribute to anxiety due to “cognitive dissonance.”
This is when a part of you knows what you want and need to do… but you are doing something different. The result is subconscious or conscious tension and tension — as if you were carrying the weight of understanding and the weight of your choices, so you could never fully relax. .
Even realizing this changed everything. We can’t regain awareness, and our bodies and minds really want to move towards what feels better.
Instead of shame or self-blame, remember that some part of you is trying to make yourself feel comforted. Thank you for that part of you, and gently let it know its “suggestions” aren’t helping. Then ask:
- How long will pain relief from unhealthy foods last?
- How will I feel in an hour? When trying to oversleep tonight? Tomorrow morning?
- What can I do less than 10% when it comes to food and eating?
- What can I do more than 10% as an alternative that would make it easier?
Ask these questions from an honest and compassionate place. No judgment – just curiosity, investigation and awareness. Give yourself space to really examine what you’re feeling, what’s going to make it worse, and what’s going to make it better.
Our bodies are on our side, and doing supportive swaps (even 10% of the time) works wonders. Plus, when we feel good from one thing, we naturally want more! Start with 10 percent and see how it grows.
For many people, reducing stress and anxiety can be as simple as switching to the Primal diet, slowing down and getting enough sleep, sun exposure, and exercise.
That said, simple doesn’t mean easy! Having someone to lean on can relieve the stress of figuring things out on your own and working on your plans. For skillful, compassionate prevention, consider working with Primal Health Coach primalhealthcoach.com! Visit myprimalcoach.com to get started.
Do you struggle with anxiety, stress, or overwhelm? Do certain foods or habits help or hurt? Let us know and drop me other questions in the comments!
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