Health Condition Support
Stress and anxiety are something that many of us know too well. Nearly half of Americans say stress weighs on their everyday life. Unfortunately, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s natural to look for quick fixes that offer short-term relief, but may not support your overall well-being. The good news? Turning to practices like mindful meditation and choosing nutritious food can go a long way in helping manage your stress and anxiety levels.
How stress can affect your body
During times of stress, your body respond immediately by releasing the hormone cortisol. This signals the liver to flood your system with glucose and provide a quick burst of energy to handle whatever is in front of you. In small doses, this response is actually a good thing. But when stress becomes chronic, persistently high cortisol levels can start to work against you and potentially lead to a range of health problems over time.
Chronic stress can impact your immune system, appetite and sleep quality, and lead to increased anxiety, blood pressure, headaches and digestive issues. Just like the saying goes, “what we resist, persists.” The more we ignore what our body is trying to tell us about our stress levels, the louder those signals tend to become. To help manage stress, there are simple ways to become more mindful of how you feel and make shifts in your daily routine that support your long-term health and well-being.
Reducing stress and anxiety through meditation
Mindful meditation is one of the most effective and accessible tools for managing stress and anxiety. By learning to focus your attention and acknowledging how you feel, you can help quiet the noise and bring a sense of calm to your day. Whether you’re brand new to the practice or looking to deepen your skills, there are several types of meditation worth exploring.
Breath awareness: One of the simplest forms of meditation, breath awareness involves focusing your attention on the natural rhythm of your breathing. When your mind starts to wander, you gently bring it back to your breath, which trains your mind to stay present and let go of stressful thoughts. Simply observing your breath can lower stress and there are many methods to practice breath awareness.
Try the 4-7-8 breathing method:
- Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of the tissue behind your upper front teeth and exhale through the mouth, with a whooshing sound, emptying the lungs
- Inhale through the nose for four counts
- Hold your breath for seven counts
- Exhale forcefully through the mouth for eight counts making a whooshing sound
- Repeat the cycle three more times
Body scan: This practice guides you through a mental scan of your body from head to toe, helping you tune into physical sensations and identify areas where you may be holding tension. This can be especially useful for those who carry stress physically.
Guided meditation: Listening to a guided meditation allows you to follow along with a teacher, app or audio recording that leads you through a calming visualization, breathing exercise or repetitive prayer or mantra. Rather than pushing stress and anxiety away, meditation teaches you to acknowledge what you’re feeling and gently let it go.
Walking meditation: Meditation doesn’t always require sitting with your eyes closed. Taking a quiet walk through a park, the woods or your neighborhood can be an effective way to regroup, relax and calm nervous energy. Focus on your surroundings, from every color you see to the sounds around you. Taking time to be present can help ease anxiety about the future and remind us that right now, at this moment, we are okay.
Creative meditation: Mindfulness can be found in the act of creating. When you sit down to engage in a hands-on creative pursuit with total focus, something often shifts. The outside world fades, your breathing slows and your mind becomes absorbed in the present moment. Whether it’s writing, painting, knitting, coloring or woodworking, finding an activity that you enjoy can give your mind a much-needed break from the cycle of stress and worry.
The more you make meditation a part of your daily practice, the better attuned you become to your body's signals. This can make it easier to catch stress early and respond with a calm mind rather than increased anxiety.
How healthy eating can help
Just as meditation trains your mind to react to stress with intention, being mindful in the foods you choose each day can have an equally powerful impact on how your body handles stress. A well-nourished body is better equipped to manage cortisol levels, stabilize mood and keep your energy steady.
Foods that can fuel stress
When stress hits, reaching for unhealthy comfort food can feel like the easiest solution, but certain options can trigger a spike in cortisol, making it harder for your body to manage stress.
- Caffeine: While a morning cup of coffee has its benefits, too much caffeine can stimulate cortisol production and heighten feelings of anxiety and restlessness.
- Alcohol: Alcohol disrupts sleep quality, depletes key nutrients and interferes with the body's ability to regulate cortisol, making stress harder to manage over time.
- Sugary drinks and foods: Soda, candy and baked goods cause a rapid spike in blood sugar followed by a sharp crash, which can trigger irritability, fatigue and heightened feelings of stress and anxiety.
Foods that can help lower stress
Healthy eating is one of the most important tools to add to your stress-relief toolkit. Good nutrition can help regulate cortisol, reduce inflammation and give your body the nutrients it needs to weather stress more effectively.
- Drinking more water: Dehydration alone can leave you feeling more anxious and fatigued than you need to be. Staying well hydrated throughout the day is one of the simplest things you can do to help keep stress levels in check.
- Fruits and vegetables: Rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, fruits and vegetables help combat the inflammation that chronic stress can cause. Eating a wide variety of produce can help increase fiber and nutrients while lowering stress and anxiety.
- Lean proteins: Foods like chicken, fish, eggs and legumes provide a steady source of energy and can help stabilize blood sugar, reducing the mood swings and irritability that can often accompany stress.
- Whole grains: Unlike refined carbohydrates, whole grains like oats, quinoa and brown rice release energy slowly and steadily, helping to keep blood sugar balanced and your mood more even throughout the day.
By finding healthy ways to manage stress and take care of your body, you can help build the resilience you need to face life's challenges with greater calm and confidence.
Mom’s Meals® food as medicine solutions can help
Eating well is an important form of self-care, but when stress is at its peak, cooking a balanced meal can feel like one task too many. Mom's Meals makes it easier to nourish your body without the added pressure of meal planning and preparation by providing food as medicine solutions, such as medically tailored meals.
Mom’s Meals offers 60+ meal choices and a wide range of options for most nutrition-sensitive chronic health conditions. Each meal is made with high-quality ingredients and is designed by professional chefs and registered dietitians to meet your health and nutritional needs. Enjoy the convenience of ready-to-heat-and-eat meals delivered direct to your home.
