Ashwagandha for Anxiety and Anxiety Symptoms
There are many potential causes for anxiety symptoms, many of which should be addressed by a mental health professional. If you are experiencing depression or anxiety symptoms, please seek help immediately from a qualified specialist.
In this article, I’ll be looking at one specific potential cause of anxiety symptoms in relation to gut health and nutrition. A factor that often gets overlooked by other healthcare professionals, because it’s not commonly tested for.
If you experience anxiety symptoms, blood sugar issues, and sleep issues, this is something worth considering.
Potential root causes of anxiety symptoms
I love ashwagandha!
In fact, I've used ashwagandha and a variety of other adaptogenic herbs recommended to me by an herbalist, to support my own healing and anxiety symptoms.
But what I'm also doing is finding and addressing the root causes of my symptoms. My anxiety and blood sugar issues were not caused by not taking ashwagandha, nor will they be resolved long-term by taking it.
Hi friends. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and holistic nutrition expert. Clients come to see me with signs of adrenal stress and inflammatory conditions, and my job is to find the root causes of their anxiety symptoms so we can address their symptoms more effectively, and fill in the gaps between what their doctor is saying, and what their body is saying.
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In this article, you’ll learn:
one commonly-overlooked cause of anxiety symptoms
my favorite lab test for finding root causes
long-term relief for anxiety symptoms
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the root cause you won’t see on your annual bloodwork
There are many potential causes for anxiety symptoms, many of which should be addressed by a mental health professional. If you are experiencing depression or anxiety symptoms, please seek help immediately from a qualified specialist.
In this article, I’ll be looking at one specific potential cause of anxiety symptoms in relation to gut health and nutrition. A factor that often gets overlooked by other healthcare professionals, because it’s not commonly tested for.
If you experience anxiety symptoms, blood sugar issues, and sleep issues, this is something worth considering.
I’m talking about… CLOSTRIDIA INFECTION.
Some species of clostridia bacteria are known to cause symptoms of anxiety, blood sugar issues, and sleep issues, due to their relationship with dopamine.
I'd bet good money that your GP is not testing for clostridia on your annual bloodwork (and that's why practitioners like me are here!)
a closer look at clostridia
The image below is a snapshot of specialized lab results from a person I worked with who had all of the symptoms mentioned above.
Specifically, we're looking at the 'HPHPA' marker.
You’ll notice that for HPHPA, 208 is the MAX we should see on this test. This test detected levels of 1511, it’s literally off the charts!
Here's what having high levels of HPHPA means for your anxiety symptoms:
HPHPA is a metabolite of a certain group of Clostridia bacteria found in the GI tract, including Clostridia sporogenes, Clostridia caloritolerans, and Clostridia botulinum, among others.
Additionally 4-cresol (also shown in the image above) is a metabolite produced specifically by Clostridia difficile (you may have heard this called “C-diff”).
High markers of HPHPA and/or 4-cresol means that there is a likely infection of certain types of clostridia bacteria in the GI tract.
These types of Clostridia are known to inhibit the enzyme responsible for breaking down dopamine, called dopamine-beta-hydroxylase.
Too much dopamine might seem like a good thing, right?
Dopamine feels great at the moment, but when it's chronically maxed, it infiltrates the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in a constant fight or flight response, modulated by the sympathetic nervous system.
PUT MORE SIMPLY:
Elevated Clostridia metabolites prevent the breakdown of dopamine, causing a chronically stimulated fight or flight response, potentially resulting in anxiety symptoms, sleep issues, and blood sugar issues.
addressing root causes for anxiety symptoms
I am a big advocate for seeking licensed professional support for your mental health and wellness. And to be clear, I do not claim to be a mental health professional, nor do I offer treatment from that perspective.
What I can (and do!) help with is supporting nutritional factors for signs and symptoms of neurotransmitter dysfunction and hormone imbalances, often rooted in the gut or diet.
I believe that addressing mental health and wellness often requires a multi-faceted approach that requires care from an integrative support team. So, in addition to your other licensed mental health practitioners, it may also be worth considering a nutritional approach to addressing your anxiety symptoms.
HERE’S WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE
If Clostridia infection has been detected on this specialized blood panel, this very well may be one factor in your anxiety symptoms, and the heightened fight or flight response may also be causing blood sugar issues and sleep issues.
Clostridia is a type of bacteria, and the types found here that disrupt dopamine breakdown, are found specifically in the digestive tract.
Eradicating Clostridia, or any type of bacterial overgrowth in the gut, requires a strategic and holistic approach.
The short-term fix would be a round or two of prescription antibiotics from your GP or other physician and/or anti-anxiety medications. These can both be helpful, but may not support the long-term issue.
THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION OFTEN ENTAILS:
addressing digestive health as a whole, including digestive enzymes, stomach acid support, intestinal tissue healing, bowel movements, and liver health
temporary restriction of carbs and sugars that feed bacteria
nutrients to break down biofilm, a sticky film in which the bacteria live and hide
potent antimicrobial botanicals shown to eradicate bacterial pathogens
carefully curated probiotics to rebuild the microbiome after we’ve killed off the invaders (antibiotics, even botanicals, kill all bacteria, even the beneficial ones)
FAST FORWARD
After 4 weeks of addressing root cause factors, we re-tested the client whose lab results were shown above, and found the HPHPA markers came down significantly:
So, you can continue taking ashwagandha for the rest of your days to help with your anxiety symptoms, blood sugar issues, and sleep issues.
OR...
You could seek long-term solutions by finding a qualified practitioner who is trained to find the root causes of your anxiety symptoms.
WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT?
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Why Protein is Important | A Closer Look at Protein Powders, Protein Shakes, and Protein Calculators
Protein is made up of amino acids fused together by peptide bonds. The body can synthesize many amino acids from other sources, but there are nine amino acids which it cannot synthesize. These nine amino acids are needed to build protein, and in order to do that, they all need to be present simultaneously.
The inability of our body to produce these amino acids is what makes them essential amino acids, meaning, we must get them from our diet. The fact that they need to be present simultaneously in order to build protein, means we need to be consuming more complete proteins at each meal.
So, what’s a complete protein?
What about protein?
You hear a lot in the media about tracking calories, lowering cholesterol, and ditching sugar.
But protein somehow gets undermined in many traditional medical practices, and I want to change that.
Hi friends. I’m Hilary Beckwith, ex-dieter and holistic nutrition expert. Over the course of my work and studies, I’ve learned just how important dietary protein is. Not only the amount of protein but the quality of protein.
In this article, you’ll learn:
benefits of eating enough protein
how protein impacts your mood and mental health
recommended protein intake
what might be preventing you from digesting dietary protein
ways to add protein to your meals
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health benefits of protein
Two factors determine the quality of any dietary nutrient, including protein:
Your body’s ability to digest a food and absorb its nutrients
The quality of food you’re consuming
You can be using all the protein powders, downloading all the best protein calculator apps, eating protein foods, and downing protein drinks. But if your digestive health is not up to par, and you’re consuming the same heavily processed protein powder every day, you might as well be flushing your money down the toilet.
WHY DOES YOUR BODY NEED PROTEIN?:
NEUROTRANSMITTER PRODUCTION - Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers similar to hormones, that regulate mood. Certain amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are precursors to neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and epinephrine (adrenaline).
Tryptophan: precursor to serotonin
Tyrosine: precursor to catecholamines (dopamine, epinephrine)
Glutamine: precursor to glutamate from which GABA can be synthesized
D-phenylalanine: inhibits the enzyme that breaks down endorphins, hormones that “relieve pain, reduce stress, and improve mood.”(1)
ANTIBODY FORMATION - Antibodies are formed as part of your body’s adaptive immune system. When an antigen is present, antibodies multiply in order to fight the invader and also have the ability to remember the antigen should it ever come back again (2). These antibodies are formed from proteins.
MUSCLE BUILDING - Similar to bones, muscles go through a process of breaking down and rebuilding. Resistance exercise causes the muscle tissues to break down, then muscle protein is synthesized post-workout to repair and rebuild the muscle tissue even bigger than before (3). Amino acids are necessary for this process to occur.
NUTRIENT TRANSFER ACROSS CELL MEMBRANE - Channel proteins (see Figure A, below) are formed from amino acid subunits to create a tubular structure that is nestled within the cell membrane to allow nutrients to travel in to and out of the cell.
COLLAGEN IS NEEDED FOR HEALTHY JOINTS, SKIN, NAILS, AND HAIR - Collagen is the most abundant form of protein in your body, and according to Cleveland Clinic, accounts for 30% of your body’s protein (4).
CARRIES OXYGEN THROUGHOUT THE BODY - Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that binds to oxygen in the lungs and carries it to cells and tissues throughout the body as needed. the word globin describes a colorless protein that when bound to heme (iron), becomes hemoglobin.
Figure A - Image found on this website
To sum it all up, the benefits of getting a wide variety of quality protein in your diet, include:
improved mood and mental wellness
healthy skin, hair, and nails
improved arthritis symptoms (or prevents arthritis altogether)
good energy throughout the day
helps you feel more satiated at meals, reduces cravings
supports immune function
supports muscle formation in conjunction with resistance training
recommended protein intake for women
Many researchers agree that the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is based on inconclusive research, and yet has been the RDA for over 70 years (5). All the more confirmation we need to understand that no RDA suits all bodies.
However there has been further research that suggests that protein intake higher than the RDA is more beneficial, and that RDA values are not considered optimal.
Currently, the RDA for protein for individuals (male- and female-bodied) 18 years or older, is 0.8g per 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of body weight.
For a 150 lb individual, this equates to about 54.5 grams of protein daily. Based on what I’ve learned about how the body uses protein, I would argue that this is too little.
Apart from the protein functions discussed earlier in this article, one of the more prominent impacts I see in my clients who consume inadequate or low-quality protein is on blood sugar levels. Protein itself does not influence blood sugar metabolism (although protein can be converted to glucose by the liver if needed). But by not consuming enough protein, my clients turn more to carbohydrates in the form of starches or sugars.
Each body has unique health needs, and it’s important to consider that blanket statements like these may not apply to your body. But for my typical client, one who is struggling with adrenal issues (sleep, energy, troublesome or irregular periods, PMS symptoms), has PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), or is dealing with gut pathogens like bacterial overgrowth, candida overgrowth, or parasites, I recommend 90 grams of protein per day.
Protein enables you to feel more satiated and slows the breakdown of food, which in turn does help with blood sugar levels. This effect is not going to come from your vegan protein powders or protein drinks, as those are generally made from starchy protein food sources like pea protein, and loaded with a number of other heavily processed ingredients.
Satiation and the slower breakdown of food is going to come from consuming high-quality whole-food forms of protein, paired with good digestive health.
So, what is a high-quality protein?
complete protein vs. incomplete protein
Protein is made up of amino acids fused together by peptide bonds. The body can synthesize many amino acids from other sources, but there are nine amino acids which it cannot synthesize. These nine amino acids are needed to build protein, and in order to do that, they all need to be present simultaneously.
The inability of our body to produce these amino acids is what makes them essential amino acids, meaning, we must get them from our diet. The fact that they need to be present simultaneously in order to build protein, means we need to be consuming more complete proteins at each meal.
So, what’s a complete protein?
A complete protein is a food that contains all nine essential amino acids. Or a combination of foods that collectively contain all nine essential amino acids.
The nine essential amino acids include histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
MY BEEF WITH VEGETARIAN DIETS (I will keep this brief)
Some might be angry with me for saying this, but I’ve looked at a lot of solid research over the years that supports what I’m about to say.
Vegetarian, and especially vegan diets, even the healthiest whole-food plant-based diets, simply do not provide enough bioavailable complete protein without consuming mountains of starchy carbohydrates.
… Stepping off my soap box…
how to get more protein in your diet
Increasing protein without addressing gut health is a recipe for disaster. If you have digestive symptoms like bloating, fatigue after meals, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn or indigestion, or excess and prolonged fullness after eating, it’s important to get your digestion back on track before you can properly digest protein.
Once digestion is up to par, increased protein will help with muscle building, fatigue, blood sugar levels, mood, and food cravings.
Here are a few ideas to help you out:
START YOUR DAY WITH ANIMAL PROTEIN AND GREENS - Prioritizing green, leafy vegetables and animal protein will keep you full until lunchtime without that need for a pick-me-up in between. Here are some examples of what I typically eat for breakfast:
sauteed, finely chopped broccoli + 2 eggs or leftover protein from dinner last night + sauerkraut
finely chopped cabbage and onion + salmon fillet
root vegetable hash (shredded root vegetables + diced, cooked brisket or sausage + topped with a fried egg) - prioritize less starchy vegetables like radishes, beets, and kohlrabi
chopped dandelion greens, sauteed with chopped onion + top with favorite high-quality dressing (make your own, or my favorite is PCC’s house-made Green Goddess) + leftover steak
NUTS AND SEEDS - Nuts and seeds are a great way to add protein to your day, whether as an isolated snack, or adding to a meal.
Add sprouted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to any soup, breakfast dish, or salad. I keep a jar on my countertop so they’re always easily accessible.
Switch up your crackers and coffee for a handful of mixed nuts and a string cheese as a high-protein snack.
Nut and seed butters are available now in go-packs. Artisana and Justins are two of my go-to brands for this (no affiliation).
MEAL PREP PROTEINS FOR BUSY SCHEDULES - Meal prep is essential for anyone with a busy schedule who wants to eat healthier. Packaged options that are minimally processed are becoming more abundant, but there’s nothing quite as good (and in your control) than something prepared at home, with ingredients YOU selected. Here are some ideas:
boil and peel eggs for the week
fill a jar with mixed nuts to keep in your desk at work, or in your bag
make time for batch-cooking: Before I started working from home, I would batch-cook my lunches and snacks for the week, and portion them out so that I could just grab and go. Here are some meals I commonly made:
tuna salad with chopped greens
roasted non-starchy vegetables + chicken/steak/fish
soups (I would commonly add a scoop of cottage cheese to my warm soup for extra protein)
bento-box - sliced chicken or turkey, sliced or bite-sized vegetables (broccoli, cucumber, kohlrabi, radishes, turnips, etc.), nuts and seeds, cottage cheese, olives, pickled beets, sliced or string cheese, etc.
DITCH THE VEGAN PROTEIN POWDERS, AND SWITCH TO HIGH-QUALITY COLLAGEN AND AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS - If supplementation is how you’re getting a chunk of your protein, consider ditching the heavily processed protein powders, protein drinks, and protein shakes. Here are some of my favorite products.
did you learn something new?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
NUTRITION SERVICES
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
BLOG REFERENCES
C. C. medical. (n.d.-a). Endorphins: What they are and how to boost them. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23040-endorphins
Janeway CA Jr, Travers P, Walport M, et al. Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease. 5th edition. New York: Garland Science; 2001. The structure of a typical antibody molecule. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27144/
Kwon, Y. sub, & Kravitz, L. (n.d.). How Do Muscles Grow?. How do muscles grow? https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/musclesgrowLK.html#:~:text=Muscle%20growth%20occurs%20whenever%20the,controlled%20by%20complimentary%20cellular%20mechanisms.
Cleveland Clinic medical. (n.d.). Collagen: What it is, types, function & benefits. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23089-collagen
Wolf, R. R., Cifelli, A. M., Kostas, G., & Kim, I.-Y. (2017, March 10). Optimizing protein intake in adults: Interpretation and application of the Recommended Dietary Allowance compared with the acceptable macronutrient distribution range. Advances in Nutrition. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831322007165
Tips for Improving Sleep | Stop Searching Sleep Memes
Keeping circadian rhythm regulated in check is essential to optimal health, and can have damaging effects if not taken into control. In fact, one paper I’ll reference in this post goes as far as to say that, “Circadian Dysregulation Is Both Symptomatic and Causative of Metabolic Disease”.
Aside from not feeling like a real person, let’s talk about how else you’re impacted when you can’t sleep.
Can’t sleep?
It starts with a “f*****ck” at the sound of the alarm clock.
You feel like you’ve barely slept a wink. You all but throw your alarm across the room, and you lay back in bed and utter the infamous words, “Just a few more minutes”.
A few minutes turns into an hour, and before you know it, you’re late!
You jump out of bed, panicked, adrenaline surging through your veins to get out the door.
You grab a coffee and a granola bar on your commute, and you get to work just in time for your first meeting, still shaky from the rush (and maybe also the traffic you just fought through).
Friend…
I see you…
And I want to tell you…
This is not healthy…
But I can help…
Let’s talk about how to fix it.
The most amusing and unsettling thing about writing this post was that I learned that far more people are searching for the words, can’t sleep meme than they are searching for any kind of support to improve their sleep.
This is upsetting.
Culturally, we’ve accepted poor sleep, feeling run down, burnt out, and exhausted, as a normal part of being. We’ve accepted it as the nature of being a mother, a career person, a night owl, or just the way we’re wired.
It’s time to stop accepting it and start asking questions:
WHY is your body not sleeping during the night hours? HOW is it impacting other parts of your health? And WHAT do we do about it?
I’ve got you.
why sleep is important
The obvious answer is it makes you feel rested! It’s harder to do things tired.
You don’t think straight, you make more mistakes, and it’s harder to pay attention to what you need because you’re just trying to survive the day. You don’t have the energy to play with your kids or go on fun adventures with friends.
When you can’t sleep, you turn into the can’t sleep meme!
To define things up front, when I refer to sleep cycles and the like in this post, I’m referring to circadian rhythm, a natural 24-hour cycle in humans impacted by diet, light, stress, and sleep.
Keeping circadian rhythm regulated in check is essential to optimal health, and can have damaging effects if not taken into control. In fact, one paper I’ll reference in this post goes as far as to say that, “Circadian Dysregulation Is Both Symptomatic and Causative of Metabolic Disease”(2).
Aside from not feeling like a real person, let’s talk about how else you’re impacted when you can’t sleep.
WHAT HAPPENS WHILE YOU SLEEP:
DETOXIFICATION - Your body uses many forms of detoxification throughout the day, including sweat, urine, and feces, but your body uses two main detox pathways while you sleep.
glymphatic system (1) - The brain does not contain lymphatic (no ‘g’) vessels like the rest of your body does. Instead, it contains a similar system formed from astroglial cells that work to deliver nutrients to the brain and central nervous system, as well as carry metabolic waste away from the brain and central nervous system.
Like most other cells and tissues in the body, the brain and central nervous system require nutrients like amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids, in order to perform. Additionally, all that hard work that the brain and central nervous system are doing all day, produces metabolites, waste that needs to be eliminated. Waste that remains in the brain and is not quickly eliminated, becomes toxic. Sleeping drastically enhances the glymphatic system, enabling the body to begin eliminating toxins from the brain.
liver detoxification - your liver is working hard all day. It’s responsible for many different tasks (READ MORE ABOUT THE LIVER HERE), but arguably a significant responsibility of the liver is to prepare toxins for elimination, using pathways such as glucuronidation, sulfation, and methylation. And much of that happens, again when you are resting, for most at around 1-3:00 am.
TISSUE REPAIR - Tissue that is damaged or stressed will repair itself during times of rest. This includes tissues that have been intentionally stressed or challenged during workouts.
MEMORY - It is thought that sleep is when memory is consolidated (3). The information you’ve obtained is essentially sorted through and solidified into long-term memories.
supporting circadian rhythm
There are many ways to support circadian rhythm, and they all boil down to supporting adrenal health.
Most people know the adrenal glands in relation to stress regulation, and that’s true.
Remember that the adrenal glands are also involved in:
sex hormone production
fluid balance and hydration
immune system regulation
thyroid health
blood sugar balance
energy production
SLEEP!!!
WHAT ARE ADRENAL GLANDS?
Most people have two adrenal glands, each resting on top of the kidneys. They operate primarily based on information from a feedback loop called the HPA axis (Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal axis).
Adrenal glands produce a number of different hormones, but the one we are going to focus on in regard to circadian rhythm, is cortisol.
WHAT IS CORTISOL?
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid, meaning it is a steroid hormone involved in the metabolism of glucose. More simply put, Cortisol is a hormone made from cholesterol that kickstarts the process of turning sugars (glucose) into energy.
WHAT DOES CORTISOL HAVE TO DO WITH CIRCADIAN RHYTHM?
Cortisol is released in times of stress, but also first thing in the morning as part of what’s known as the Cortisol Wakening Response (CAR).
Remember, cortisol is needed to start the process of energy production, so we need it to jump-start us in the morning, and slow way down by night time.
If you’re here because you can’t sleep, this diagram below will give you a visual of how cortisol should work.
Many lifestyles are not conducive to this type of cortisol rhythm throughout the day. And that impacts your physical health.
Doing what you can to support healthy cortisol release is essential to preventing chronic disease and autoimmune disorders.
But more importantly, and why you are here, is it impacts SLEEP!
THINGS THAT STIMULATE CORTISOL RELEASE:
low blood sugar levels and poor blood sugar management (READ MORE ABOUT BLOOD SUGAR HERE)
workouts
relationship stress
work stress
traffic
busyness
skipping meals
caffeine
emotional stress
unaddressed pathogenic infections (candida, parasites, SIBO)
Most of these are things within your control! You may not always be able to cut out stressful things in your life, but in many cases, you can control when they impact you (and thus, when cortisol is released).
If you got here by searching for that can’t sleep meme, this is something worth considering.
7 tips and tools for improving sleep
Let’s be clear, these are not tools for immediate symptom relief (ie. sleep aids, sleep medications, meditations, supplements, etc.).
These are holistic tools to improve circadian rhythm and sleep for the long haul!
This list is not exhaustive! There is loads more that can be done from an individualized perspective. Getting assessed by a qualified functional practitioner will allow for more personalized dietary recommendations, supplements, and other modalities that would support great sleep.
We’re here to address the root cause of your sleep woes:
PRIORITIZE WORKOUTS BEFORE LUNCH - The closer to waking time, the better. Remember, exercise increases cortisol levels. Hitting the gym after your 9-5 is part of what’s destroying your sleep quality.
GET 10 MINUTES OF SUNLIGHT WITHIN 1 HOUR OF WAKING - Especially in your face (ditch the sunglasses for this one). Your retina contains sensors for UV rays, and when sunlight hits them first thing in the morning, it’s a great way to communicate to your body, “It’s morning! Let’s go!”
PRIORITIZE BREAKFAST, WITH A FOCUS ON FIBER AND PROTEIN - Fiber, especially that from green, leafy vegetables, and protein are crucial to fueling your body, keeping you fuller for longer periods of time (notice how you’re famished just 1-2 hours after that coffee and apple?). This focus on breakfast will improve digestion and insulin sensitivity, contributing to improving adrenal health over time.
AVOID COFFEE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH - Our focus is on adrenal health, so I’m not going to dive into how this destroys your digestive health (READ MORE ABOUT THAT HERE). But caffeine on an empty stomach will spike your blood sugar levels when it’s not paired with something to slow it down. That’s a great way to jump-start the energy roller coaster, rather than keeping it steady throughout the day.
ALLOW YOUR EYES TO SEE THE SUNSET - This won’t always be possible, and if you live in a region where the sun sets at an unreasonable hour, this may not always play out well. That’s okay! The purpose is to tell your brain, it’s getting close to sleeping time.
HUNGRY BEFORE BED? PRIORITIZE PROTEIN, FAT, AND FIBER - If you are the person who wakes up around 1:00-2:00 am to pee, I have news for you - it’s not your bladder that’s waking you up. It’s your blood sugar crashing (MORE INFO ON THAT HERE). Giving your body fuel that will satisfy your blood sugar needs, but keep them steady throughout the night, will prevent your adrenals from reacting in a stress response mid-sleep.
CREATE A BEDTIME ROUTINE (and stick to it!) - Make a list of things you do just before bed, and be consistent with it. Here are some ideas of things to consider adding to your bedtime routine:
consider a time you can consistently commit to getting to bed
brush hair/teeth
wash face/skincare routine
put your phone to bed (away from your own bed if possible)
read (choose something easy, not stimulating)
journal - focus on gratitude or affirmations, and try to avoid highly emotional journaling
warm bath
magnesium or GABA supplement to help you relax and calm your racing thoughts
light stretching
was this helpful?
If you had any “ah-HA!” moments while reading this article, chances are your adrenal glands need some help.
NUTRITION SERVICES
MORE RESOURCES
BLOG REFERENCES
Jessen, N. A., Munk, A. S., Lundgaard, I., & Nedergaard, M. (2015). The Glymphatic System: A Beginner's Guide. Neurochemical research, 40(12), 2583–2599. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-015-1581-6
McCommis, K. S., & Butler, A. A. (2021). The Importance of Keeping Time in the Liver. Endocrinology, 162(2), bqaa230. https://doi.org/10.1210/endocr/bqaa230
Rasch, B., & Born, J. (2013). About sleep's role in memory. Physiological reviews, 93(2), 681–766. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00032.2012
Journaling Prompts for Decision Making and Anxiety
…the reason people ghost is because they are paralyzed by fear and anxiety about facing something really scary.
Whether it seems rational to the outside world or not, people ghost because their brains sense danger, even if there is none. Ghosting is easier than facing the fear.
Fear and anxiety symptoms can make the simplest decision feel like the entire world will end (and everyone will hate you for it) if you choose wrong.
Hate being ghosted?
Me, too!
As someone who’s been on both sides of this fence, I’ve done a lot of work on my self and my mental wellness over the past few years, and what I’ve learned about ghosting is this…
Ghosting is cowardly.
Ghosting prevents you from learning or growing.
Ghosting causes you to miss out on opportunities to strengthen yourself and your relationships.
Ghosting perpetuates harmful cycles of conflict avoidance.
(stay with me)
But I’ve been the ghost-er, too.
And I can recognize that the reason people ghost is because they are paralyzed by fear and anxiety about facing something really scary.
Whether it seems rational to the outside world or not, people ghost because their brains sense danger, even if there is none. Ghosting is easier than facing the fear.
Fear and anxiety symptoms can make the simplest decision feel like the entire world will end (and everyone will hate you for it) if you choose wrong.
What does ghosting have to do with nutrition?
I commonly encounter individuals who frantically grasp at outward solutions, trying to find relief. They try restricting the “bad” foods, they try the calorie tracking apps, the sleep apps, the fitness apps. They try all the supplements, or eating specific foods that claim to help with [sleep, weight loss, diet, PCOS symptoms, anxiety, energy, acne, heartburn, cholesterol, etc.].
They never get the results they want, because what they really need is to look inward at why they have symptoms in the first place.
And looking inward is one of the scariest things a person can do.
But that is holistic health. Looking inward is the thing that’s going to get you to the finish line.
So I’m here to provide some tools that help you navigate that paralyzing fear and anxiety when faced with any decision - whether it’s about your health, or what’s for dinner tonight.
I’m going to help you to stop ghosting others (and yourself).
be honest with yourself
Looking inward is only effective if you prioritize honesty with yourself.
No one but you will see your responses to these journal prompts (unless you decide to share).
During this process, I encourage you to be completely honest, even if it feels messy or scary. If you have people-pleasing tendencies, this might be more difficult for you.
But it will become a habit that helps you navigate your anxiety and fears for many years to come.
And if a thought comes up that doesn’t quite feel right? Ask yourself, “How do I know that’s true?” or “What evidence do I have to support this?”.
ONE LAST THING TO REMEMBER:
There are no rules to journaling.
What I’m about to share is what feels good to me.
Play around with it. Find what feels good to you.
journal prompts for clarity and empowerment
“I AM” STATEMENTS
Personally, I like to do this one multiple times. I also like to elaborate on each one by adding examples or evidence of the “I am” statement.
TODAY I CHOOSE…
TODAY I AM GRATEFUL FOR…
WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO ME RIGHT NOW, IS…
ONE THING I WANT TO BE DIFFERENT IN ONE WEEK…
ONE THING I WANT TO BE DIFFERENT IN ONE YEAR…
WHAT STRENGTHS DO I CURRENTLY POSSESS THAT WILL ENABLE ME TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE THINGS?
journal prompts for letting go of what other people think
This one requires a blank sheet of paper.
Draw a circle that takes up about two-thirds of the page.
INSIDE THE CIRCLE
Write all the things you want for yourself right now.
It could relate to meeting immediate needs, like “I want to take a nap,” or “I want some time to myself”. Or it could relate more to abstract ideas or goals, like “I want to be better at time management,” or “I want healthy to be easier for me”.
Remember, this is about what you want, not what you need. Though sometimes these can cross over, consider the difference when doing this exercise.
OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE
Write all the things you don’t want right now.
Again, could relate more to immediate circumstances, like “I don’t want to do the dishes”. Or more abstract/long-term: “I don’t want to be relying on pain medications”.
When you think you’re out of ideas, ask yourself, “what else?”.
journal prompts for recognizing self-lies
I call this a Thought Download, and it’s pretty simple.
Step 1: Set a timer for 5 minutes and write everything that comes into your brain. Everything. STOP when the timer stops. Let that be good enough.
Step 2: Cross out the lies. Anything that you do not have substantial evidence for, cross it out. It is not true, and does not belong in your head.
Step 3: Re-read the things that are not crossed out. Circle the thing(s) that you want to focus on today. Write what actions are needed to do that. Which of your strengths can you draw from?
journal prompts for decision-making and taking action
WHAT IS THE DECISION I AM CONTEMPLATING?
IN WHAT WAYS WILL DOING _____ BENEFIT ME?
WHAT STRENGTHS DO I ALREADY POSSESS THAT WOULD HELP ACCOMPLISH THIS?
WHAT ARE SOME POTENTIAL ROADBLOCKS I MIGHT ENCOUNTER?
WHAT STEPS WOULD I TAKE IF I DO ENCOUNTER THOSE ROADBLOCKS?
WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO ME IN THIS MOMENT?
IN WHAT WAYS (IF ANY) DOES THAT ALIGN WITH DOING _____?
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO NEXT?
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Nutrition and Mental Health - How and What You Eat Has a Direct Impact on Depression and Anxiety
The relationship between nutrition and mental health is tied more closely than you may have previously thought. Acknowledging and addressing mental health has been more widely advocated in the past few years (thankfully!), but there has not been much emphasis on the interdependency between nutrition and mental health.
Nutrition and Mental Health
This article was written primary by Hilary Beckwith, in collaboration with Satya Wellness Collective, a mental health clinic in Seattle.
The relationship between nutrition and mental health is tied more closely than you may have previously thought. Acknowledging and addressing mental health has been more widely advocated in the past few years (thankfully!), but there has not been much emphasis on the interdependency between nutrition and mental health.
While it may be generally known that our mental health closely influences the types of food we want to eat, whether we want to eat at all, and how much we eat, what is often overlooked is how food affects our mood and general wellbeing.
Luckily, more and more research is demonstrating that the food we eat has a direct impact on our mental health.
let’s take a closer look
AMINO ACIDS & MENTAL HEALTH
One of the key components of nutrition and mental health is making sure you are getting the nutrients you need to support healthy neurotransmitter and hormone production, both of which greatly influence mood, anxiety, and food cravings. When you don’t get the nutrients you need, you may experience cravings for foods that are typically stripped of nutrients, perpetuating the cycle of poor nutrition, which negatively impacts mental health.
Let's look at a few examples of nutrients, specifically amino acids, that support optimal mental health:
Amino acids, which are proteins in their smallest forms, are the precursors to many neurotransmitters that impact our mood and mental wellness. The best way to ensure we are getting adequate amino acids is by regularly consuming a wide variety of quality proteins, like eggs, quinoa, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, and properly raised meats, poultry, and fish.
Here are some important amino acids and the role they play in mental health:
Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, which helps us feel motivated, satisfied, and prevents worry. You may be low in serotonin if you commonly feel anxious or depressed, or crave afternoon carbohydrates.
Tyrosine is a precursor to catecholamines ((kata-KOHL-uh-meens), such as adrenaline and cortisol, that when released at appropriate times, help us handle stress and to feel awake. Someone who commonly needs coffee to feel awake in the mornings, or craves sweets for an energy fix, may be low on catecholamines.
Glutamine is needed to maintain the health of the digestive tract, and can help reduce sugar cravings, and symptoms associated with poor blood sugar regulation, like irritability, brain fog, and feeling shaky.
GABA, or Gamma-AminoButyric Acid, is known as the "calming" neurotransmitter. It is derived from Glutamine (amino acid) and it is helpful in relieving symptoms of anxiety, stress, and fear.
D-Phenylalanine is a precursor to hormones called endorphins, which are known to reduce pain, help manage stress, and give a sense of well-being. One who struggles with anxiety, chronic pain, or craves food as a reward, may have trouble producing endorphins.
Vitamin B6 & Zinc are not amino acids, as you probably guessed, but they can be highly supportive in regards to nutrition and mental health, as well. People who suffer from social anxiety, are often found to be deficient in these two nutrients.
Practitioner grade forms of these supplements can be purchased directly from my online dispensary. **I do not condone the use of supplements without the supervision of a qualified health professional.
DIGESTION & MENTAL HEALTH
When it comes to nutrition and mental health, how we eat is just as important as what we eat. Your eating habits and atmosphere impacts your digestion of food, assimilation of nutrients, and your emotional relationship with food.
As we learned in previously discussing amino acids, we need to be sure we're consuming a wide variety of quality protein to ensure we are getting the amino acids needed to support neurotransmitter production. Equally important is your digestive ability to properly break down those proteins into amino acids. Mindful eating supports the digestive process, enables you to enjoy food more, and increases awareness of how you feel when you eat. Mindful eating is one of the most effective way to address your nutrition and mental health.
Here are my favorite mindful eating techniques:
Sit down to eat (your car and desk do not count!): When you eat while multitasking (driving, working, cleaning, studying, and even cooking), your body is using its sympathetic nervous response (ie. "fight or flight"), and intentionally inhibits the digestive process. Sitting down with your meal keeps you grounded while you eat, and helps trigger and maintain your parasympathetic nervous response (ie. "rest and digest"). As a bonus, relationships with those who surround you during meals, will improve with your presence.
Deep breaths: This is especially important if your meal is the only calm in a busy day. Before you take your first bite, take five slow, deep breaths, in through your nose, and out through your mouth. This helps your body flip that switch from "fight or flight," to "rest and digest."
Chew your food: This may seem obvious to you, but it's often underestimated. Adequate chewing is not only important to our enjoyment of the food, but it helps us to better know when we are full, and supports the stimulation of adequate stomach acid and digestive enzymes needed to digest your food. There is no magic number of "chews." I recommend chewing until your food becomes liquid. If you feel the need to "wash down" your food, you are not chewing enough.
Minimize beverages with your meals: Liquids, especially low-caloric liquids, like black coffee, water, or tea, will dilute stomach acid and digestive enzymes in your stomach. It's important to minimize fluids like these while eating, to less than 6 ounces, if any.
how blood sugar affects mental health
BLOOD SUGAR & MENTAL HEALTH
One last important factor in addressing nutrition and mental health is eating to support blood sugar regulation.
Think of a time when you experienced low blood sugar. How did you feel in that moment? Did you feel irritable? Unwell? Shaky? Tired? Did you lose the ability to focus?
Eating to support blood sugar balance, not only prevents chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, it also improves mood, and helps us feel more grounded, even when we are hungry.
Poor blood sugar balance often looks like:
High energy after consuming carb-heavy meals or snacks (“sugar high”), followed by a sudden drop in energy about 2-3 hours later
Feeling excessively hungry, or unwell when you don’t eat
Irritability when hungry
Shaky when hungry (this is adrenaline being released in response to stress)
Loss of focus when hungry
Optimal blood sugar balance looks like:
Steady energy throughout the day
Ability to recognize when you’re hungry without feeling shaky, irritable, or unwell
Staying full for longer periods of time
Improved mood and focus
Ability to handle a sweet treat without the consequences of poor blood sugar balance
So, how do you eat to support optimal blood sugar balance?:
Choose whole, or minimally processed foods as much as possible.
Focus on quality proteins, fats, and vegetables. Whole grains, fruits, or starches should be eaten in smaller amounts.
Examples of Quality Proteins: pasture raised poultry and eggs (light and dark meats), grass-fed beef, pork from rooting pigs, cold water wild-caught fish, wild-caught seafood, quinoa, lentils, grass-fed dairy products, nuts, seeds, high protein vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, artichokes)
Examples of Quality Fats: Olives, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Unrefined coconut oil, nuts/seeds/butters, grass-fed full fat dairy, avocados, egg yolks, sardines
Use Mindful Eating techniques, previously discussed
Other techniques to support insulin sensitivity and adrenal response to blood sugar, can include intermittent fasting techniques, and Ayurvedic herbs known to support the HPA axis (Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal). My favorite product for this is called HPA Adapt, by Integrative Therapeutics (also available through my online dispensary).
It should be noted that intermittent fasting and supplementation should only be done under the direction and care of a qualified practitioner.
want to explore more about your own nutrition and mental health journey?
More information about my work with nutrition and mental health, and how I can help you, can be found on my website.
Interested in working with Hilary? Click here to book a free consultation.
Want to share your experience with nutrition and mental health? I would love to hear it (and it may help others looking for answers)! Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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