Fuel Your Resilience: Essential Nutrients for Your Nervous System

Feeling stressed and anxious isn't only the mental load. Your nervous system needs feeding too.

Do you feel on edge all the time? Do you feel overwhelmed and anxious about things that never used to bother you?

That's not you being bad at relaxing, and it isn't normal. A nervous system that's constantly in overdrive is your body asking for attention.

Women often come to me after being told to calm down, or given the "mum diagnosis". You know your body better than that. I'm interested in how you actually feel, not just your weight or your blood work. What makes you happy? Are you waking up anxious? What are the things you worry about?

The goal isn't to avoid stress or to always be calm (a nice thought, but impossible). A lion might not be chasing you, but your kid just had a meltdown because you dared peel his banana.

So next time your heart is racing, or a simple task overwhelms you, ask yourself: Have I eaten a proper meal today? How many coffees have I had? How much did I sleep? It's not you failing, it's your body needing fuel.

The way we move between stress and rest is crucial; this means that after responding to stress, your body is able to come back to balance instead of staying in fight or flight. A nervous system that is constantly switched on can cause your hormones to go out of sync (hello PMS), disturbed sleep (3am wake ups anyone?), brain fog, low mood, irritability and more.

Many mothers feel guilty for not coping the way they think they should be. You search for the problem, pushing yourself further. When what you really need is a good hearty meal, ideally one that was cooked for you. If this sounds familiar, book a free call here and let's chat about it.

Wired and jittery by mid-morning? Steady your blood sugar

Every time your blood sugar spikes, your cortisol spikes too. Sometimes your body is responding to low or high blood sugar and it feels like anxiety. When your blood sugar is a roller coaster, stress feels worse.

Build every meal around protein, fibre and healthy fats. For example: salmon with roasted cauliflower and sweet potato, with a tahini dressing.

Stressed, you'll reach for a quick sugar hit, and it backfires. Keep snacks on hand: boiled eggs, yogurt with nuts, crackers and cheese, or veg sticks with hummus.

Eat more fish

Salmon in particular contains nutrients that support the nervous system and may ease anxiety. Especially if you're pregnant or postpartum, the EPA and DHA found in fish is crucial to support mood and lower inflammation.

Aim to eat fatty fish (like salmon) 2-3 times a week, add walnuts and flaxseeds to yogurt balls, have chia puddings as snacks or a simple can of tuna will do! You may consider supplementation if you need it.

Eggs are your best friend

My clients are always surprised when I recommend 3 eggs a day but eggs include an important nutrient called Choline that is essential for your brain and nervous system. It can be a great choice for any meal of the day, I always reach for eggs when I can't think of what to make. Do a quick frittata with roasted vegetables, boiled eggs salad with avocado and herbs, or a simple fried egg with sourdough. Simple is truly the best.

Switch up your carbs

Instead of the usual white rice and pasta; try quinoa, sweet potato, quinoa, lentils and beans. Don't skip on carbohydrates, your body needs them for fuel and energy. Whole grains include B vitamins that are particularly important to brain health and energy production.

Constantly exhausted and irritable? test your iron levels

One of the most common nutrient deficiencies in women, especially pregnant and postpartum mums. Low iron levels can impact your stress levels, depression and cognitive function as well as emotional instability, lethargy and lower levels of contentment.

Food sources of iron include organ meats, lentils, quinoa, oysters and beans.

Last but not least, it's important that you dive deeper on why you're feeling this way. There can be underlying issues like low thyroid, low progesterone, adrenal fatigue or an iron deficiency. There's usually a reason. Book a free call here and let's chat about it.