Using Nutrition to Cope with Stress during Covid19

By
TeaBuddy
-

The Covid19 pandemic is showing no signs of ending any time soon. World over the number of infected people keeps growing. In its own way, it is also affecting people who have tried their best to take precautions and maintain distance. We humans naturally are social beings and to be confined within social bubbles and the boundaries our own households taking its toll on all of us. To make matters worse, winter is approaching when in cold places like Canada, we wouldn’t even have the luxury of taking a stroll outside to relieve some of this stress and monotony.

Stress can wreak havoc on our body and cause multiple issues including headache, high blood pressure, sleeplessness (insomnia), depression, irritation and weight gain (yes, it is one of the main reasons for weight gain).

Please refer to a comprehensive article on Healthline.com that elaborates the effects of stress in much detail and uses a very good infographic to illustrate the various regions of the body being affected. https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/effects-on-body#1

Nutritional Causes of Stress

While our environment and things happening around us cause stress, it also is caused and magnified due to the lack of proper nutrition. Dr. Berg explains in the video the most important nutrients whose deficiency can trigger and keep you in the stress mode. As per Dr. Berg, the most important ones are:

  • Vitamin B1
  • Vitamin D3
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Amino Acids
  • Fatty Acids

Foods with refined carbs and sugar induce and increase stress levels so avoiding them as much as possible is recommended to lower your stress levels. Please see an excellent 5 minute video from Dr. Berg as he explains the Nutritional causes of stress.

Ways to Eliminate Stress

  1. Take food that is reach in the nutrients explained above (Vitamin B1, D3, Magnesium, Zinc, Amino Acids and Fatty Acids)
  2. Spend time in the sunlight to elevate your mood and get proper supply of Vitamin D3
  3. Indulge in controlled breathing exercises to manage you stress
  4. Complete pending tasks which have lingered for long and may be causing you stress
  5. Avoid eating sugary and refined carb foods that can induce stress
  6. Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This is probably the best remedy for keeping a check on your stress

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11 COMMENTS

  2. Spending time outdoors in the sunshine has a HUGE impact on my stress levels. Right now, it’s still warm enough for me to sit on the back deck to do my work. However, before long, the winter is going to set in and I’ll be left stuck indoors once again (I work from home, so I don’t really go anywhere). That being said, I have been talking to my husband about setting up a shed in the back yard with a TON of windows and a heater so that I can work ‘outside’ during the cooler weather while still staying warm and comfortable… Maybe this is the year to finally make that happen!

    • Thanks once again for liking the article and taking the time out to comment. I love your thoughts and expression. Lucky that we found an admirer on our website. Wish you all the best in your journey too!

  5. Getting vitamin D has been tougher since I’ve been staying indoors more. I’ve been supplementing some vitamins just in case – we’re all a little more stressed these days, too.

  6. Oh I didn’t think of zinc. I have bumped up my calcium, magnesium and Vitamin D because I get less of that in the fall months for sure. Anyways yes no question this is impacting health mentally and physically at this point after so many months.

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