When you take tension or experience stress, it can be due to various reasons, such as biomedical stress related to an illness or simply having too many foolish people around you. The first thing to consider is which vitamins and minerals your body might be lacking due to stress.
This is why people who remain in chronic stress often experience thinning arms and legs while their abdomen becomes bloated. This is a classic symptom of fatty liver and also an indication of excessive cortisol levels. The excessive glucose produced due to stress gets converted into fat in the liver, leading to an enlarged abdomen. If someone has a protruding belly and thin limbs, it indicates their liver is releasing excessive fat, and their muscles are undergoing proteolysis.
If, during this time, you consume junk food and sugar, it will worsen the situation. Stress already depletes minerals and vitamins, and sugar does the same. Unfortunately, emotional eaters tend to consume more junk food and sugar when stressed, leading to chronic deficiencies that, over time, result in illnesses.
Stress and vitamin deficiency
When you are stressed, your body begins to over-secrete a hormone called cortisol, known as the stress hormone. Cortisol immediately depletes two essential vitamins in your body: Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B6. These vitamins are widely distributed in food sources, including dairy, nuts, seeds, and fruits. That’s why it is advised that when you are under stress, you should not eat unhealthy food. Instead, you should eat even healthier because your body is rapidly depleting essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals during stress
Another vitamin that decreases due to stress is Vitamin B1. Just like stress, sugar also depletes Vitamin B1 and zinc from your body. That’s why, during stress, your diet should be high in protein. The reason is that when cortisol levels rise, it causes two effects: proteolysis (breaking down proteins, especially muscle) and hyperglycemia (raising blood sugar levels).
A well-known group of antidepressant drugs, known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), further deplete Vitamin B6 from your body over time. Since stress is already depleting this vitamin, it creates a cycle that becomes difficult to break.
Effects of cortisol on the body Your body has two hormones to balance stress: cortisol and adrenaline. Adrenaline requires Vitamins D and C for production. Vitamin C is not only necessary for adrenaline production but also for stress recovery. If you are constantly under stress and consuming junk food, you will continue to lose Vitamins D and C. Since adrenaline is being used up during stress and further flushed out of the body, eventually, both cortisol and adrenaline levels start to drop, leading to a condition known as adrenal fatigue.
Foods that reduce stress naturally
Magnesium is another crucial mineral that stress depletes. You can obtain magnesium from green powders such as moringa powder and amla powder or through magnesium supplements. If your stress levels are very high, you should include both green powders and supplements. However, if your stress is moderate, just consuming green powders can be sufficient. A teaspoon of moringa or amla powder in lukewarm water daily can help restore magnesium levels and stabilize blood sugar fluctuations caused by stress.
High-protein diet for stress management
To counter this, you should adopt a low-carb, moderate-fat, and high-protein diet. This will help your body combat stress.
For good fats, include desi ghee, egg yolks, red meat (as it provides zinc), coconut oil, and olive oil in your diet.
Best adaptogenic herbs for stress
To regulate stress, certain herbs known as adaptogens can be very beneficial. Adaptogens are natural foods and herbs that help the body regulate the production of adrenaline, the stress hormone.
For men, the three best adaptogenic herbs that regulate stress hormones and boost testosterone levels (which improves mood) are Shilajit, Maca Root, and Tribulus Terrestris.
For women, the best adaptogenic herb is Shatavari. The name Shatavari is derived from the Ayurvedic word ‘Shat,’ meaning "one hundred," referring to its numerous health benefits without any side effects. Regular consumption of Shatavari helps women feel relaxed, keeps stress regulated, and improves overall mood.