Did you know your diet can significantly impact your stress levels? While life throws plenty of stressors our way, our foods can either support a calm, relaxed body or worsen stress!

Let’s explore how we can eat our way to less stress

We'll focus on foods that promote relaxation and why certain choices matter.

What is Cortisol, and Why Should I Care?

Cortisol is a steroid hormone - during times of stress Cortisol is released into the blood stream. It's one of the 'Fight or Flight' hormones.

Too much cortisol in the body can cause major changes to your metabolism aka all of the chemical processes in the body. It can cause Diabetes, and Obesity.

How to Balance Cortisol:

1. Never have coffee on an empty stomach, even better wait 2 hours after eating to have it.
2. Try and get 30 grams of protein with every meal. Will keep your blood sugar and cortisol balanced, keep you fuller and level out your mood.
3. 3 Balanced whole food meals throughout the day
4. Try not to eat 'On the Go'

So, thankfully we have some good news: the right diet can do wonders to help regulate cortisol and keep your stress levels in balance!

Ok, so what foods should I avoid?

Dr. Amen brings up a really good point- when we start to feel stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious, we need to ask ourselves:

what did I eat?

Anything with a high Glycemic Foods will spike your blood sugar and then Insulin will drop it below normal, like:

1. Breads
2. Pastas
3. Rice
4. Potatoes
5. Sugar
6. Fruit Juice

Papier sells some very gorgeous and intuitive food and wellness journals that can help you keep track of your diet and how your mood follows each meal.

The Best Foods for a Relaxed Mind and Body

That's great and all Kayla— but what foods help to reduce stress?

Chocolate lovers rejoice! We can reduce stress and anxiety by eating dark chocolate with cocoa of 70% and above! Perhaps it's actually some dark chocolate a day that keeps the doctor away...

Chocolate... eggs... anything else?

The Ideal Diet for Stress

Top 4 Stress Busting Foods:

1. Dark Chocolate
2. Eggs
3. Nuts: Peanut Butter, Almonds, Walnuts
4. Avocados

It turns out eating well doesn’t have to be complicated—sometimes it’s just about making small, intentional choices to include foods that make you feel good.

So, which of these stress-busting foods are you excited to try? Let us know in the comments.