Stress and Nutrition—a Deficit Disorder?

"Let your medicine be your food and your food your medicine."
—Hippocrates (460 – 377 B.C.)

"All that man needs for health and healing has been provided by God in Nature, the challenge of science is to find it."
—Paracelsus (1493-1541)

The old adage “You are what you eat” is a profoundly insightful. In order to function at your best, digestion and absorption of proper nutrients is essential. In treating nutrition and stress, appropriate daily diet includes a balance of proteins, amino acids, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates. Unfortunately, most Americans are malnourished and suffer from “Nutrition Deficit Disorder”. Nutrition and stress in New York (NY) and Northern New Jersey are common conditions that are part of nutrition deficit disorder. Children with ADD need the range of special approaches and experienced sensitivity that I bring.

Today’s fast and highly processed foods have greatly depleted our bodies of essential nutrients. For example, sugar consumption in the United States has risen dramatically. In evaluating nutrition and stress, people underestimate or are not aware of the physiological reactions that sugar triggers. Most notably, refined sugars stress the blood sugar control mechanism. It sets the person up for metabolic roller coaster rides that can include mood swings, excessive energy, fatigue, and concentration and memory difficulties. In the short term, sugar stimulates the sympathetic nervous system’s “fight or flight” response. The stimulant effects then rebound into an exaggerated parasympathetic nervous system response (sleepy, depressed, fatigued).

Sugar is a major cause of stress. Sugar is often hidden in many of the processed foods that are readily available. Names for “sugar” include cane sugar, beet sugar, fructose, dextrose, corn syrup, malt, honey, brown sugar, molasses, cane juice, barley malt,  juice concentrates, and rice syrup, just to name a few. All this sugar negatively affects our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Also in treating stress with nutrition, wheat (gluten) and dairy (casein) are foods that some people have sensitivity or allergy to. There are several tests to determine this. For example, blood tests and Autonomic Response Testing (applied kinesiology – muscle testing) are useful ways to determine the presence of food sensitivity and food allergy. These tests can also be used to determine the presence of foreign substances that can interfere with our wellness and well-being (e.g., heavy metals, chemical toxins, viruses, bacteria, etc.)

In stress nutrition issues, it is important to eat fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, meats that are organic and free-range, and organic grains, dairy, & nuts. Juicing is also an excellent way to introduce essential vitamins and minerals that provide proper nutrition.

The body needs:

• Vitamins: serve as cofactors to keep chemical reactions working
• Minerals: serve as cofactors to keep chemical reactions working
• Amino Acids: building blocks of protein, enzymes, & neurotransmitters
• Calories: the fuel (energy) that runs the body
• Water: high quality H2O to cleanse, transport nutrients, & aid in reparative body functions

Nutrition and Stress Guidelines to implement to begin the process of replenishing essential nutrients:

• Utilize a Rotation Diet
• Skip a meal (or fast)
• Juice at least once per day
• Include at lease one or two raw foods at each meal
• Chew your food well!!! Digestion begins in the mouth!!!
• Avoid late night meals
• Pray Before & After Meals: Be Grateful
• Bless & Put Love in Food During Preparation

A healthy, balanced diet includes:

• Eating “Outside of the Box”: Unprocessed Whole Foods
• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Protein (Nuts; Seeds; Beans; Tempeh; Salmon; Halibut)
• Grains (Sprouted or Steamed Whole Best)
• Millet; Amaranth; Kamut; Quinoa; Buckwheat
• Healthy Fats (Avocado; Coconut; Olives; Raw Nuts)

For nutrition and stress, following a healthy diet regimen helps us to feel energetic, boosts our immune system, improves sleep, aids in detoxification, and reduces inner tension. Many mood and emotional “disorders” are related to poor nutrition. For example, anxiety and stress are often caused by low magnesium levels. Implementing a healthy diet has many favorable effects.