One of the main reasons stress is so prevalent and prominent is because of the state of our bodies and how that health can affect our capabilities to cope with tension. A healthy diet works to build a strong, more enduring foundation for the body by optimizing all of the mechanisms in our bodies.
Stress negatively affects blood pressure and blood flow. Brain blood flow is vital to brain health. Nutrients from healthy foods can help improve blood-flow to the brain. Unhealthy foods like chips and cookies and other refined carbohydrates can cause a spike in blood sugar, followed by a crash, leading to increased stress and anxiety. Choosing healthier foods can have the opposite effect, creating hormone signaling in the brain that leads to mood regulation, sleep, and energy balance.
Stress can also affect your diet as much as diet affects stress, causing a positive feedback loop of unhealthy eating habits, starting with cravings caused by stress. For example, stress has been linked to causing overeating, ramping up hormones like cortisol, insulin, and ghrelin, which can increase cravings for unhealthy foods, and this unhealthy eating style can lead to an even higher level of stress in the long-term.
