Nutrition for Emotional Balance

In times of stress and emotional upset many of us turn to food for comfort. Unfortunately we mostly choose foods which though helpful for short term relief, generally put us more out of balance. Nutritional imbalances also make us more susceptible to stress and emotional turbulance. The B vitamins and magnesium are known as the ‘antistress’ nutrients. Eating wholesome nutritious food also helps to ‘ground’ us, in contrast fasting will put us more in touch with our emotions and spiritual nature.

Increase:

n Whole grains. Oats are especially supportive to the nervous system.

n Green vegetables – high in magnesium.

n Nuts & seeds (fresh – keep in the fridge). These contain essential fatty acids which are important for the nervous system and are often low in people with depression.

n Herbal teas e.g. chamomile and lime flower.

Decrease:

n Caffeine

n Sugar (if you have sugar cravings you may be deficient in the mineral chromium)

n Any foods to which you are sensitive – these may be the ones you crave and eat regularly. Wheat, dairy, chocolate, tea & coffee are the most common problems.

n Refined and processed foods

Supplementation:

It is difficult to get all the nutrients we need for health unless our diet is excellent A quality multivitamin and mineral formulation with plenty of B vitamins is useful along with an EFA supplement.