Read on to learn how your adrenal glands work, what are signs of adrenal stress, and how to use vitamin C to support your adrenal glands and your stress response system!

Adrenal glands and your body’s stress response system

Adrenal glands are probably best known for their critical role in your body’s stress response system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis  – the HPA axis, for short.

You’ve probably heard of cortisol and epinephrine before. These are *the* stress hormones; the main culprits responsible for the effects of stress. Think: pounding heart, raised blood pressure and heart rate, muscle tension, and increased blood sugar.

Cortisol is made by the adrenal cortex, which is the outer layer of the adrenal gland, while epinephrine is made by the medulla, the inner layer. 

The adrenal glands and their hormones help your body respond quickly to stressful situations – and then return to a normal state quickly as well. (1) (Read more here: How Stress Works (Part 1): Your Body’s Stress Response Pathway + How To Understand It)

Signs that your adrenal glands are chronically stressed:

• Low energy
• Sleep issues: tired in the morning but difficult to fall asleep at night
• Quick to anger, irritable
• Dependence on caffeine
• Poor immune function (get infections easily)
• Cravings for salty or sweet foods
• Gut and digestive issues
• (2)

What is adrenal fatigue?

While it’s not a clinically recognized disorder, complementary medicine describes adrenal fatigue as an out-of-whack stress response pathway (the HPA axis) resulting in adrenal glands that don’t produce cortisol sufficiently anymore.

If not adrenal fatigue, then what are my symptoms cause by?

The symptoms of adrenal fatigue could actually be due to many other health issues, including: 

• Hormonal impairments, especially high cortisol due to chronic stress
• Autoimmune diseases
• Anemia
• Sleep apnea
• Depression, anxiety, or other mood disorders
• (6)

Regardless of the diagnosis for your symptoms, there are simple lifestyle and nutritional approaches you can take to address them in a holistic and functional way. 

(Read more here: 4 steps to optimize the stress response pathway + feel better!)

One great tool to support normal adrenal function is vitamin C – especially if you experience chronic stress. Keep reading for how to use vitamin C for adrenal support.

The role of vitamin C in the body

Vitamin C, aka ascorbic acid, is an essential nutrient in your body. That means you can’t synthesize it yourself, so you have to consume it in your diet.

Sufficient vitamin C levels help your body support immunity, fight inflammation, produce collagen, and allow many enzymes to work.

Immunity and inflammatory pathways:

Vitamin C is an antioxidant. That means it can fight oxidative stress in the body; it catches free radicals, neutralizes them, and prevents them from damaging other parts of the cell. (2) Vitamin C is especially protective in the nervous system, which is made of tissues with high amounts of fatty acids that are especially susceptible to oxidative damage. (2)

Enzyme cofactor for collagen production:

Vitamin C is an enzyme cofactor to help produce collagen. So proper levels of vitamin C support strong connective tissue and endothelial tissue – think: blood vessels, the lining of your gut, skin, joints, and tendons.

This is also why scurvy, the disease of vitamin C deficiency, results in poor wound healing (one classic sign of scurvy is bloody gums ?) (12)

How does vitamin C work in the adrenal glands?

As mentioned above, the highest concentration of vitamin C in your whole body is found in the adrenal glands. (10) This is because vitamin C is a cofactor for the enzymes that make cortisol. These enzymes are called hydroxylases 

Like the battery for a power drill, these enzymes can’t work properly without vitamin C. And when the enzymes are in high demand (i.e., when you’re stressed out), this “wears out the battery,” using up your stores of vitamin C. (10)

You can help relieve some effects of stress on your body by “recharging your battery,” and consuming adequate vitamin C. Supplying your body with plentiful vitamin C from whole food sources helps soothe the physiological effects of stress. (2)

Why choose whole food sources of vitamin C

Studies actually show that your body absorbs natural and synthetic vitamin C the exact same! (12) Ascorbic acid is the same structure whether in a synthetic supplement or a natural whole food source. However! That still doesn’t mean they are equal…

Whole food sources of vitamin C are packaged along with many other beneficial compounds, such as fiber and phytonutrients, while synthetic vitamin C is just ascorbic acid alone. 

In addition, synthetic ascorbic acid is typically processed from corn or wheat, with the purpose of cheap mass industrial production, and not environmental or nutritional benefit (13) 

So you are getting more bang for your buck when you choose whole food sources of vitamin C, from less processed sources. In addition, it’s much easier to overload on excessive amounts of vitamin C in supplement form, which can upset your digestive system (and probably not provide any extra benefit…sorry Linus Pauling). (14)

Best sources of whole food vitamin C

The highest sources of vitamin C from whole foods include:

• Kiwis
• Strawberries
• Oranges
• Red bell peppers
• Grapefruits
• Lemons
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes
• (14)

Whole food sources to look for when using vitamin C supplements:

• Acerola cherries
• Camu Camu
• Rose hips

How are trace minerals related to adrenal glands and vitamin C?

Magnesium, potassium, and sodium are three minerals that play a role in adrenal health.

Magnesium can help reduce stress and anxiety by decreasing activation of the HPA axis (15)

Potassium and sodium are two major electrolytes in the body, and these levels are controlled in part by a hormone called aldosterone, which is released from the adrenal gland. 

Since cortisol and aldosterone are both released from the adrenal cortex, and have similar structures, they can bind to each other’s receptors and can have some overlapping effects. For example, when cortisol levels are high, it can cause the kidneys to retain sodium and excrete potassium. This throws off your body’s electrolyte and fluid balance, so it’s important to replenish potassium levels during chronic stress. (16)

Finally, vitamin C is absorbed from the digestive tract through a transport enzyme that requires sodium to function. So sufficient sodium levels are important to be able to absorb vitamin C from your diet! (17)

How to make an adrenal cocktail: whole food vitamin C + trace minerals

An adrenal cocktail is loaded with whole food vitamin C and vital minerals that are thrown off by your adrenal glands during times of stress. This nutritional tool helps maintain proper adrenal function, normal cortisol production, and a healthy stress response system.

Here’s my go-to adrenal cocktail formula:

• Vitamin C
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup orange juice or pineapple juice (OR squeeze of half lemon or lime)
• Potassium
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut water or aloe vera juice, OR 1/4 cup coconut milk, OR 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Sodium
  • Pinch of Sea salt, OR Redmond’s real salt, OR Maldon sea salt flakes
• Filtered Water
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup
• Optional Add-Ins:
  • 1 tablespoon collagen powder
  • 1-2 Tablespoons coconut cream or regular cream

Summary

Vitamin C is the Robin to your adrenal glands’ Batman – responding to crime, er, stress in the body, making sure you have enough resources to keep your body safe and balanced.

Your adrenal glands are a key part of your body’s stress response system, and they also have the highest concentration of vitamin C in your body. This is because vitamin C is a cofactor for enzymes that make cortisol, your body’s main stress hormone. 

So during times of stress, your vitamin C in your adrenal glands gets depleted. It is helpful to add in vitamin C to your diet to replenish your body’s stores. You can do this with whole food sources of vitamin C, or your own homemade adrenal cocktail.

Let me know in the comments if you’d like more easy recipes and tools to help your body manage stress! Or let me know if you’d like to see a review of some quality vitamin C products and adrenal formulas out there!

References

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Main Differences Between Ice Baths vs Cryotherapy

How does cryotherapy work?

Cryotherapy is cold exposure using extremely cold air. 

It’s done in special chambers cooled with liquid nitrogen to get the air temperature between -150°F and -280°F. 

While that temperature might sound intense, cryotherapy doesn’t feel as extreme as icy water to most people. This is because air doesn’t transfer heat very well, so it feels more gradual and less shocking.  

Cryotherapy is short duration, generally for 2-3 minutes. 

Your skin’s surface temperature, normally around 86°F, drops to around 64°F during cryotherapy. (1)

How do ice baths work?

Ice baths are cold exposure using icy water.

Also known as cold plunges, ice baths seem pretty self-explanatory – you jump into some icy water and you sit there for anywhere from 1 to 10 minutes. Take your pick of receptacle: bathtub, repurposed water trough, or nearby river flowing with melting snowpack from the mountains.  

However, ice baths are a little less straightforward than you’d think, because they are usually done at home, where it isn’t easy to achieve a controlled environment. Temperature varies widely. They’re usually not supervised by a health professional. People may immerse themselves for a few seconds, or several minutes. People may choose to plunge only the legs, or everything from the neck down. 

With all of these differing variables, the results can obviously vary. Most human research in cold water immersion uses a water temperature between 40-55°F. (2)

Cold Exposure for Muscle Recovery

TL;DR –

Cold therapy reduces muscle soreness after exercising when used within about an hour after exercise.

The mechanism is debated, but could be due to 1) a placebo effect, 2) the release of epinephrine/norepinephrine causing a pain-relieving effect, or 3) vasoconstriction of blood vessels, causing inflammatory and waste products to be cleared out from around cells. 

The details:

The largest meta-analysis of cold therapy for muscle recovery from exercise was done by Dr. Erich Hohenauer at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. His group reviewed 36 studies on how cold therapy affects post-exercise recovery for muscle tissue.

Overall, cold exposure within 1 hour of exercising reduces subjective muscle soreness for up to 48 hours after exercise. That is, exercisers self-report feeling less sore after cold exposure for up to 48 hours, compared to the exercisers who did not have any cold exposure. 

There was not a significant difference in markers of muscle fatigue (lactate, creatine kinase) or markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein, IL-6) between the cold exposure and non-cold exposure groups. This suggests that the reduced muscle soreness could be due to a placebo effect, rather than any local physiological effect (Hohenauer, E. et al. (2015). The effect of post-exercise cryotherapy on recovery characteristics: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one.) 

However, other studies suggest that the reduced muscle soreness could stem from decreased muscle tissue temperature, which slows down nerve conduction, along with the release of epinephrine/norepinephrine, creating a pain-relieving effect in the brain (3) 

Another mechanism for reduced muscle soreness is that the release of norepinephrine causes vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels). This changes the pressure gradient between the blood vessels and the interstitial space (the space between blood vessels and cells).

This change in pressure acts like a compression sock or sleeve, causing fluid in the interstitial space to be re-absorbed into the bloodstream, thus decreasing swelling and decreasing inflammatory molecules in the area. (4)

Cold Exposure for Mental health

TL;DR –

Deliberate cold exposure can increase resilience and your ability to cope with stress. This effect comes about when the stress response is activated, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and endorphins are released, and you train your mind to remain calm despite these stressful conditions.

The details:

Cold exposure is a stressful event. However, a certain level of stress is actually beneficial to your body! Purposely activating your body’s stress response while teaching your mind that you are safe leads to great benefits for your mental health and nervous system.

Cold Exposure for Increased Energy Levels

TL;DR –

Cold exposure can increase energy levels due to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, and their ability to sync your circadian rhythm.

Cold therapy for Enhanced Metabolism

TL;DR –

Cold exposure leads to increased brown fat and improved blood glucose and fat metabolism, both of which can contribute to decreased adiposity and increased lean body mass.

The details:

Cold exposure naturally causes your body to try and get warmer. It does this in two ways. 

The first is “shivering thermogenesis,” where your body involuntarily starts shivering to generate heat. 

Cold therapy for Nervous system regulation

TL;DR –

Acutely, cold exposure activates the sympathetic nervous system, offering pain relief, focus, and energy levels.

Long-term, cold exposure helps re-activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and health measures such as higher HRV.

The details:

As mentioned earlier, cold exposure is a stressor that acutely activates the sympathetic nervous system, a.k.a. the fight or flight response. This causes the release of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine, as well as the release of endorphins. Some acute effects of these hormones and neurotransmitters are pain relief and increased focus, attention, and energy levels. (15)

After activating the sympathetic nervous system, it’s beneficial to move your body back into a parasympathetic state (the rest-and-digest system). Cold exposure helps reactivate the parasympathetic nervous system long term. When you practice cold therapies repeatedly, it improves HRV, a measurement of parasympathetic activation (for more on HRV, see here: Vagus Nerve 101). (16) (17)

What are the downsides of cryotherapy?

One big downside of cryotherapy is it’s expensive. The average cost for one 3-minute whole body cryotherapy session at a health facility or spa is between $30 to $50.

Another downside is the risk of frostbite and risk of hypothermia. 

Finally, cryotherapy should not be attempted with certain health conditions or medical conditions, such as cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial hypertrophy, coronary artery disease, or untreated high blood pressure. This is because cold exposure increases cardiac strain. (18)

Those with cold-sensitive conditions like Raynaud’s syndrome should also use caution with cold therapies. 

What are the downsides of ice baths? 

Similar to cryotherapy, ice baths pose a risk of hypothermia. However, it is almost impossible to get frostbite from ice baths (because the freezing temperature of human tissue is lower than the freezing temperature of fresh water). 

Another possible downside of ice baths is that the conditions can be very hard to control. Some people may use water temperatures that are excessively cold and cause injury. In reality, you can reap the same benefits of cold exposure with less extreme temperatures; all you need is an “uncomfortable” temperature, as this will activate your body’s sympathetic nervous system. (5)

Which is the better option: ice baths or cryotherapy?

Key Differences Between Ice Baths vs Cryotherapy

Here is a handy chart for a side-by-side comparison of ice baths vs cryotherapy:

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In part one, “How Stress Works (Part 1): Your Body’s Stress Response Pathway + How To Optimize It,” you learned how the body’s biological stress response pathway works, and some symptoms that can result when it’s out-of-whack or overburdened. Now we’ll talk more about some tools you can use to assess your body’s status and tips to feel better!

Lab tests and other clinical assessments can measure stress biomarkers and chronic activation of the HPA-axis. In addition, it is so beneficial to become attuned to your own body. It pays dividends to learn the cues of your body: what feels normal and healthy for you and what feels out-of-whack.

Stress and body weight

Two important organs that control body temperature are brown adipose tissue (aka, brown fat) and the thyroid gland. Both of these organs are affected by stress in different ways, depending on the type of stress. For example, acute forms of stress such as cold exposure (e.g., cold plunges) can actually increase formation of brown fat and increase levels of T3 thyroid hormone, leading to better body temperature regulation and a higher metabolic rate (Read more here: How to cold plunge safely – for healthy weight and less stress)  (10).

However, chronic stress can indirectly lead to low body temperature due to decreased thyroid function. Chronic activation of the stress response pathway is shown to decrease function of both the thyroid gland and brown fat, which can be reflected with lower core body temperature levels. This might also look like cold hands and feet, or general intolerance to cold. (11, 12).

Stress and body temperature

Two important organs that control body temperature are brown adipose tissue (aka, brown fat) and the thyroid gland. Both of these organs are affected by stress in different ways, depending on the type of stress. For example, acute activation of the stress response pathway such as cold exposure (e.g., cold plunges) can actually increase formation of brown fat and increase levels of T3 thyroid hormone, leading to better body temperature regulation and a higher metabolic rate (Read more here: How to cold plunge safely – for healthy weight and less stress)  (10).

However, chronic stress can indirectly lead to low body temperature due to decreased thyroid function. Chronic stress is shown to decrease function of both the thyroid gland and brown fat, which can be reflected with lower core body temperature levels. This might also look like cold hands and feet, or general intolerance to cold. (11, 12).

Stress and mood

We know that trauma is associated with high cortisol levels, and also that high cortisol increases rates of depression and suicide. (13)  If you find that you are quick to anger or yell, or you are frequently anxious about things you can’t control, these could be signs of high cortisol levels.

Lab tests for stress

Physical measurements are the easiest, least-invasive way to assess chronic stress and HPA activation. In addition, these are data you can collect on your own at home to build a picture of what’s normal for you and your stress response pathway.

• Respiration rate
• Heart rate
• Body temperature
• Heart rate variability (HRV) (Read more here: Vagus Nerve 101)

Why test cortisol levels to optimize the stress response pathway

If you are suffering from symptoms that you think are related to HPA-axis dysfunction, you may benefit from hormone testing for cortisol and other stress hormones. Symptoms might include: chronic stress, sleep issues and fatigue, chronic/unexplained pain, and/or blood sugar issues.

• High cortisol levels may be due to blood sugar dysregulation, excessive stress, pain, sleep issues, polycystic ovary syndrome, or a pituitary or adrenal disorder like Cushing’s disease.
• Low cortisol levels may be due to an adrenal disorder such as Addison’s disease, or due to constant chronic stress causing the adrenal gland to downregulate its production of cortisol.

(Please always remember that only YOUR qualified healthcare provider can interpret your results and give you personalized care. Information on this website does NOT qualify as personal/health/medical advice.)

In addition, clinical lab tests can give you more insight into your stress response pathway. If you want to understand your own baseline health and hormone levels, you can consider asking your healthcare provider for the following blood tests, or consider testing them using at-home kits:

Cortisol Morning Blood Test

• A cortisol serum test drawn in the morning is the standard place to start. First, because it’s usually the cheapest and most accessible. Second, because cortisol levels are highest in the morning, then drop throughout the day. 

Salivary cortisol and DUTCH test:

• Cortisol in the saliva represents the unbound, bioactive levels of cortisol available in the body. It is a less invasive procedure, but the downside is that many traditional healthcare providers do not offer this testing option. There are many online “DIY” test kits that you can order to assess your saliva at home.
• The DUTCH test is a type of salivary cortisol test that measures cortisol five times throughout the day. First, immediately upon waking; second, 30 minutes after waking; third, 60 minutes after waking; fourth, before dinner (around 4-5pm); and last, before bed (between 10pm-midnight).
  • This test is beneficial because it shows the circadian fluctuations in cortisol. What’s more, it can help give answers if your serum cortisol test comes back in a normal range, but you still have symptoms that you think are tied to HPA dysfunction.

Urinary cortisol

• Similar to salivary cortisol, urinary cortisol is usually measured multiple times over 24 hours to give a picture of circadian cortisol levels and the cortisol awakening response. (14, 15)
• You should also remember that cortisol is circadian – meaning, it fluctuates throughout the day. So a single morning blood draw can give you an understanding of your benchmark cortisol levels, but it cannot give you a full picture of your hormone levels and the stress response pathway.

Optimizing the stress response pathway with mind-body connection

Is the mind-body connection proven? What the research says

There is no denying that your mind affects your body. Research is increasingly showing how this happens on a biological level. (16)

Mind-body connection therapies are designed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and inactivate the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) nervous system. Mind-body therapies such as biofeedback and mindfulness modalities can effectively treat headaches, chronic pain, anxiety, hypertension, and more. (17)

How does biofeedback therapy optimize the stress response pathway?

Biofeedback is a therapeutic technique to help you gain awareness and control over physiological processes, such as muscle tension, breathing, and heart rate. Similar to physical therapy, this requires practice and consistency to train your mind to control these functions that were once thought of as involuntary.  (17) 

Biofeedback therapy usually involves hooking up to equipment to monitor your internal processes. These allow you to observe what’s going on inside your body in real time. Some examples include heart rate monitors, respiratory rate monitors, or electrodes on the surface of the skin to monitor muscle activity. This equipment is visualized on a screen to help you become aware of the associated sensations, and over time bring these biological processes under your voluntary control. (17)

Biofeedback training has been shown to help treat anxiety, chronic pain, tension headaches, hypertension, urinary incontinence in females, and even ADHD. (18)

What can mindfulness and meditation do to optimize the stress response pathway?

Jon Kabat-Zinn is a leader in using mindfulness and meditation to treat chronic pain and disease. It’s easy to be skeptical that something as simple as mindful meditation could have any effect on our health. Kabat-Zinn illustrated this incredulity when he said in an interview, “People might say ‘What are you talking about? Meditation? Yoga? Give me a break!’”

However, meditation and mindfulness have clinically-proven effects on mental conditions such as anxiety, pain, depression, stress, and even chronic diseases like fibromyalgia, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. (19) 
In mindfulness meditation practices, it differs from biofeedback in that you’re not trying to control physiological processes. Rather, you’re trying to be present and just pay attention to your internal state, and calm your emotions toward that internal state. And it shows that the way you think and feel toward your body and your illness have a profound effect on your health – patients report lower pain scores, decreased stress, depression, and anxiety, and improved biomarkers such as blood pressure and HRV. (20)

How does exercise help optimize the stress response pathway?

Exercise releases endorphins and dopamine

Many benefits of exercise on stress and mental health can be attributed to the natural production of endorphins, which have natural pain-relieving properties, as well as activating reward circuits in the brains. Regular physical activity reduces fatigue, improves cognitive function, improves sleep, and stabilizes mood. (21) There is also a component of exercise-induced stress that can be beneficial to our bodies. This is called hormesis, and when our bodies are challenged with a moderate amount of stress, it improves health and longevity in many ways (and that’s a whole post for another day!) (43)

How does exercise trigger the stress response?

While a certain amount of stress via exercise can be healthy, studies show that some exercise can tip the balance too far. Intense cardio activities, such as HIIT exercise, can excessively elevate cortisol for some people. (22) While some may benefit from this type of exercise with proper nutrition, hydration, and rest, many people cannot tolerate this rise in cortisol and can actually suffer detrimental effects on hormones, musculoskeletal structures, or heart health. 

Depending on your lifestyle, activity levels, and hormone levels, intense cardio exercise should sometimes be avoided in favor of more low intensity or low impact movements, such as walking, yoga, or pilates, or weight training. This comes back to knowing and being in-tune with your own body — you can learn your internal cues to know what is helping optimize your body’s stress response pathway, and what is harming it.

Nutrition: What foods reduce stress and anxiety?

Stress means the body needs more resources – energy, oxygen, vitamins, and minerals. However, people often reach for foods that are less nutrient-dense, more processed, and more sweet when under chronic stress. This is partly because carbohydrate-dense foods prompt the brain to make more serotonin, and this feel-good neurotransmitter can provide stress relief.  (23)

This is also partly because chronically elevated cortisol increases hormones and neurotransmitters that increase appetite and craving for energy-dense foods, like neuropeptide-Y. Simultaneously, chronically elevated cortisol decreases hormones that signal fullness and satiety, like leptin. (24) So, over time, unmanaged chronic stress can lead to increased weight gain and higher body fat. (25)

Foods that soothe and optimize the stress response pathway

Omega-3 fatty acids 

Omega-3’s can prevent increases in stress hormones and may help protect against heart disease, mood disorders like depression, and PMS. (26)

You can up your omega-3 intake with fish such as salmon and tuna, as well as quality fish oil or algae-based omega 3 supplements. 

Magnesium

Magnesium deficiency is commonly found in those with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, ADHD, and bipolar disorder. This suggests that activation of the stress response pathway causes the body to use up more magnesium (27, 28) 

To combat this, try increasing magnesium intake through green leafy vegetables, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, or even a magnesium glycinate supplement before bed.

Vitamin C  

Vitamin C is a common nutrient deficiency in stress-related disorders, like anxiety and depression. Further, supplementing with vitamin C can improve mood and provide a small antidepressant effect. Scientists think that the way vitamin C can do this is by supporting the neurotransmitter pathways for serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. (29, 30)

Here are some of the best whole food sources of vitamin C to help up your intake and help optimize your stress response pathway: kiwi, citrus, berries, bell peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Adaptogens and supplements to optimize the stress response pathway

Adaptogens are substances that claim to increase the body’s resilience to stress. While some have better scientific support than others, here are a few that have some good data behind them.

Rhodiola for stress

Rhodiola rosea is well-documented for its ability to reduce stress, fatigue, and anxiety. (31) It is still being studied for mechanism, but it’s hypothesized that rhodiola’s active compounds can interact with signals at a cellular level to blunt the effects of cortisol during stress, as well as interact with cortisol systemically to reduce its levels. (32)

Ashwagandha for stress

Ashwagandha is an herbal supplement that has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine, which is the traditional Hindu system of medicine. There are not plentiful amounts of scientific data from human studies, but the available data does show that ashwagandha can lower cortisol, and generally reduce stress and anxiety. (33)

L-Theanine for stress

L-theanine is an amino acid that is naturally occurring in tea leaves, especially green tea. There is some evidence that supplementing with L-theanine can reduce stress and anxiety in acutely stressful situations. (34) Some reports show that L-theanine reduces the “jitters” and headaches that come along with caffeine consumption, and it can help improve focus and attention, all combining to support and optimize the stress response pathway. (35)

Sleep hygiene: How to sleep when stressed and anxious

The importance of quality sleep is pretty obvious. Similar to stress, sleep affects almost every other body system. Finding ways to sleep well, even when stressed or anxious, can therefore improve almost all other aspects of health! 

Everyone should be getting around 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep every night, and this is especially important for the proper balancing and regulation of cortisol and other stress hormones. (36)

The neuroscience of creating a bedtime routine

It might sound overly simple, but creating a consistent bedtime routine – with a few key elements – can seriously help you optimize sleep, take advantage of the stress response pathway, and improve your health. Habits and behaviors are always the first thing you should try when trying to improve your health!

Here are a few elements to remember so you can get the best zzz’s possible:

• Go to bed at the same time every night. Your circadian rhythm (melatonin, cortisol awakening response, etc.) loves patterns and consistency.  
• Get outside to view bright light as soon as possible after you wake up. Sunlight (or an artificial sunlight lamp) will help your body wake up and sync your circadian rhythm better than any other practice. Yep – better than exercise, better than a cold shower, better than caffeine or other stimulants. Think of this like installing a natural alarm clock into your brain; the more you do it, the easier it will be to wake up at the same time every morning. 
• Avoid bright lights before bed – and all night long. Dim the lights at home for the 2 hours before bed – even better if you can turn off overhead lights and use lamps instead. The neurons connected to your eyes can sense the brightness of all wavelengths of light (not just blue light!), and they can also sense the angle of light coming into your eyes! Dim lights at a low angle signal to your brain to produce melatonin, which will help you fall asleep and stay asleep better at night.
• NSDR. Non-sleep deep rest is a type of meditation that calms your nervous system so you can get into a relaxed parasympathetic state and facilitate better sleep. It can also be called different things: body scan meditation, Yoga Nidra. Here is a guided protocol you can try: NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest) with Dr. Andrew Huberman. This is especially helpful if you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep.
• (37) 

Natural sleep aids

Some people may want to try something a little extra help with sleep, beyond just behavioral changes. Here are a few science-supported tools and supplements you can try to improve sleep and help optimize the stress response pathway. 

When introducing a new supplement, add one at a time and give it a few weeks to see how your body reacts before adding in another one. (And always remember: consult with your personal healthcare provider, this is not personal/health/medical advice)

• Magnesium. Many people across the entire population are deficient in magnesium (38) Supplementing with forms of magnesium that are gentler on the gut, like magnesium glycinate or magnesium threonate, can help improve sleep. (39) Magnesium does this through blocking certain excitatory neurotransmitters (NMDA) and activating other inhibitory neurotransmitters (GABA) to reduce brain arousal and have a relaxant effect. (40)
• Tart cherry juice. This is an easy, safe, and super effective whole food sleep supporter! There are several good clinical trials showing that tart cherry juice before bed helps people fall asleep easier and wake up less through the night. Tart cherry juice is able to do this by increasing melatonin production, and increasing production of tryptophan (which is a precursor to melatonin). (41)
• Chamomile or Apigenin. Chamomile tea is also an effective and safe way to support sleep. The active compound in chamomile is called apigenin. Studies have shown that chamomile tea improves sleep through reducing cortisol levels. (42)

Summary

I believe knowledge is empowering! I hope that you now feel equipped with 1. the knowledge to optimize your body’s stress response pathway 2. the tools to conquer stress and feel better. 

Whether you want to harness the power of the mind-body connection, optimize how you approach exercise, or incorporate more stress-reducing foods, let me know in the comments how you plan to use these tools to manage stress, balance your hormones, and feel better. And let me know what other content would be helpful for you to learn how to take care of your body!

The post How Stress Works (Part 2): 4 steps to optimize the stress response pathway + feel better appeared first on Granola Science.

Picture this: you’re driving on the freeway with the kids in the backseat, your favorite playlist pleasantly playing in the background. BAM! The car in front of you slams on their brakes and your kids scream. Your heart slams in your chest, breathing quickens, senses sharpen – your body is ready to outrun a saber-tooth tiger (or in this case, respond to traffic).

This is the fight-or-flight response in action. It’s your body’s evolved response to life-threatening situations, trying to increase your odds of surviving. But what happens when traffic is smooth, the kids aren’t crying, and all is well – but you still feel jittery and anxious? That would be chronic stress, the unwelcome byproduct of modern society, where we are surrounded by constant small stressors that keep our stress hormones chronically high, like a leaky faucet.

The good news? You’re not stuck. There are tools to soothe your stressed-out system and find your happy place amidst life’s everyday stressors. 

Keep reading to learn the science behind your body’s stress response system so you can learn how to manage and optimize it. 

Definition of the stress response pathway

What is stress, physiologically speaking?

Stress is when the body activates two brain-body communication pathways:

the sympathetic nervous system and 

the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. 

When your brain senses stress – through thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations – it sends signals (hormones and neurotransmitters) along these stress response pathways to start making things right in the body again. Your body then responds with coping behaviors to address the distress. (1)

Here are some of the physiological coping responses to acute stress:

• ↑ Increased alertness, vigilance, and focus 
• ↑ Increased heart rate, respiratory rate
• ↻ Shifting of oxygen, nutrients, and energy to the brain as well as any stressed body part (e.g., a broken leg)
• ↓ Reduced sensation of pain
• ↓ Reduced “rest-and-digest” functions, such as digestion, reproduction, growth, and immunity
• (2)

We *want* these things to happen in an acutely stressful situation! (e.g., a saber-tooth tiger is chasing you, you break a bone, you get an infection, etc.) These adaptive responses allow your body to increase its odds of survival when faced with a life-threatening situation. But the problems really start with our modern lifestyles, in which we are under constant levels of NON-life-threatening circumstances that activate the stress response pathway – aka, chronic stress.

What is acute stress vs. chronic stress?

Acute stress is generally shorter duration and higher intensity; it lasts for a number of minutes or hours.

Examples of Acute stress: injury, surgery, illness or infection, intense exercise like sprinting or lifting weights, giving a speech/presentation, or a sudden surprise (e.g., slamming on the brakes while driving)

Chronic stress is lower intensity but much longer duration; it lasts for many hours a day over weeks or even months. (3)

Examples of Chronic stress: constant emails and notifications, work spilling out of your shift and into all hours of the day, doom-scrolling and comparisons on social media, chronic health issues, blood sugar imbalances or imbalanced nutrition (too much or too few calories are both stressors!), lack of sleep…these are all chronic stressors. 

And our stress coping mechanisms aren’t just physiological, but emotional and behavioral as well. We have control over these coping responses, and we can make intentional choices in how we respond to stressors for better health and well-being. 

In short, that’s what we need to talk about today: chronic stress and how to beat it.

First, let’s break down each part of the stress communication pathway, the HPA axis: hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland.

Which body system does stress affect?

As mentioned above, stress affects all of our body systems through the pathway known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, as well as the sympathetic nervous system. Starting in your brain, stress leads to a cascade of reactions and hormonal secretions that tell each organ and body system how to respond.

Let’s talk about what happens at each step of the HPA axis.

What does the hypothalamus do? 

The hypothalamus, a structure deep in the forebrain, is in charge of keeping our body in homeostasis. Homeostasis is our body’s happy place: the right pH, the right temperature, the right balance of hormones, the right balance of electrolytes, the right amount of energy…the list goes on. 

When the hypothalamus senses that one of these factors is out-of-whack, it then sends a hormone down the line of the HPA axis to the next structure: the pituitary gland. (In the case of stress, the hypothalamus releases a hormone called CRH that gets sent to the pituitary gland.) (2)

What does the pituitary gland do? 

The pituitary gland is a master controller of hormones. It’s a sort of boss of many other endocrine organs, telling them when to release their hormones. For example, the pituitary gland tells when to release:

• Metabolic hormones in the thyroid or gut
• Sex hormones from the ovaries or testes
• Stress hormones from the adrenal gland. This is signaled through a hormone called ACTH
• (2)

What does the adrenal gland do?

The adrenal gland is the end of the line of the stress response pathway, the HPA axis,. This is where *the* stress hormones are released. You’ve probably heard of cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline) before. These hormones are the main culprits responsible for the effects of stress.

The adrenal gland has two sections: the medulla and the cortex. The medulla releases cortisol, and the cortex releases epinephrine/norepinephrine. Both cortisol and epinephrine lead to the classic symptoms of the “fight-or-flight” response.

You may know that circadian rhythms are important for quality sleep. But your circadian system also regulates your appetite, digestion, blood sugar, and more.  

Circadian rhythms are the tides of your body; they control the ebb and flow of sleep hormones, digestive and metabolic hormones, body temperature, and appetite. 

Your body really likes predictability and patterns. It prefers that you go to sleep at the same time each night and eat your meals at the same time each day; this allows it to release hormones in a regular pattern. (8)

Melatonin is the main hormone that helps you feel sleepy at night, and cortisol is the main hormone that helps you wake up in the morning.

The post How Stress Works (Part 1): Your Body’s Stress Response Pathway + How To Understand It appeared first on Granola Science.

Intro

Beef liver is an organ meat that has long been consumed in traditional cultures around the world, but it has only recently begun to make a comeback in Western diets. 

If you appreciate the wisdom of “eating what your great grandma ate,” you’ll be more excited about jumping on the liver train. 

However, with its strong metallic taste and exceptionally smooth texture, some people may not prefer cooking liver and eating it plain. 

Can you freeze cooked liver?

Yes, you can freeze cooked liver!

It’s as simple as cooking it, letting it cool, removing excess moisture, flash-freezing on a tray, and then packaging it into airtight containers. 

Read on for step-by-step details on how to freeze cooked liver, and how to make your own DIY liver supplements.

4. Freezing for Long Term Storage

Now you’ll portion out your liver “supplements” and package them into freezer-safe containers or bags, removing as much air as possible. 

I like to put a few smaller portions into small ziploc bags and then put those bags into one or two big heavy-duty freezer bags. Then don’t forget to label it with the type of meat and the date!

The science behind freezing meat:

Freezing food is great for food safety because it puts the brakes on any bacterial growth. However, it doesn’t actually kill any bacteria that are already present, so that’s why it’s important to cook meat to a safe temperature.

When you freeze meat, it creates ice crystals. These ice crystals expand during the freezing process and can break the cell walls of the meat, so later when it’s thawed again, the texture can become mushy. Any excess moisture causes more ice crystals, so remember to pat the liver dry with paper towels after cooking.

How do I avoid freezer burn?

Freezer burn is caused when food is exposed to cold air, and the moisture is drawn out of the food and re-frozen on its surface. (For you food science nerds, this is called sublimation.)

You can avoid a lot of this frosty unpleasantness by removing excess air and using the proper storage: airtight containers, freezer-safe bags, or tightly wrapped plastic wrap or aluminum foil. 

How long does liver keep in the fridge? In the freezer?

Shelf life of cooked liver in the freezer:

You can freeze liver for around three to four months. Longer than that is still safe from a food safety standpoint, but you risk freezer burn and losing a good texture.

Shelf life of cooked liver in the fridge:

In the fridge, cooked liver only lasts a couple of days (1-2 days is safest.)

Summary

Can you freeze cooked liver? Yes! My favorite way to consume liver is to cook and freeze it into your own DIY liver supplements. It’s an easy and convenient way to access the nutritional benefits of liver, especially if you don’t love the taste.

Let me know in the comments if you try making your own DIY liver supplements!

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We’ll talk about how red light therapy works, what the difference is between red light and infrared light, the physiological mechanisms of red light in the human body, and how red light can improve gut health.

What is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is often used as a catch-all term for any low-level light therapy, which includes near-infrared light and infrared light therapy. (Other terms include low-level laser therapy and photobiomodulation). 

Red light therapy has gained popularity in recent years as a holistic approach to improving skin cells, gut health, the immune system, and many other potential benefits to overall health.

Despite being used interchangeably, red light, near-infrared light, and infrared light are all different wavelengths. They all penetrate your skin and into the body to different extents, and so they each have different biological effects. 

Need a visual reminder? Let’s go back to 7th-grade science class and remember that chart of the electromagnetic spectrum. In the middle of the spectrum is visible light. This tiny slice is the light energy that our eyes can see. The wavelength just longer than that is infrared light. And remember longer wavelength = lower energy. 

Down at the other end of the spectrum is UV light, which is higher energy and more damaging to the human body.

(1)

What is Infrared Light?

Infrared light is a type of energy that is invisible. You can’t see it, but you can feel it as heat. You can feel infrared energy from the heat of the sun, a campfire, or a radiator. 

Infrared energy has a wavelength between 750nm to 1,000,000nm. It’s broken down into near-infrared, middle-infrared, and far-infrared. Within these, near-infrared light is the “sweet spot” that penetrates through the skin and into the body the most deeply, between 760 to 1400nm.  (1) (2)

Infrared light therapy devices such as infrared saunas usually use near-infrared light wavelengths (middle- and far-infrared light are much less common). There are also devices that combine both red light and infrared energy in one.

Infrared light therapy devices are typically used to penetrate deeper into tissues and affect biological processes such as inflammation and energy production at a cellular level (read more below, in “How Red Light Therapy Works”)

What is Near-Infrared Light?

Near-infrared light is a small portion within infrared energy. It is the highest energy portion, (with middle-infrared and far-infrared having larger wavelengths and lower energy.)

Near-infrared light has a wavelength between 760 to 1400nm (1), with the most common wavelength used in commercial devices being around 810nm.

As mentioned above, near-infrared light therapy devices are used to penetrate deeper into tissues and affect biological processes such as inflammation and energy production at a cellular level (more on that below!) 

For the remainder of this article, I will use “infrared” interchangeably with “near-infrared.”

How Red Light Therapy Works

Both red light and near-infrared light can pass through soft and hard tissues and into the human body. They act at a cellular level to increase energy production and decrease oxidative stress. This improves tissue repair and decreases the body’s inflammatory response. (3)

Biological Mechanisms of Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy and infrared light therapy work in two places: on the skin’s surface level, and deeper at the cellular level to affect energy production and tissue repair. 

Red Light on the Skin Surface

What is the mechanism of red light therapy on the skin’s surface? 

Red light and infrared light cause low-level tissue damage to skin cells on the skin surface layer (the epidermis). This causes stem cells to be activated and recruited up to the skin’s surface for healing and tissue repair. 

This mechanism allows red light and infrared light to have beneficial effects on wrinkles, acne, scars, burns, and wound healing. (4)

Red Light at a Cellular Level

What is the mechanism of red light therapy at a cellular level?

Red light and infrared light can travel through the outer layer of the skin, and down deeper into tissues. The light energy enters into cells and the structures within cells, helping cells to produce more energy and to stop producing inflammatory molecules.

Inside your cells are certain molecules that are “light-sensitive.” This means that when they are exposed to certain wavelengths of light, they change shape or structure.

What are the Benefits of Red Light Therapy for Gut Health? 

To understand how red light therapy affects your gut health, you need some fundamental understanding of your gut microbiota, your circadian rhythms, and a little bit of how your cells work.

How does my gut microbiota affect my health?

From your skin surface to your mouth to the intestinal tract, the human body is teeming with microbes. Bacteria, viruses, fungi…but don’t run for the hand sanitizer! The vast majority of these microbes are not going to make you sick. On the contrary, a healthy population of microbes improves your health: strengthens the immune system, prevents illness, improves digestion and metabolism, and more.

The gut microbiota in particular is important for human health. 

From inflammatory bowel disease to diabetes to cardiovascular disease, a dysregulated gut microbiota is associated with increased risk of illness. Recent studies have even linked mental health disorders with the gut microbiota via the gut-brain connection. (10) 

People with gastrointestinal tract issues, such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, or ulcerative colitis have imbalanced populations of gut bacteria; more “bad” species, and fewer “good” species. (11)(12)

One classic study was done in identical twins, where only one twin had Crohn’s disease. They analyzed the microbiota of both twins, and found very different populations of gut bacteria between the two. The twin with Crohn’s disease had way fewer species than the healthy twin. In the case of your gut bacteria, more diversity is typically better. (13)

A whole slew of factors can influence your gut microbiota: 

• your family history
• the foods you eat
• Antibiotic use
• alcohol consumption
• your stress levels
• even owning a pet!
• (14)

Those who suffer from gut issues might have already tried probiotics or fiber-rich foods to improve their gut health. But recent studies are suggesting a new avenue for supporting the gut: red light therapy.

How do circadian rhythms affect my gut health?

Circadian rhythms in the human body are controlled mainly by light and dark. 

During daylight hours, bright light tells your body to turn on certain hormones, metabolic pathways, and brain circuits that support alertness, activity, feeding behavior, metabolism and more. 

Conversely, darkness turns those pathways off, while turning on others to support restfulness, repair, and healing (15)

The gut microbiota is circadian. What does this mean? It means the species of bacteria in your gut ebb and flow at different times of day, and with different foods you eat. 

So you can change your gut microbiota, your digestive health, and metabolic health with the power of circadian rhythms and light. (14)

Some simple examples of supporting your circadian rhythms might already sound familiar: going to bed at the same time each night, avoiding bright light before bed, and eating your meals around the same time each day.  Your body really likes predictability and patterns! (Read more here: How Stress Works (Part 1): Your Body’s Stress Response Pathway + How To Understand It)

Keep reading below for the mechanisms of how red light therapy benefits gut health.

1. Improving gut health through cellular health + the mitochondria:

We know that red light and near-infrared light can enter into the cell and into mitochondria. 

The mitochondria is where the cell makes it energy (ATP) – but it’s also where inflammatory molecules (called reactive oxygen species) are created when the mitochondria are not working optimally.

Put simply, if you support the mitochondria to make more energy, and less reactive oxygen species, then you can reduce symptoms of aging and some diseases. 

So the question is – can red light enter into gut cells? Some recent research says yes!

2. Improving gut health through reducing the inflammatory response:

In addition to reducing production of reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria, red light can also change the inflammatory response.

When the inflammatory response is already activated in cells, red light therapy can help reduce markers of inflammation. This is shown by:

• Reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-6 and IL-8)
• Reduced macrophages (immune cells that get recruited to sites of inflammation)
• Reduced prostaglandins (6)

3. Improving gut health through syncing circadian rhythms:

If you have a regular, synced circadian rhythm, your body knows what patterns to expect every day, because your sleep and eating behaviors are roughly the same every day.

A synced circadian rhythm means that the proper hormones and pathways are active in your body at the proper times. For example, digestive hormones and metabolic pathways are active during meal times, but not in the middle of the night. And conversely, hormones and neural pathways that support sleep are active during the night, and not during the day! (18) 

Red light therapy can be used to support circadian rhythms by avoiding bright light and instead using more dim red light lamps before bed. 

This isn’t a one-time fix; rather, it’s a habit that needs to be consistently practiced over time. This way, you can sync your circadian rhythm and support the hormones and biological pathways of your body. (19)

How to Use Red Light Therapy for Better Gut Health

You might have skipped down to this section to get right to the tools you can use to improve your gut health using red light therapy. Those are coming! 

But in case you skimmed (or skipped ;)) the sections above, just know that this area of research is very new. The preliminary findings from animal studies are exciting and promising – red light therapy does seem to improve gut health! – but we still need human studies and clinical trials.

What red light therapy device should I use?

Many red light therapy devices are available on the market, so it’s helpful to know a few numbers and key terms to understand what is quality (and what is just a cheap, ineffective knockoff).

The wavelength of light that can travel deep through tissues to have effects on a cellular level is about 660nm to 850nm. 

This range includes red light AND near-infrared light, so if you can find a device with both, that is the best, because you will be taking advantage of all possible mechanisms.

It’s also a great idea to use an FDA-cleared medical grade device, as these have stricter standards safety, quality, and efficacy for medical use, as opposed to just aesthetic purposes.

How often should I use red light therapy?

You should use red light therapy every day for 10-15 minutes for several weeks to start seeing results. 

In most studies on red light therapy and gut health, this was the general protocol:

• One session lasts 10-15 minutes
• Red light therapy device held between 3 to 12 inches away from your body
• At least 5 times a week
• Continue this protocol for at least 2 – 8 weeks 
• (20)(21)

Summary

Further research is still needed to uncover all the beneficial effects of red light therapy on gut health, but there are already promising results. Using red light may be able to support a healthy gut microbiome through cellular energy production, reduced inflammation, and modulating your circadian rhythms. 

In the future, human studies and clinical trials will be needed to dive further into the positive effect of red light and infrared light on your gut microbiota.

Let me know if you want to learn more about red light therapy and its effect on the brain, immune function, or other systems in the body!

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References

The post Red Light Therapy: How to Use It to Improve Your Gut Health appeared first on Granola Science.

Signs of emotional eating or stress eating 

Do any of these sound like you?

• I eat when I am emotional or stressed out 
• I see food as black and white – sometimes as a reward, sometimes as a temptation
• I often have food cravings or use snacks as a pick-me-up
• I have stomach discomfort, gas, bloating, and/or excessive fullness after meals
• I feel out of touch with my body

How emotional eating affects your digestion

When you eat from an emotional, stressed, or out-of-touch state, it wires your brain to be in a fight-or-flight state during meals. Fight-or-flight means your sympathetic nervous system is activated. This moves blood flow AWAY from your digestive tract, reducing the release of hormones and secretions needed for digestion. (1) 

The result? Your body doesn’t have the materials it needs to digest properly, and you feel dissatisfied and uncomfortable after eating.

Keep reading to learn how to improve gut health using gratitude, and the neuroendocrine mechanisms that make it happen.

How does gratitude improve digestion?

Even before you take a bite of a meal, digestion begins with the brain! 

When you smell food, look at food, or even think about food it triggers the release of hormones, peptides, and substances that start the digestive system churning. (2) 

This is a good thing! Essentially, it’s priming the pump so that your body is in the right state to digest and metabolize your food efficiently.

This ‘prime the pump’ effect works better when you approach your meal with gratitude, calm, and mindfulness – rather than distraction, stress, or self-loathing.

So do your hormones and stomach acid a favor and get into a grateful, present state before eating, and let gratitude do its work to improve your gut health.

Gratitude improves gut health through the gut-brain axis

Studies are increasingly showing the benefits of mindfulness and gratitude on the gut microbiome. Not all types of gut bacteria are created equal – there are good bugs (beneficial species), and bad bugs (pathogenic species). Research has found that those with depression, and anxiety have less of the beneficial species, and more of the pathogenic species. (6, 7)

While science hasn’t quite found a supplement you can take to fix this, there’s an even easier method you can try. Gratitude and mindfulness approaches, like meditation and prayer, have been shown to tip this balance, lessening the bad bugs and increasing the good bugs! (8)

*This is NOT to say that you can think your way out of depression or anxiety. I am all for a multi-pronged approach to these mental disorders. This includes both conventional medicine AND functional and integrative therapies. In fact, having suffered from postpartum depression and anxiety myself, I am very grateful for SSRIs and talk therapy. 

Nonetheless, I am also a big fan of integrating ALL of the resources available to me to tackle my health struggles, from conventional Western to alternative and complementary therapies. Since gratitude is such a simple practice that we can all do, and the benefits are increasingly supported by research, why not try it?

How does gratitude improve metabolism?

Neuroscience studies show us that stress causes a fight-or-flight response, in which hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine are released.

These stress hormones prevent blood flow to the gut, and block digestive hormones, enzymes, and secretions from being released (9).

They also prevent proper uptake of blood glucose, which sends you on a roller coaster of glucose and insulin spikes, energy crashes and fatigue, and sugar cravings. and inflammation. (10) Proper control of blood glucose – not too high, not too low – is essential for a stable mood, clear mind, and sustained energy. (11) 

Conversely, when you are in a relaxed, mindful, and grateful state, your digestion and metabolism can run more smoothly.

Properly digested food feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut. These good bugs munch up the food that reaches your large intestine, and they especially love *fiber.* They metabolize the fiber, then release short-chain fatty acids.

Short-chain fatty acids give you all kinds of metabolic benefits, from preventing inflammation, to reducing your risk of obesity and diabetes, to maintaining a healthy and strong gut barrier. (12, 13). This just another way that gratitude improves gut health.

Can gratitude help you lose weight?

While weight loss is not necessarily a bad goal, it is often equated with being healthy. This is a problem, because losing weight is a complex process and health is much more than a number on a scale! 

Health includes nutritional nourishment, vibrant energy, quality sleep, nurtured relationships, and stable mental health. People strive for weight loss for a variety of reasons, but to make it sustainable, it should be attempted alongside the goal of improving health holistically. (14)

With that in mind, there is science showing how gratitude improves body image satisfaction. Since positive body image is shown to increase healthy lifestyle choices, this can support your weight loss goals. (15, 16) 

In one study, researchers had the subjects fill out a self-evaluation on body image and health behaviors. (15) One group was a control group, and the other was a “gratitude” group that did a gratitude journaling exercise prior to the evaluation. Here is the prompt that the researchers used for the gratitude group:

“Think about aspects of your body that you are grateful for. This can be anything, including your health, physical appearance, or the functionality of your body. Try to come up with at least five things. Take a minute and really think about those things, picturing them in your mind. Once you have finished thinking about these things, choose at least three of them and write about why you are grateful for those things.” (15)

Dunaev, J, et al. “An attitude of gratitude: The effects of body-focused gratitude on weight bias internalization and body image.”

The gratitude group showed significantly lower internalized weight bias and significantly greater body satisfaction. These findings are encouraging and can be integrated by anyone attempting to lose weight in a healthy, holistic, sustainable way. 

6 Ways to Cultivate Gratitude for Gut Health

Here are 6 practical tips to cultivate gratitude, improving gut health, digestion, and metabolism!

1. Verbally express gratitude before eating

• Before eating, take a moment to notice how grateful you are for the food in front of you! It can help to express your thankfulness out loud before eating – you can do this through prayer, or even just a simple statement like, “I am thankful for the gift of this meal, and all the people who worked to bring it to my table.”

2. Take your time when eating

• You can help your body do its digestion thang by slowing down! Set your fork down between bites, take deep breaths and try to allow your body to relax. This helps you notice your body’s hunger and fullness cues, and keeps you into a state of gratitude and receiving. It also helps if you eat with family members or friends – social connection increases satisfaction and helps you slow down! (17)

3. Remove distractions and be mindful at mealtime

• No distractions. You can best notice, savor, and feel thankful for your food when you’re not mindlessly scrolling while simultaneously shoveling (don’t worry, I do it too). Plus, the dopamine storm that you unleash when you constantly look at your phone really hampers your digestive processes. (18). Help re-wire your brain circuitry by setting your phone aside during meals, and over time, it will become easier to be more mindful and present while you eat. Your gut will thank you!

4. Chew your food all the way

• Try chewing your food completely, no wolfing! Think of chewing your food til it’s the consistency of applesauce. While you chew, notice and appreciate the flavors and textures. This will increase your satisfaction and fullness after the meal. It will also increase the necessary digestive enzymes and hormones needed to digest and metabolize your food properly, which is great for preventing bloating, discomfort, and blood sugar imbalances. (19)

5. Try gratitude journaling

• Neuroscience and psychology research shows that writing down things you’re grateful for increases satisfaction, improves body image, and reduces stress, which are all beneficial for an optimally-functioning metabolism (15, 20). You can do this before mealtime, or any other time of day and still get the same benefits!

6. After eating, sit for 5 minutes

• Sit for 5 minutes and appreciate your meal and notice how your body feels. It can take about 20 minutes for your brain to register your fullness cues (21), so planning to sit and luxuriate in your meal after eating is a great way to let your brain catch up with the rest of your body!

Thanks for reading along and learning how gratitude improves your gut health, digestion, and metabolism. For more science-backed, functional health content, keep exploring the blog, and join the Granola Science email list!

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Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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What is the main vagus nerve function and why is it important?

Say hello to the body’s “wandering nerve.” The vagus nerve is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system, traveling from your brainstem to the depths of your abdomen. The vagus nerve function includes everything from your heartbeat to your digestion, mood and immunity. Learn how to utilize the vagus nerve to get your body into a state of calm, safety, and healing!

A two-way highway

The vagus nerve is a neural pathway that communicates brain to body, and body to brain. It helps connect your brain and your internal organs, regulating things like digestion, heart rate, breathing, and immune system, as well as our emotions related to each of these bodily functions. (1) 

Why is it important to understand the vagus nerve function for overall health?

Understanding the vagus nerve can help you understand your brain-body connection, and help you better control your body’s nervous system, whether you are in a sympathetic state (fight-or-flight) or a parasympathetic state (rest-and-digest). 

Both of these states are important and necessary! But in our modern lives, we tend to exist in a sympathetic state more often than not. 

Because our brain doesn’t differentiate between real stress (e.g., a saber tooth tiger chasing you), and perceived stress (e.g., sitting in rush hour traffic), many people tend to be in a chronic fight-or-flight state, much to the detriment of our gut health, heart health, and mental health.

Taking control of your vagus nerve can help you manage the state of your nervous system and better nurture these body systems. This can improve digestion, metabolism, heart function, breathing, stress, and anxiety. In other words, the vagus nerve is a big part of sensing and controlling our internal self.

Understanding the vagus nerve: anatomy and physiology

Vagus nerve anatomy: Where is it located?

The vagus nerve is the 10th cranial nerve, with its neurons extending from the brainstem and down through the neck into the various organs in the abdomen, including the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. (2)

Why is it called the wandering nerve?

The vagus nerve is nicknamed “the wandering nerve” because it is the longest nerve in the body. ‘Vagus’ in Latin means  “straying” or “wandering.” 

So the vagus nerve “wanders” along a branching path, from your brain stem to internal organs such as your heart, lungs, and gut. (1)

What is the vagus nerve function within the parasympathetic nervous system?

The vagus nerve is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system. The vagus nerve functions as a two-way highway, with two main directions: up and down. Some branches go “up” (from internal organs up to the brain), while others go “down” (from the brain down to various organs and body systems: stomach, intestines, heart, lungs, the immune system, etc.) 

The “up” pathway:

The vagus nerve network sends sensory information from all of these organs and systems up to the brain, giving our brain information. And then our brain decides how to feel about that sensory information! For example:

• How full or hungry you are
• How fast your heart is beating
• How fast or slow you are breathing
• Whether your immune system is fighting an infection
• Emotions toward all of these sensations
• (2)

The “down” pathway

In the other direction, the vagus nerve sends motor control impulses from your brain down to these organs and systems. These impulses are mostly autonomic, i.e., not under our voluntary control. (2)

That being said, there are still ways to influence this pathway to gain better control over your brain-body connection and improve your mood and well being!

Functions of the vagus nerve

Heart: What is the vagus nerve’s function on the heart?

• Slows the heart rate
• Reduces the contractility (or the forcefulness) of each heart beat
• Reduces blood pressure by dilating blood vessels
• Vagus nerve stimulation could be used as a potential therapy to prevent heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular complications.
• (6)

Gut: What is the vagus nerve’s function on digestion and gut health?

• Causes the stomach to contract (“peristalsis”), This helps digest food and move it along the digestive tract 
• Causes the stomach to release stomach acid and other digestive secretions, helping digest food
• Causes the liver to release bile, which is essential for digesting fat, and also important for your body’s detoxification and waste removal pathways (Read more about Bile and Detox):
• Causes your small intestine to contract (more peristalsis, woohoo!), as well as digestive enzymes to be released from your pancreas into your small intestine.
• (5)

Mental Health: What is the vagus nerve’s function on stress, anxiety, and mood?

The vagus nerve is like a two-way highway that communicates between organs and the brain’s centers of emotion regulation. This cross-talk explains how stress, feelings, and thoughts can influence the function of your gut, heart, breathing, etc. (and vice versa). Your body’s sensations significantly contribute to your emotional regulation!

• If your heart rate is high, blood pressure is high, breathing is quick, etc., the vagus nerve pathway communicates anxiety, fear, and stress to your brain.
• Conversely, if heart rate is slow, breathing is calm, your stomach is comfortably full, etc., the vagus nerve pathway communicates safety, calm, and healing to your brain.
• (5)

(Read more about your body’s stress response pathway here: Stress Less: 4 strategies to banish stress + feel better)

What happens when the vagus nerve is overstimulated?

You have to be more specific than just saying “stimulating” the vagus nerve. Because it participates in so many different body functions, some pathways and circuits of the vagus nerve are more desirable than others for general well-being. (For example, the vagus nerve can mediate a slower heart rate and calmer breathing…but it also is the mediator of nausea and a fever when your immune system is fighting an infection!)

In general, the vagus nerve mediates actions that are a part of the parasympathetic nervous system. So, a healthy vagus nerve can allow your nervous system to move smoothly in between a sympathetic state and a parasympathetic state. Both states are necessary!

• A sympathetic, or “fight-or-flight,” state is important for alertness and activities like exercise, working with deadlines, or quick response to emergencies. 
• A parasympathetic state, or “rest-and-digest” is important for autonomic processes like heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, urination, and sweating. 
• (7)

When we talk about stimulating the vagus nerve, we are wanting to stimulate the vagal circuits that will benefit health: e.g., ease anxiety, promote digestion, breath calmly and slowly, and be mindful of our internal sensations. (2). See below, “Ways to Stimulate and Support the Vagus Nerve” for techniques on how to do this!

What is vagal toning?

Vagal tone describes how much your parasympathetic nervous system is activated.

Vagal tone is measured indirectly using heart rate variability (HRV), which is the change in the time interval between successive heartbeats. (3). Low vagal tone, as measured using HRV, is associated with digestive disorders like IBS, cardiovascular conditions, poor resilience to stress, and inflammation. (4), (5)

What are the symptoms of an irritated vagus nerve? What are the symptoms of a vagus nerve shutdown?

As mentioned above, a low HRV indicates low vagal tone. This may mean you are often in a sympathetic (fight-flight-freeze) state, or don’t have a strong connection between brain and body.

Additionally, here are some more indicators that you may have low vagal tone, or a disconnect between body and brain:

• Impaired digestion
• Bloating or discomfort after eating
• Easily overstimulated (hi, moms everywhere!)
• Hard to get out of bed in the morning
• Can’t hold still, fidgeting, or jiggling
• Feeling spacey, dizzy, or out-of-touch with your body
• Chronic stress. Stress shuts down the connection between the gut and the brain.

Signs you may have poor vagal tone:

Your regular, daily habits are the most important factor for healthy vagus nerve function, and a strong connection between your brain and body. These are a few things that can contribute to poor vagal tone:

• Skipping breakfast
• Not enough protein
• Poor relationships, or isolation from friends and family
• Overusing social media (especially at night before bed)
• Zoning out or numbing (e.g., constant scrolling, mindless eating, or marathoning Netflix) 
• Rushing through meals or being distracted during meals
• Blood sugar roller coasters – remember, both high and low blood sugar are stressors! So don’t wait until you’re absolutely starving to eat, and try to pair fiber or protein with carbohydrates.

Benefits of optimizing vagus nerve function

What are the benefits of strengthening the vagus nerve?

• Improved mental health, emotional well-being, and stress resilience.
  • Anxiety and low mood are associated with poor gut health, which can lead to things like high inflammatory markers, and decreased serotonin and other mood-enhancing neurotransmitters. (5) In addition, low vagal tone indicates your body is often in a fight-or-flight mode, meaning high stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine. Improving vagus nerve function helps combat this.
• Better digestion and gut health
  • Stress shuts down the connection between the gut and the brain via the vagus nerve. This leads to poor digestion, bloating, feeling tired or sick after eating.  (2). 
  • Be mindful of the state you’re eating in! Being in a fight-or-flight state with high cortisol impedes digestion and nutrient absorption. You can eat a balanced, nutritious meal and STILL feel bloated, tired, or unsatisfied afterward if you are not in a calm, mindful, parasympathetic state. Try unplugging and taking a few deep breaths before your meal. (2) (Read more: How gratitude heals your gut: 6 health-boosting tips you need to know).
• Heart health
  • Healthy vagus nerve function is associated with a lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, and decreased markers of inflammation (5).

Ways to Stimulate and Support the Vagus Nerve

Do vagus nerve exercises actually work?

Yes! For decades, clinical research has been conducted on vagus nerve stimulation devices. They usually hook onto the outer ear and deliver electrical pulses to stimulate the vagus nerve. These devices have been shown to help treat epilepsy, depression, migraines, obesity, and even dementia and Alzheimer’s. (8)

More current research is showing that less invasive techniques are similarly effective at stimulating the same pathways to improve vagus nerve function. For example, auricular massage (ear massage), deep breathing exercises, meditation, humming, and cold plunges. (9) (Read more: How to cold plunge safely – for healthy weight and less stress)

How to use meditation to strengthen vagal tone 

Meditation is so powerful! And you can make it very simple. Try this simple prompt to support vagus nerve function:

• First, close your eyes. Pay attention to your heartbeat and your breathing. 
• Notice if your heartbeat is fast or slow. 
• Count your heartbeats without placing your finger on your pulse in your wrist or neck. 
• Notice if your breathing is deep or shallow, if it’s longer on the inhale or longer on the exhale.
• Get to know these internal body signs, and you will strengthen your vagus nerve, your connection between your body and your brain, your ability to focus, and even your ability to relate to and empathize with other people around you.
• (10)

Nutrition and its role in vagus nerve health

You might ask what foods can heal the vagus nerve? Here are a few key nutrients that are essential for proper functioning of the vagus nerve:

• Fiber for a healthy gut that moves well, 
• B-vitamins for proper energy metabolism and methylation (involved in detoxification) pathways. 
• Probiotic-rich foods for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. 
• (2)

• In addition, here are some food sources of the above nutrients:
  • Fiber = avocados, sweet potatoes, cooked veggies. (These are all gentle sources of fiber that make your gut microbiome happy with less chance of digestive discomfort.)
  • B-vitamins = salmon and other fish, red meat, eggs, chickpeas and other legumes, sunflower seeds, and liver! 
  • Probiotic-rich food = fermented foods with live cultures such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, or kombucha. 

Social connections and positive relationships

Increasing the connectivity and functioning of your vagus nerve has positive effects on social connections and relationships. Your brain can literally be more attuned to others emotions and stress levels when you have a strong vagal tone. (10)

Incorporating vagus nerve-friendly activities into daily life

Just sprinkling in vagus-nerve-friendly exercises here and there can have a positive effect.

As often as you remember, try to pause whatever you’re doing whether it’s writing an email or washing the dishes, and take a mindful moment. Just close your eyes for a few moments and practice some meditative noticing. You can try the meditation prompt above, or make it even shorter and simpler. Count to your heartbeats, notice your breathing, or try humming to yourself. It doesn’t have to be a full-on meditation; just the simple act of tuning into your body’s internal environment is shown to have benefits for vagal tone. You can do this just two or three times a week and still gain benefits to your vagus nerve! (10)

Grounding

Grounding is walking or standing outside while barefoot. The negative ions from being outside reduce cortisol, increase serotonin, increase immune function, and decrease depression/seasonal affective disorder, anxiety, and sleep disorders. (11). 

Negative ions are naturally occurring molecules that have a negative electrical charge. They are found in the atmosphere, and released from bodies of water like lakes, rivers, and the ocean.  (12)

Summary

The vagus nerve is a two-way communication highway between the brain and various internal organs: heart, gut, lungs, etc. It is the main nerve network of the parasympathetic nervous system, aka the rest-and-digest system. 

Above all, healthy functioning vagus nerve, or vagal tone, means that you have a healthy brain-body connection. This benefits your gut health, heart health, and mental health!

Vagal tone is measured by heart-rate variability (HRV) – with a higher HRV indicating a better vagal tone. 

You can optimize your vagus nerve by practicing mindfulness, meditation, grounding, prioritizing social connections, and eating foods that support a healthy gut (such as fiber, B-vitamins, and probiotic-rich foods). Certain vagus nerve exercises such as humming, breathwork, cold plunges, and auricular (ear) massage have been shown to stimulate the vagus nerve as well. 

Which one of these techniques do you want to try? What other vagus nerve tips and tricks have you incorporated into your life? Let me know in the comments!

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Granola Science posts referenced:

How gratitude heals your gut: 6 health-boosting tips you need to know

Stress Less: 4 strategies to banish stress + feel better

No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

The post Vagus Nerve 101: How to Improve Vagal Tone for Better Gut, Heart, + Mental Health appeared first on Granola Science.

Crunchy lifestyle meaning

Living crunchy is seeing that all your body’s systems are interconnected with each other, as well as with your spiritual, social, and mental health. You approach your health and lifestyle choices from this holistic, integrated perspective.

Our health and lifespan are affected by factors that are sometimes out of our control, like genetics, socioeconomic status, and early development.

Growing popularity of crunchy living

Living a crunchy lifestyle is a privilege

1

2

Granola Science Posts referenced:

1. Health benefits of practicing gratitude
2. Stress

The post What does “crunchy living” mean? 4 simple reasons you might want to try it! appeared first on Granola Science.

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