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The Stress Recovery Protocol
 
Fats also help decrease leptin,  which  can help with  body  weight.  Saturated  fats,  from  meat  and  dairy  products,  are  okay  to  some  degree,  but  high  amounts  are  associated  with increased  heart  disease  risk.  A  common  misconception  is that fats in our diet lead  to  fat in our blood vessels,  such as  cholesterol. In actuality,  only  a small percentage  of fat from the  diet  turns  into cholesterol.  If your  libido  is  low or you’re  having trouble getting  pregnant,  you  may not be consuming enough fat in  your  diet.  It is based  on  the traditional diet of people living in countries  near  the  Mediterranean Sea,  including  France,  Italy,  Greece,  and  Spain. The  Mediterranean diet  is  associated  with  improved  health  and longevity,  as  well  as  decreased  inflammation  and  more  optimal  cortisol  levels.  I’ve  found  a  similar  meal  format  in  other  parts of the world as well, such as Japan, India, the  Philippines,  and  Central  and  South  America.  I  believe this balanced way of eating is the most beneficial for healing adrenal distress for all the stress  types,  with  slight  tweaks,  which  I’ll  describe  below.  As you  can  see,  a  healthy  diet  is  about  having  a  balance  of  protein,  carbohydrates,  and  fats,  in  their  best  forms  and  in  quantities  that  suit  your  body’s  needs  and  patterns  based  on  your  stress  type.  Instead  of  just eating what’s put in front of you, take charge of what you eat. Be purposeful  about  choosing  what  you put into  your body.  
Everybody Loves a  Winner
Mindful  eating involves devoting  your  full attention to  the eating process,  including  how  the  food  looks,  tastes,  feels,  and  smells.  With each  bite of food, you  practice  mindfulness,  and  you’ll  likely find a whole  different  eating experience emerging.  Most  people report tasting  their food as  they  never  have before and  feeling  full faster. Hormones  communicate  to  the pancreas to release  digestive enzymes  and  insulin. Hormones communicate  to  the  brain to indicate hunger and  fullness.  Neurotransmitters  and  immune system signals communicate to  the  brain  whether  stress  or inflammation is  occurring  in  the digestion process.  Gut  bacteria  also send signals  to  the  immune and nervous  systems.  When  we  eat  foods  that  are  healthy  for  us  and  our  microbiome,  and we eat in a mindful way, the signals are calm and collected. When  we  eat  in  a stressed way,  though,  or  when  we  eat  foods  that  are  more  inflammatory  or  overfeed  certain  bacteria  or  other  microbes,  the  signals  shift  to  stress  and  inflammation.  The  amount  of  food  we  eat  at  one  sitting  also  has  the  potential  to  shift  the  signals  we  send  to  our  digestion  process.  Eating  just  the  right  amount  for  our  bodies,  at  a  particular  point  in  time,  is  what  is  needed  to  optimize  communication.  When  we  consume  too  much  food,  whether  because  we  were  taught  to  finish  everything  on  our  plates,  or because  the  food  tastes  so  good,  or  because  we are  distracted  and  not  paying  attention  to  each  bite,  all the  signals  shift  to  stress mode.  Don't Look Back
We  use  the  word  fast  to  indicate  times  when  we’re  not  eating.  An  overnight  fast  helps  the  digestion  system  reset.  The  most  convenient  and  efficient  means  for  doing  this  is  while  sleeping.  A recent trend called intermittent fasting emphasizes the overnight  fast,  and those following this practice may extend their  overnight  fast  to fourteen  or  sixteen  hours,  delaying  breakfast  to late morning or noon,  depending  on  when the last  meal  of  the  previous  day  occurred.  It  needs  to be modified  based  on  your  stress  type, blood sugar  levels,  digestion,  and daily  routine.  Then, when  you  do eat, calories tend to be stored, causing weight  gain and potentially leading to a vicious cycle of abstaining  and  gaining.  Conversely,  if  you  consume  too  large  of  a  meal  because  you’re  overly  hungry,  you’re  likely  to  not  digest  it  well,  thus  overfeeding  gut  bacteria  and  causing  gas  and  bloating.  Instead,  you  have  to  try  out  varying  amounts  of  food  and  different  mealtimes  to  find  what  works  best  for  you,  based  on  your  stress  type  and  where  you  are  in  the  Stress  Recovery  Protocol.  As  cortisol  and  adrenaline  come  closer  to  optimal,  these  types  will  be  able  to  go  longer  between  meals  without  sending  out  stress  signals.  Here’s  one way to think about  designing  a food  plan. First, imagine all the food  you  would  eat  in one day. Then split  it  into  four  sections, each with adequate protein  and  healthy fats.  A Friend of Ours
Those are  your  four  meals  for  the  day.  Now  all  you  need  to  do  is  eat  them  a  few  hours  apart.  Do this for  each  meal  of  the  day  and  I  think  you’ll  find  that  you  won’t  miss  those  bites  at  all.  At the  same time,  the  total  reduction  in  excess  calories  and  carbs  will  make  a  big  difference  for  your  body  in  terms  of  decreased  stress  and  inflammation.  Another  idea  is  to  serve  your  meal  on  a  smaller  plate  or  in  a  smaller  bowl.  I  serve  all  my  meals  on  salad  plates  and  in  small  soup  bowls.  I  also  eat  with  a  small  fork.  All  of  these  choices  help  me  eat  the  amount  of  food  I  know  my  body  can  effectively  digest,  absorb,  and  metabolize.  Again,  the  message  is to listen  to your  body,  know  your  stress  type,  and  make  modifications to get the most positive, healthful effect  possible  without  pushing  it  too  far  in  one  direction  or  another.  We  need  to  be  mindful that as humans we tend to want to push  through,  be competitive, be perfectionistic,  exceed expectations, and impress. Yet those tendencies  can also  lead us into stress  mode,  even  when  doing  something healthy. So be  careful! When applying the concept of hormesis to dietary changes and fasting, the goal  is  to  make  just  enough  change  to  bring  your  cortisol,  blood  sugar  levels,  and body to an optimal balance, but  not  too much  or  too  extreme,  which would be stressful and potentially  damaging.  This  diet  is  based on  systems of  fasting  that  have  been used over centuries and  in  many  religions.  Above all else,  be  sure  to avoid processed  foods.