Nervous System Nutrition: How to Eat to Feel Grounded
How stress disrupts digestion, impacts your microbiome, and what you can do to restore balance through the gut-brain connection
Written By: Roxane Shymkiw
If you’ve ever felt jittery, overwhelmed, or “tired but wired”, you know what it’s like when your nervous system is on high alert. While stress is a normal part of life, it’s not something we’re meant to live in constantly. The good news is that one of the most effective but often overlooked ways to support your nervous system is through how you eat.
What Does It Mean to Feel Grounded?
Feeling grounded means your body feels steady, calm, and regulated. It is the ability to stay present and connected rather than dwelling on the future or past stress. It’s not about eliminating stress entirely, but about feeling balanced and supported, even when life feels chaotic or unpredictable.
When you’re grounded, your nervous system is better able to:
o Shift out of “fight or flight”
o Respond to stress rather than react to it
o Maintain steady energy and mood
o Support digestion, sleep, and focus
When we are grounded, the parasympathetic nervous system is active, and the body is able to repair, recover and restore.
Before Mindfulness: Where Food Fits In
There are many ways to support a grounded state, such as mindfulness, spending time in nature, walking barefoot in the grass or calming, repetitive activities. These practices are powerful but are only part of the picture. What and how we eat directly influences how safe and supported the body feels. Food doesn’t just provide energy; it also sends signals. When the signals are consistent and stable, the nervous system can begin to balance and settle.
Eating to Feel More Grounded and Energized
Grounding through food isn’t about restriction; it’s about creating stability. Both ancient traditions and modern science recognize that simple habits like starting the day with warm or room temperature water or eating slowly and mindfully can help regulate the nervous system. One of the most important foundations of feeling grounded is balanced blood sugar. When blood sugar levels are consistent, energy is steady, and mood tends to feel calmer, but when it fluctuates, it can trigger stress signals in the body. Another supportive approach is incorporating foods that are considered “grounding’ in a physical and in some traditions, energetic way.
Grounding Foods to Support the Nervous System
These foods help provide consistent energy, support the stress response, and promote a sense of stability.
Root vegetables – Beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turmeric and ginger grow in soil beneath the surface, drawing nutrients from the earth. They provide steady, nourishing energy and are often associated with feelings of balance and strength.
Hearty proteins – Meat, fish, eggs, beans, and nuts provide slow, sustained energy and help stabilize blood sugar, especially when you are feeling scattered or depleted.
Warm, cooked foods – Soups, stews, roasted vegetables, and slow-cooked meals are easier to digest and feel comforting.
Magnesium-rich foods – Dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, almonds and dark chocolate help to calm the nervous system and buffer the effects of stress.
Healthy fats and whole grains provide sustained energy and help to minimize the blood sugar rollercoaster that can leave you feeling anxious and tired.
Meat stock/bone broth is rich in minerals and supports gut health, which is closely connected to mood and stress resilience.
Eating Habits Matter Too
How you eat can also either support or stress your nervous system. Making small shifts in your eating habits can make a positive difference in how your body feels.
Eat slowly and mindfully, to experience the flavour and texture of the food fully.
Pause before eating. Taking 5 deep breaths before starting a meal can help shift the body out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and digest” mode.
Stay hydrated with warm drinks like herbal teas or warm/room temperature water.
Minimize distraction while eating so your body can focus on digestion.
Eat regularly to maintain steady energy. When the body has gone too long without fuel, it can trigger the release of stress hormones.
When these habits are practised consistently, they send powerful messages to your body that you are safe and supported, and stress becomes easier to navigate. You don’t need to change everything all at once. By incorporating one or two simple shifts, you can have a real impact on how your body feels throughout the day.
If your body is feeling low on energy, overwhelmed or stuck in a “wired but tired” state, REACH OUT for a FREE CONSULTATION. At No Shoes Nutrition, we support the nervous system with simple, sustainable nutrition and lifestyle strategies to help you feel more grounded, clear, and resilient.
References
Oschman, J. L., Chevalier, G., & Brown, R. (2015). The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Journal of inflammation research, 8, 83–96. https://doi.org/10.2147/JIR.S69656
Pickering, G., Mazur, A., Trousselard, M., Bienkowski, P., Yaltsewa, N., Amessou, M., Noah, L., & Pouteau, E. (2020). Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited. Nutrients, 12(12), 3672. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12123672
Puri, S., Shaheen, M., & Grover, B. (2023). Nutrition and cognitive health: A life course approach. Frontiers in public health, 11, 1023907. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1023907
