How NUTRITION Helps You Heal (Essential 8 Series – Part 6)
Episode 65: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
View transcript on Buzzsprout
Welcome to part six of Amanda’s Essential 8 series, we explore how nutrition plays a powerful role in mental health and nervous system regulation. From blood sugar and gut health to micronutrients and energy, you’ll learn how the food you eat can impact your anxiety and depression symptoms—and what simple changes can make a difference.
This episode isn’t about eating perfectly. It’s a compassionate, research-backed invitation to understand your physiology, ask new questions, and explore food as a tool for healing.
🩺 CLICK HERE to learn more about Regulated Health (what the mentioned RESET program morphed into)
📓 Download your Nutrition Workbook! – CLICK HERE
What We Cover in This Episode
- How gut health influences anxiety, mood, and immune function
- The role of blood sugar in regulating mental health
- Key macronutrients (carbs, protein, fats) and what they actually do
- Why certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies mimic anxiety or depression
- Simple, accessible nutrition shifts to support healing
Food and Mental Health: The Missing Link
Conversations around food and mental health are often confusing, personal, and full of contradictory advice. Amanda starts this episode with a compassionate reminder: nutrition is highly individual, and what matters most is learning how your body responds.
The truth is, research clearly shows that blood sugar crashes, gut dysfunction, and nutrient deficiencies can all contribute to symptoms we often label as anxiety or depression. But unless someone teaches you to look there, you might miss crucial clues.
Gut Health and the Mind-Gut Connection
You might already know your gut is involved in digestion. But did you know it also produces 90% of your serotonin and 50% of your dopamine? Or that poor gut flora diversity has been linked to mental health challenges?
Amanda breaks down how the vagus nerve facilitates constant communication between your brain and gut. When you’re living in a state of stress, that communication gets scrambled—leading to poor digestion, inflammation, and a vicious cycle of symptoms.
Supporting gut health with nutrient-dense food, fermented foods, probiotics, and reduced stress load can be a powerful way to reduce mental health symptoms over time.
Blood Sugar Regulation and Anxiety
Most people think blood sugar issues only apply to diabetics. But the rollercoaster of blood sugar spikes and crashes can absolutely affect your mood, focus, and energy—even if you’re otherwise “healthy.”
Amanda shares:
- What a typical day of carb-heavy eating might look like
- Why skipping breakfast or just having coffee can lead to panic or fatigue
- How to build blood sugar-balanced meals and snacks with protein, fat, and fiber
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about steady energy, fewer crashes, and more resilience throughout your day.
Macros, Micros, and What Your Body Actually Needs
Your body needs macronutrients (carbs, protein, fat) in balance to function well. Amanda explains the role of each one, common sources, and how they support your brain and nervous system.
She also introduces the concept of micronutrients—like iron, magnesium, and B vitamins—and how deficiencies can be a root cause of chronic symptoms. Without enough oxygen-carrying iron, for example, your brain may interpret a constant low-grade threat signal.
That’s where testing comes in. Amanda shares why she’s developing a new program that combines blood work and lifestyle audits to uncover hidden stressors that many clients are told to ignore.
Three Tangible Takeaways
- Your gut is your second brain. Gut flora impacts your mood, digestion, immunity, and how safe your system feels.
- Blood sugar impacts your mental state. Spikes and crashes can lead to panic, fatigue, or depressive dips.
- Deficiencies matter. When your body is undernourished, your nervous system stays in survival mode. Balanced meals help build resilience.
Looking for more personalized support?
- Book a FREE discovery call for RESTORE, our 1:1 anxiety & depression coaching program (HSA/FSA eligible & includes comprehensive bloodwork)
- Join me inside the Regulated Living Membership, a mental health membership and nervous system healing space (sliding scale pricing available)
- Join my Release Class – Monthly guided nervous system regulation class
- Order my book, Healing Through the Vagus Nerve today!
- Download free resources here
*Want me to talk about something specific on the podcast? Let me know HERE.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
