How Nutrition Can Aid In Childhood Trauma Recovery
Do you know that how you eat can help reduce the symptoms of PTSD? The first thing to consider when deciding what foods to eat and not eat to aid in recovery is that trauma causes inflammation. A study linked childhood trauma to inflammation as an adult.
Foods causing inflammation
So, what foods cause inflammation? Here are three foods common to the American diet that studies show cause inflammation:
1. Meat. First up is meat. Many studies link meat to inflammation. Americans consume around 274 pounds of meat a year on average. The amount of meat consumed by Americans has increased by 40 percent since 1961.
2. Added sugars. Nutrition experts recommend consuming around six teaspoons of sugar or less a day. However, the average American eats about 17 teaspoons of added sugar every day. Eating too much added sugar causes chronic inflammation, research shows.
3. Refined carbs. Research links refined carbs to inflammation. Like sugar, refined carbs cause blood sugar to increase. A study found that 42 percent of daily calories come from low-quality carbs.
Foods to aid in childhood trauma recovery
Now that you know what not to eat to aid in childhood trauma recovery, we will look at what foods to eat. Dr. James S. Gordon’s book, The Transformation: Discovering Wholeness and Healing After Trauma, recommends eating whole foods and ditching processed foods. Gordon also recommends eating non-starchy vegetables while including starchy vegetables in moderation, eating fruits in moderation, and making plant protein such as legumes a major part of your diet.
Khiron Clinics, which helps people recover from trauma, recommends the following:
Increasing your consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, including salmon, tuna, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. Omega-3 foods can reduce inflammation.
Eating foods high in protein. There are plenty of plant-based options to choose from, including tofu, tempeh, seitan, and legumes.
Eating foods rich in magnesium, such as greens, nuts, seeds, dry beans, and whole grains.
Eating foods with antioxidants, such as blueberries, strawberries, artichokes, and dark leafy greens.
Choose to eat to overcome childhood trauma
Changing your eating habits when you are a childhood trauma survivor is not easy. For many of us, sugary foods served as a comfort when we were children. However, continuing to use food as a comforter when we are adults hinders our recovery from trauma. It exacerbates inflammation which worsens anxiety, a common symptom for trauma survivors. One study found that inflammation induces anxiety and anxiety is something we do not need to increase.
Choosing to eat to overcome trauma is something we can do to overcome the debilitating effects of trauma. It is a way to say yes to being an overcomer and no to being a mere survivor.
If you are ready to eat to overcome childhood trauma, pray this prayer:
Oh Lord, I surrender to You. I ask that you empower me to change my eating habits. I also ask that I feel Your presence as I decide what to eat and what not to eat.
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