Nutrition & Lifestyle Tips to Support Trauma Recovery
Trigger warning: This post contains mentions of sexual assault
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and is a time to raise awareness about sexual violence, how to prevent it, and how to support those who are affected by it. Sexual assault isn’t just an issue for women; people of all genders can be affected, and we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about it.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 81% of women and roughly 43% of men in the US have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault in their lifetime. 1 in 5 women has experienced attempted or completed rape in their lifetime, and almost a quarter of men (24.8%) experienced some time of contact sexual violence. These experiences can lead to feelings of fear and insecurity, and can even result in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
In January of 2023 I shared my own story with mindbodygreen about living with PTSD for 20 years as part of their Invisible Illness Series. Paying attention to my nutrition and building healthy habits around movement, mindfulness, and sleep — and getting the proper mental health support—have been a really important part of my own PTSD recovery journey. While they are not intended to replace mental health care, here are a few nutrition and lifestyle practices I wish I had known could play a supporting role to the healing process when I was first going through it.
–Balance blood sugar: Because our blood sugar and stress response are so connected, eating in a way to support glycemic control may help with offsetting the effects of cortisol and other stress mornings and helping you feel calmer and more resilient against stress.
–Pay attention to gut health: According to the National Library of Medicine, stress-induced alteration of the gut microbiota may elicit long-lasting immune consequences and increase the risk of developing stress-related disorders
–Limit alcohol: Aside from being habit-forming and putting you at increased risk for consequences of alcohol abuse, alcohol also disrupts sleep, metabolism, hormone function, and blood sugar balance.
–Be careful with caffeine: Too much caffeine can increase anxiety and disrupt sleep. Not getting enough sleep has a drastic impact on your mood, energy, and metabolism.
–Move your body on a regular basis: Exercise has been shown help boost mood, help manage stress, and promote restful sleep. Because exercise has also been associated with improved self-esteem, it can also be a useful tool when processing feelings of shame and low self-worth.
–Practice good sleep hygiene: The Sleep Foundation conducted research that shows sleep loss may also cause daytime sleepiness and interfere with coping strategies, leaving people anxious and hypersensitive to triggers. The good news is that improving sleep seems to have corresponding effects on PTSD.
–Meditate or use breath work or other mindfulness practices: According to the Mayo Clinic, during meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. When a regular part of your routine, meditation has been associated with enhanced physical and emotional well-being.
–Find a therapist: This could be #1 difference maker for managing PTSD. In the mindbodygreen article I share some tips for finding a therapist, such as consulting your insurance provider website, considering an online platform, or using a database like the one on Psychology Today. For 24/7 immediate support, call the RAINN hotline.
I kept quiet about my experiences with sexual assault and PTSD for almost 20 years. I finally decided to tell my story because I want people who are navigating that experience (or who may be years out but have an extra-hard time coping with other traumatic events because of their past trauma) to know that they aren’t alone and can find healing.