Will B Vitamins Save Your Marriage?

Will be vitamins save your marriage?  Well, maybe…

The purpose of this article it to dive into the unique interplay between our physical health and our mental/emotional health and well-being.

If you are currently finding yourself in the middle of intense emotional challenges, keep reading!  

What is an intense emotional challenge?  

It could be anything.  Stress is very personalized.  What is stressful to me, may not be to you and vise versa.  

A few common stressors include:

  • Schedules/being over-committed/too busy
  • Marriage issues 
  • Parenting issues
  • Caregiving (could be aging parents, new baby, etc)
  • Job/career concerns (loss of a job, trouble with your boss, feeling unfulfilled in your work, etc)
  • School (exams, homework, etc)
  • Health challenges
  • Loss/grief (could be of a loved one, a job, a relationship, etc)
  • Moving (buying/selling a house)
  • Finances (retirement, expenses, inflation, etc)
  • Current events (news, politics, natural disasters, pandemics, etc)
  • Social stress (social media, interpersonal conflict with friends, etc)
  • Competition (athletic, jobs, etc)
  • Anything else that you’re struggling with…


What do ALL these stressors have in common?

If you feel stress or anxiety about them, they are using up A LOT more nutrients than you’d otherwise be using.1  In the same way that you would use more gas to drive across the country vs across town, you will need more nutrition to keep up with the demands of living in these stressed states of being.

Although everything in the body works together, there are certain nutrients that are especially depleted by stress including: B vitamins (B5, Complete B, B-12, Max B (2 oz and 8 oz), Phyto Methylate, B6 Ultra), magnesium (Magnesium Powder, Magnesium Buffered, Magnesium Glycinate, Phyto Cal-Mag w/Boron, Calcium Magnesium (2 oz and 8 oz), Calcium Magnesium Plus (90 caps and 300 caps) and vitamin C (Truly Natural Vitamin C, Physica Camu Camu, Plant Vitamin C, Alkalize-C).  When these get low, it can impact your ability to think clearly, make good decisions and maintain a calm and balanced mood which is needed for navigating challenges (especially those involving interpersonal conflict with friends or family).

Don’t get me wrong…I am ALL about personal responsibility.  If you’re rude or have done something to hurt someone, own it fully and make appropriate changes.   (I don’t recommend blaming your nutrient deficiencies)…

But also, help yourself out.  Give your body and brain the fuel it needs to function optimally.  Referring again to the road trip analogy…you wouldn’t expect your car to get you across the county on a single tank of gas.

As adults, we often accept this for children but have a harder time with it for ourselves.  If a small child is consistently allowed to stay up late and watch tv and then sent to school having nothing but pop tarts and fruit juice for breakfast, and then they have “behavioral or learning problems”, we would likely understand that their issue probably isn’t ADHD…they’re just over-sugared and under-nourished!  You are that child in this case!!  Nourish yourself into balance.

For a lot more of a deep dive into information on stress, check out these resources: (Could You Be Suffering Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms, The Secrets of Conquering Stress)…

But for the sake of this article, here’s the real take away:  Thinking about the stressors that are most impacting your heart, body and mind, how are you doing?  If you are exhausted, brain fogged and on edge, it will be much more difficult to be a calm and creative problem solver.  You’re more likely to make matters worse if you’re easily angered, irritated and more likely to snap!  So can B vitamins save your marriage…not completely, but they may support you in doing so!

In addition to some of the micronutrients listed above, there are a few other supplements that can be great for times of high stress.  

Here are some favorites: 

Just be aware, as always, that these are supplements!  They do not take the place of a good diet, proper sleep and rest, hydration and other important lifestyle factors.  

Also, although increasing your supplementation and nutrition is a great hack for a short time, know that no organism can maintain optimal health operating in a survival (fight or flight) mode over long periods of time.  You cannot eat well enough or supplement heavily enough to keep up with prolonged bouts of stress.  You need to resolve the stressor or alter the way you relate to it.  This can be challenging but exciting times for learning new self-care and self-regulation skills.

One more note…regarding getting therapy or counseling.  I HIGHLY recommend it.  I know there’s a stigma around it but throw that away.  I have been to counselors several times in my life for several reasons.  I don’t know even ONE person that I look up to or consider successful who doesn’t have a team of people helping them grow, including through counseling/therapy at some point(s) in life.  What do you have to lose?  And there’s so much to gain!

If you need help, we’d LOVE to support you!  Reach out today by calling the clinic and saving your spot in the schedule.  269-204-6525.

References:

1. Gonzalez MJ, Miranda-Massari JR. Diet and stress. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2014;37(4). doi:10.1016/j.psc.2014.08.004

2. Anghelescu IG, Edwards D, Seifritz E, Kasper S. Stress management and the role of Rhodiola rosea: a review. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract. Published online 2018. doi:10.1080/13651501.2017.1417442

Nothing said or implied in this post is intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.  It does not take the place of a qualified health care practitioner and is intended for educational purposes only.

Dr. LeAnn Fritz, PhD

Dr. LeAnn is a practitioner, coach, speaker, consultant, and the founder of New Hope Health. She is also the author of The Quantum Weight Loss Blueprint, and Get Healthy Now. She is laser-focused on practical, evidence-based practices to empower her clients to get real results that last. She sets the bar when it comes to radiant health that will change every area of your life forevermore.

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