April is National Stress Awareness Month, and when it comes to stress management, most people think about meditation, deep breathing, or slowing down. But if you're living with diabetes, there's something else you may be overlooking: the food on your plate.

Your meals directly impact both your stress response and your blood sugar control. What you eat can either calm your nervous system and keep glucose steady or fuel a vicious cycle of anxiety, blood sugar spikes, and energy crashes.

This week, we're focusing on a powerful way to lower stress naturally: eating to support your vagus nerve and blood sugar balance.

The Vagus Nerve: Your Secret to Stress & Blood Sugar Regulation

The vagus nerve is the primary communication highway between your brain and your gut. It plays a major role in:

• Controlling your stress response
• Regulating digestion and blood sugar levels
• Supporting relaxation and recovery

When your vagus nerve is calm and regulated, your body signals safety, lowers cortisol (the stress hormone), and helps keep your blood sugar stable.

However, when it's overstressed or underactive, your body remains in "fight or flight" mode—which triggers cortisol release, increases glucose production, and creates a state of chronic stress and unstable blood sugar.

How to Eat to Support Your Vagus Nerve & Reduce Stress

You can support your vagus nerve and blood sugar by eating foods that improve gut health, reduce inflammation, and prevent blood sugar spikes.

Add More Fermented & Probiotic-Rich Foods: 

Gut health is deeply connected to stress and glucose control. Research shows that probiotic foods improve neurotransmitter production, like serotonin and dopamine, which support mood regulation and stable blood sugar.

Eat more: Yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, tempeh, and pickled vegetables.

Try this: Add a spoonful of sauerkraut to your lunch or choose probiotic-rich yogurt instead of sugary snacks.

 Avoid Blood Sugar Spikes with Healthy Fats & Fiber

Unstable blood sugar can cause cortisol spikes, leading to more stress and anxiety. Meals balanced with protein, healthy fats, and fiber help regulate blood sugar and reduce mood swings.

Eat more: Avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, chia seeds, and leafy greens.

Try this: Sprinkle chia seeds in your smoothie or add avocado to your salad for sustained energy.

Eat Magnesium-Rich Foods for a Natural Stress Buffer

Magnesium plays a key role in relaxing your nervous system and improving insulin sensitivity. Low magnesium levels are associated with higher cortisol, anxiety, and muscle tension.

Eat more: Leafy greens, almonds, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, bananas, and whole grains.

Try this: Snack on almonds or dark chocolate in the afternoon instead of processed options.

Stimulate the Vagus Nerve with Bitter Foods

Bitter foods activate the vagus nerve, supporting digestion and calming your nervous system.

Eat more: Arugula, dandelion greens, radicchio, grapefruit, and turmeric.

Try this: Start your meal with a small salad of bitter greens to boost digestion and reduce stress.

Hydrate with Electrolytes to Support Nerve Function

Dehydration stresses your nervous system and affects glucose regulation. Hydrating with electrolytes supports nerve function and blood sugar balance.

Drink more: Coconut water, herbal teas, mineral water, or add sea salt to your water.Try this: Replace one cup of coffee with coconut water to stay hydrated without the caffeine crash.

Real Client Results: How Food Choices Helped Reduce Stress & Stabilize Blood Sugar

"I always thought stress was something I just had to push through. But then I started noticing how skipping meals or eating sugary snacks made me feel more anxious and shaky. When I swapped my processed breakfast for eggs and avocado toast, I felt calmer, and my mid-morning blood sugar crashes stopped. I never realized how much food was fueling my stress."

— Lisa M., Coaching Client

Take the Next Step to Lower Stress & Balance Blood Sugar

What you eat every day plays a major role in how you feel and how your blood sugar responds to stress. But when you’re managing a busy schedule, it can be hard to know what food changes will actually make a difference.

That’s why I offer a complimentary Diabetes Wellness Connection Call. In this private session, we’ll:

• Discuss your specific food and stress challenges
• Clarify what you want for your health, energy, and blood sugar control
• Identify your next steps to make nutrition work for your lifestyle

This is your starting point to help you get clear on what’s holding you back and how to move forward.

📅 Click here to schedule your free Connection Call today!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Cheryl
Dr. Ac., C.H., RDH
Dr. Holistic Studies, Dr. Acupuncture
Diabetes Wellness Strategist & Coach
Creator & CEO of Holistic Diabetes Solutions
8 X International Best-Selling Author

As a woman living with diabetes for over 30 years, Dr. Cheryl understands the journey firsthand. When she was diagnosed, she received the same outdated advice her grandmother was given for over four decades, who relied primarily on medication, suffered from deteriorating health and eventually lost her life to diabetes. Fueled by this experience, Dr. Cheryl was compelled to seek a better way. Through countless research studies and trials, she developed the winning holistic approach: the Diabetes Success System which merges traditional wisdom with today’s best holistic self-care practices.  It has revolutionized diabetes management by providing a trusted way to maintain consistent and predictable healthy blood sugar levels.

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PROFESSIONAL DISCLAIMER

The material and content contained in this platform is for overall general diabetes health and education information only. It is not intended to constitute medical advice or to be a substitution for professional medical recommendations, diagnosis or treatment. All specific medical questions or changes you make to your medication and/or lifestyle should be discussed and addressed with your primary healthcare provider. Having the right mindset, doing the right movements at the right times of day, and eating foods that help keep blood sugar, insulin, and inflammation manageable can dramatically reduce your risk of the all-too-common complications of Diabetes, increase your energy levels and have you feeling your best every day.