This week, Joy chats with Meg De Jong, a holistic nutritionist whose areas of expertise include nutrition for anxiety and gut health. Her deepest desire is to support people in truly thriving in their bodies and minds. She teaches her clients to eat in a more self loving way that helps them feel grounded, calm, and nourished, while addressing underlying health imbalances that can worsen anxiety. Meg went through many of her own health challenges, which led to her work ensuring that fewer people are left confused and struggling like she once was.  In this episode she discusses factors that increase your risk of developing anxiety, how hormones impact mental health, and the foods and nutrients you can incorporate to support your body and mind. She highlights the importance of being gentle with yourself and pursuing a balanced approach to managing your anxiety that includes body-loving lifestyle tips. After hearing Meg speak you will be filled with hope and optimism for an anxiety-free future!  If you struggle with anxiety, you won’t want to miss a moment of this chat. This episode is packed with gentle, but actionable tips that you can start incorporating straight away to nourish your body and feed your soul to support optimal mental health. Grab your favourite cup of nervous-system soothing tea, settle in with your notebook, and get ready to learn how to thrive!   Episode Highlights: Why learning nutritional tips to manage anxiety are more important than ever. Why it’s important to approach managing anxiety in different ways.  Meg’s health journey, which included an eating disorder, OCD, and anxiety.  Her experience with medication and the path she took to support her body.  How Cognitive Behaviour Therapy played a crucial role in her healing journey.  Why coffee can be a trigger for anxiety and why you shouldn’t quit cold turkey. What factors can put you at an increased risk of developing anxiety.  The connection between IBS and anxiety.  How your hormones can contribute to anxiety.  Why women are twice as likely to develop anxiety over men.  The role of the gut/brain axis and why it matters.  Foods that can make anxiety symptoms worse. What the Standard American Diet is and why it doesn’t support mental health.   How the microbiome can impact neurotransmitter production.  The connection between gut inflammation and brain inflammation in mental health.  The role of undiagnosed food allergies (such as gluten, dairy, etc.) in contributing to anxiety.  How removing alcohol when you’re struggling with acute anxiety can improve your mood and gut health.  Why elimination diets are so helpful for determining food allergies.  How she encourages her clients to mindfully pay attention to labels and food additives to discover links between food and mood.  The power of intuition combined with working with a practitioner when figuring out triggers.  How nutrition school helped her make peace with food and her body.  How she balances food fear and education to empower her clients to make the best choices for themselves.  The importance of finding the balance between soul nourishment and foods that make us feel good.  Why you shouldn’t get your health advice solely from instagram.  Meg’s 4 Pillars of how to Eat to Ease Anxiety.  Foods and nutrients Meg recommends her clients take for anxiety.  Why fermented foods should be a part of any anxiety-reducing diet.  The importance of rebuilding our nutrient stores after stress to support brain health.  The connection between vitamin D deficiency and anxiety.  Meg’s favourite herb to recommend for anxiety.  Her favourite before bed tea (hint- our TLC Tea contains Meg’s fave sleepy time herb!) Which lifestyle habits can contribute to anxiety.  How getting into nature can calm the nervous system.  The importance of community and connection when supporting mental health.  Why you need to find the purpose that feeds your soul.  How pestici