You're exhausted, anxious and have brain fog: how grief affects the body
- Vanessa May
- Apr 18
- 3 min read
Grief is a whole being experience. It's not just an emotional response to loss - it can also be physical, cognitive, and deeply embodied. When you lose someone important, your entire system shifts. Sleep may become disrupted, your appetite may change, you can develop brain fog, your energy levels can plummet and your nervous system can become dysregulated.
How nutritional therapy can help when you're grieving
While there is no “fix” for grief, looking at your diet is one way to pro-actively support your healing after loss and nutritional therapy can offer gentle, practical support to help your body cope during this profoundly vulnerable time.
How Grief Affects the Body: Understanding the Mind-Body Connection
Grief activates the body’s stress response. Hormones like cortisol and adrenaline can remain elevated, especially in the early stages, which may lead to fatigue, anxiety, digestive issues, and weakened immunity. At the same time, neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, responsible for mood regulation, can fluctuate.
Nutritional therapy works by supporting the biochemical processes that underpin mood, energy, and resilience, helping to create a steadier foundation as you move through grief.
When Appetite Changes
One of the most common experiences in grief is a disrupted relationship with food. Some people lose their appetite entirely, especially when in shock, while others turn to comfort eating. Rather than forcing strict routines, nutritional therapy can encourage a compassionate approach:
Small meals may feel more manageable than large portions at first.
Simple, easy-to-digest foods (like soups, stews, smoothies) can provide nourishment without overwhelm.
Gentle structure such as eating at consistent times can help re-establish a sense of rhythm.
The goal is not perfection, but consistency and care.
Key Nutrients That Support Emotional Resilience
Certain nutrients play a particularly important role in supporting the nervous system during grief:
Omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish, seeds, nuts) help regulate mood and reduce inflammation.
B vitamins support energy production and the stress response.
Magnesium can help ease anxiety, promote relaxation, and support sleep.
Protein provides amino acids needed to produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
Including a balance of these nutrients can help your body better process the physiological load of grief.
Supporting Gut Health
The gut and brain are closely connected. During periods of stress, digestion can become affected, and this can further impact mood.
Nutritional therapy often focuses on:
Including fibre-rich foods (vegetables, whole grains, pulses)
Adding fermented foods (like yogurt, kefir, or sauerkraut) where tolerated
Staying hydrated
A supported gut can contribute to more stable energy and emotional regulation.
Stabilising Blood Sugar
Grief can make energy levels feel erratic. Skipping meals or relying on sugary foods may lead to spikes and crashes, which can intensify feelings of anxiety and fatigue.
Balancing meals with:
Protein
Healthy fats
Complex carbohydrates
can help maintain steadier blood sugar levels, supporting both mood and concentration.
Food as Comfort and Connection
Food is not only functional, it's emotional and cultural. During grief, familiar meals can offer a sense of comfort, memory, and grounding. Sharing food with others, when possible, can also provide connection during a time that often feels isolating.
There is space here for both nourishment and comfort. A warm meal, a cup of tea, or a dish that reminds you of someone can be part of the healing process.
Gentle Expectations
Some days, eating well will feel easy; other days, it won’t. And that's okay...
Supporting yourself nutritionally during grief is about:
Meeting yourself where you are
Making small, supportive choices when you can
Allowing flexibility without guilt
By nourishing your body, you create a steadier ground from which to feel, process, and heal.
Nutritional therapy offers practical support—helping to regulate the body, stabilise energy, and gently care for yourself in a time when care is most needed.
If you are navigating grief, remember that even small acts of nourishment are meaningful. They are not just about food, they are about sustaining yourself through very challenging times.
You can find practical and realistic advice about nutrition and the effect grief has on us physically in Love Untethered, When Grief Takes Everything and 'Supporting Your Grieving Client'
As a BANT registered nutritional therapist, I specialise in nutritional therapy for grief.
If you would like to know more about nutritional therapy with me and how grief affects the body, see here for more details about how I can support you.
I have written three books about grief - visit my Books page to read about them all
And please use the Contact page, if you'd like to find out about the grief support sessions I offer, or if you'd like to join my mailing list.
Vanessa May
Holistic Grief Coach & Certified Grief Educator
BANT Nutritional Therapist
ILM accredited Wellbeing Coach
Spiritual Life Coach
