Mentally Resilient

by Mike Straus | July 1, 2025

Examining how stress and anxiety can have a cascade effect on health and wellness—and the holistic solutions practitioners can use to give patients relief.

Stress and anxiety have a substantial effect on overall health and wellness. From gut health issues, to headaches, to emotional turmoil and more, stress and anxiety can impact your patients in myriad ways. Anxiety problems affect as many as 57 million Americans, with these issues manifesting as disorders like panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), and more.1 But beyond these disorders, every person on earth has experienced stress and anxiety at some point, making stress and anxiety a universal health problem for patients. The good news is that practitioners have a vast arsenal of natural and holistic remedies available to help patients address stress and anxiety in a low-risk way. Here are just some of the holistic solutions that practitioners can use with stressed-out and anxious patients.

The Cascade Effect of Stress

Stress and anxiety alone aren’t necessarily negative things. According to Jonny Bowden, PhD, a board-certified nutritionist in Los Angeles County, CA, there’s a type of stress that’s actually good: Hermetic stress. This type of stress is a low-level, beneficial stress that challenges the body just enough to increase resilience and repair. He explained that hermetic stress is typically short-term, in contrast to chronic stress.

“Chronic stress is far stronger than hermetic stress, and it lasts indefinitely,” Dr. Bowden said. “Chronic stress is the trigger for a whole cascade of (negative health effects). This kind of stress makes recovery from any illness longer and harder, and can even trigger certain conditions like herpes.”

Dr. Bowden noted that the primary stress hormone is cortisol, and when cortisol remains chronically elevated, it shrinks a part of the brain called the hippocampus. Chronic cortisol activation, he said, can also increase belly fat, break down muscle, and interfere with restful sleep.

According to Logan University’s Program Director for the Master of Science in Nutrition and Human Performance Theresa DeLorenzo, DCN, RD, stress can also have behavioral effects. Some patients may eat too much when stressed, while others may not eat enough. Many, she said, may turn to inflammatory foods such as potato chips, French fries and cookies, which can exacerbate the stress response.

“In the face of stress and inflammation, the gut barrier breaks down so that less serotonin is produced,” Dr. DeLorenzo explained. “Less serotonin makes its way to the brain, worsening how we feel, so we continue to eat foods that are inflammatory or sugar-laden, increasing the negative bacteria in the gut and keeping it unhealthy. It’s a vicious cycle.”

This kind of stress is far different from the adaptive kind that many high-performers praise. Boiron Director of Pharmacy Development and Education Christophe Merville, DPharm, in Newtown Square, PA, explained that while the body and brain are well-equipped to adapt to short-term stress—and that short-term stress can actually be beneficial to performance—stress to which one cannot react through fight or flight has negative impacts on human health.

“Chronic stress and unresolved anxiety can compromise almost every system in the body,” Dr. Merville said. “Over time, they can contribute to high blood pressure, weakened immunity, digestive disorders and increased risk of chronic disease. These effects can be subtle but can accumulate significantly, especially when people delay addressing them.”

Scott Sherr, MD, chief operating officer of TroScriptions in Dover, DE, explained that chronic stress and anxiety are like having a malware program constantly running in the background of one’s biology—eating up resources, slowing down performance, and eventually corrupting files. Over the long term, Dr. Sherr said, chronic stress and anxiety can shrink the hippocampus, suppress immune function, disrupt insulin regulation and increase inflammation.

Chronic stress and anxiety can even cause other problems, like raising one’s risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer. Designs for Health Chief Medical Officer David M. Brady, ND, DC in Palm Coast, FL, explained that while stress and anxiety arise from different origins—stress results from external triggers, whereas anxiety stems from internal worry—both stress and anxiety can cause problems when they become chronic.

“Research links chronic stress to increased systemic inflammation, which contributes to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and mental health disorders like depression and anxiety,” Dr. Brady said. “It can also suppress our immune function and open us up to more frequent colds, slower wound healing or even increasing our risk of cancer. Additionally, chronic stress affects appetite and fat storage, contributing to obesity and metabolic dysfunction.”

Holistic Anxiety Products and Practices

Clearly, chronic stress and anxiety have myriad negative effects on human health, both physical and mental. This cascade effect of stress and anxiety makes it imperative for natural and alternative health practitioners to take patient stress seriously. Thankfully, there are several holistic practices and products that practitioners can recommend to patients for stress and anxiety relief and prevention.

Dr. Bowden said that lifestyle practices like meditation are number one with a bullet when it comes to stress and anxiety management. Beyond meditation, though, he also recommended sleep hygiene and breathing exercises. Even four minutes of eyes-closed deep breathing, he said, is enough to increase alpha waves in the brain. Other holistic practices that can aid stress and anxiety, according to Dr. Bowden, include walks in nature, exposure to greenery and even bubble baths.

“There are also products that can help,” he said. “Two I particularly like are Suntheanine and ThymoQuin. Suntheanine is a type of theanine, the amino acid found in beverages like green tea. ThymoQuin is a high-grade patented black seed oil, and it’s been found in studies to lower cortisol by a whopping 44 percent, which is huge. Lastly, phosphoserine has also been shown to lower cortisol.”

Dr. DeLorenzo noted that yoga is a powerful tool for calming the mind, reducing stress and cortisol levels, and improving sleep. She said that yoga helps to regulate the body’s stress response by increasing serotonin production and strengthening the vagus nerve’s connection to the brain.

Vagus nerve stimulation also shows promise as an anxiety and stress relief tool. Dr. Brady explained that in one meta-analysis, vagus nerve stimulation was found to reduce participants’ physical and psychological stress response, as well as reducing disruptions to sleep and inflammation markers.2 He said that actions that can stimulate the vagus nerve include humming, gargling and splashing cold water on one’s face.

Dr. Brady also mentioned that there are several herbs known to help the body cope with stress and anxiety. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has been found in clinical trials to help reduce perceived stress level and improve sleep quality, while lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) can have a calming effect on the brain.

Designs for Health offers several stress and anxiety relief products containing these and other ingredients. The company’s TriGandha is a blend of three different ashwagandha extracts designed to support mood and regulate the stress response. Meanwhile, StressArrest is a blend of GABA, glycine and B vitamins designed to support a healthy stress response, improving adrenal health and improving neurotransmitter function.

“Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a naturally occurring amino acid in the brain,” Dr. Brady said. “It’s an inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms the nervous system. Studies have shown that GABA decreases during stressful situations, leading to an imbalance of excitation and inhibition. Supplementing with GABA can help reduce the decrease.”

Beyond health products, there are several other lifestyle practices that patients and practitioners can use to address anxiety and stress. Sarah Hasler, MS, RD, the head of botanical affairs for Herb Pharm in Williams, OR, said that patients should aim to have a foundation of sleep, exercise, nutritious food and time for healthy relationships. While this is easier said than done, she said, it can be accomplished by thinking outside the box.

“If patients don’t have time for breakfast, maybe they can put together the ingredients for a smoothie in a freezer bag the night before for a ‘dump and blend’ breakfast,” she said. “One of the biggest complaints I hear is lack of sleep; while there are many holistic products for sleep such as valerian root and passionflower, I have found that it’s hard to turn off a truly overwhelmed nervous system at night. What may be helpful is to ensure you’re supporting yourself during the day with adaptogens like ashwagandha.”

Hasler said that Herb Pharm has a wide selection of stress and anxiety relief products, including several herbs from the company’s Herbs on the Go line. Herbs on the Go Bedtime, Relaxing Moment and Daily Stress Balance are ideal options for day and night stress support.

Newton Homeopathics President and CEO Marge Roberts in Conyers, GA said that consumers may not necessarily need to choose pharmaceutical drugs for stress and anxiety management, as there is an abundance of natural practices and products to aid in stress and anxiety relief. Newton Homeopathics’ PRO Distress – Mood – Sadness formulation, for instance, is designed to address symptoms such as grief, irritability, despondency, difficulty concentrating and oversensitivity. Meanwhile, the company’s PRO Nervousness-Activity formulation is formulated for nervous discomfort, irritability, racing thoughts, tension and worry.

“Unlike synthetic pharmaceuticals, homeopathics are not known to be addictive, and it’s practically impossible to overdose,” Roberts said. “Many people turn to homeopathics for emotional support for these reasons.”

Omni-Biotic/AllergoSan USA Healthcare Practitioner Support and Education Specialist Pam Conboy in Port Chester, NY, noted that the company offers a branded Stress Release probiotic product that targets the gut-brain axis. Conboy explained that a complex bidirectional communications network exists between the gut and the central nervous system, which means that imbalances in the gut can result in emotional and cognitive symptoms, including brain fog, anxiety and stress. She said that clinical studies have demonstrated the psychobiotic power of Omni-Biotic Stress Release, with outcomes like improved mood, better decision making and increased memory capacity.

Health Strategies for Treatment & Prevention

Holistic health practitioners can play an important role in helping patients deal with stress and anxiety. Dr. Merville explained that practitioners can take a whole-person approach, considering emotional, physical and environmental factors in treating patients.

“Tools like stress inventories, sleep assessments, and lifestyle coaching can help identify where interventions are most needed,” he said. “Practitioners may also consider recommending non-habit-forming remedies like homeopathic medicines that patients can take without the risk of drowsiness or interactions. Using these medicines allows a patient respite in physical symptoms and mental tension, and provides a window during which they have a better chance at resolving the core problem.”

Dr. Merville noted that Boiron offers a line of homeopathic medicines for stress-related conditions, including StressCalm tablets and meltaway pellets. These formulas, he said, are designed to relieve symptoms such as nervous tension, irritability and fatigue due to occasional stress.

Dr. Sherr, meanwhile, explained that health practitioners can use a variety of tools to treat and prevent stress and anxiety. As practitioners, he said, it’s not just about putting out fires—it’s about rewiring the smoke alarm. Dr. Sherr said that practitioners can use tools like anxiety scales and wearable technology to quantify patient stress, educate patients on recognizing stress signals early, and help patients build a strong foundation of coping strategies like breathwork and biofeedback. For patients who need more than lifestyle changes, he noted that practitioners can prescribe products that work at the neurotransmitter level, like TroScriptions’ branded Tro Calm for stress during the day and Tro Zzz for nighttime anxiety relief. Tro Calm is a blend of N-nicotinoyl-GABA, NAD+, kava, CBD and CBG designed to tame neuroinflammation, support the endocannabinoid system and the mitochondria, and provide anxiolytic effects. Meanwhile, Tro Zzz consists of honokiol, CBN, 5-HTP, cordycepin and melatonin in order to increase serotonin and GABA and rewire the circadian rhythm.

Dr. DeLorenzo said that patient dietary cravings can provide important information regarding potential nutritional deficiencies. For instance, cravings for foods like dark chocolate and peanut butter may indicate a need for magnesium supplementation, while a craving for red meat or spinach may signal the body’s need for iron, which helps maintain proper energy levels.

“Practitioners can support clients by encouraging them to slow down, pause throughout the day, and intentionally make time for themselves to prioritize their mental health,” Dr. DeLorenzo added. “Our world today is fast-paced, high-pressure, and often unhealthy, which makes this kind of intentional pause essential. I encourage my clients to journal regularly to sort through their thoughts and decrease anxiety. Other effective practices include reading, walking and meditation.”

For Dr. Bowden, stress and anxiety relief start with one key practice: Getting off social media. Instead, he explained, patients should focus on fostering real relationships in person, through active listening and kindness. “Finally, patients should spend some time every single day in gratitude,” Dr. Bowden added. “A good exercise is to just write down three things you’re grateful for every day.”

Sleep is also a key habit for reducing stress and anxiety. Host Defense Director of Product Science Education Jerry Angelini in Olympia, WA noted that regenerative sleep is key to nervous system health and wellness.

“Research supports a number of helpful sleep strategies,” Angelini said, “including keeping the bedroom at a cool 68 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing or eliminating ambient light, limiting screen exposure an hour before bed, and using soft white noise in the background.”

Angelini said that another helpful habit is to avoid doomscrolling, especially before bed. While many patients rely on smartphones and digital media, he noted that it is important to be mindful and intentional about what sorts of media one consumes. Soothing music and calming imagery are far more beneficial than news cycles, overstimulating videos and other adrenaline-inducing content.

Host Defense offers a range of mushroom-based and botanical formulas designed to support the body’s ability to adapt to everyday stress. Angelini noted that mushrooms like reishi and lion’s mane can support the parasympathetic nervous system and help maintain mental clarity.

Stress and Anxiety are Omnipresent

The modern world is full of stressors and anxiety-inducing events, and the prevalence of anxiety disorders is growing every year. As more consumers encounter the negative effects of stress and anxiety, they’re looking for natural and holistic ways to counter their stress, soothe their anxiety and perform at their peak. From meditation, to dietary changes, to supplements like valerian and passionflower, holistic health practitioners have a wide array of non-medicinal tools they can use to help patients destress and deal with anxiety.

References:

1 “Anxiety disorders – facts & statistics.” Anxiety & Depression Association of America. Published online October 28, 2022.

2 Hua K et al. “Effects of auricular stimulation on inflammatory parameters: Results of a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface. Published online February 24, 2025.

Healthy Take Aways

• 57 million Americans have anxiety problems.
• Hermetic stress is a temporary, low-level stress that enhances performance.
• Chronic stress can trigger a cascade of negative health effects.
• Unresolved chronic anxiety increases the risk of long-term disease.
• Vagus nerve stimulation is one of many effective anti-stress and anti-anxiety measures.