Nutrition and Mental Health: The 6 Micronutrients Active Women Need to Know
One of the Coaches in our crew is supporting a 25-year-old who wants to come off birth control, understand her hormonal health, and start taking real ownership of what was in her control. To which I say - HECK YES. And inspired me to get writing today.
Because there is so much in our control . Especially armed with a good Coach and knowledge about what the body needs.
This client’s current reality? Anxious, low energy, on ADHD meds, birth control, and antidepressants … and yeah all while trying to keep up with work, life, and now her health. And when she went to her doctor looking for answers, she got:
"You're fine. It's too early to check labs."
Sound familiar?
We aren't diagnosing or replacing doctors here , and we know medications can be genuinely life-changing tools. But we also know the power of supporting the body as a whole, and thinking bigger than one more prescription.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. And while I am very aware of how complex mental health can be; I'm also very aware that anxiety, depression, body image, focus, and energy aren't just about what's in your head, they're also about what's on your plate.
Minding Your Micronutrients for Mental Health
Micronutrients- vitamins + minerals are the “ spark plugs ” powering literally EVERY process in the body .
“Working on your nutrition” doesn’t mean restricting. And there doesn’t have to be something wrong with your body to focus on it. But for most active women, that’s what nutrition has meant for years.
This isn't about chasing a smaller body or a short-term fix. It's about:
- Thinking clearly
- Handling stress
- Sleeping better
- Not feeling like a basket case at work
- Making progress in your training
- Having reserves in the tank to go after your goals
- Feeling confident in your body- and here's what I see constantly: women think chasing smaller is what will give them confidence. It's not. Confidence comes from focusing on what your body can do and giving it the fuel to do it. Try it. And if it doesn't work, we'll refund your misery.
Why Are We So Depleted?
- Modern stress: Mental, emotional, and physical stress causes your adrenal glands to burn through vitamin C, sodium, potassium, and magnesium: zapping energy, including mental energy.
- Under-fueling and dieting mindset: Intentional or not, not eating enough is one of the fastest ways to tank mood, focus, and hormones.
- High training load: If you're asking your body to run for hours, chase a Hyrox goal, or hit new deadlift numbers — you're also asking for more iron, vitamin C, and amino acids. If you're not upping nutrients as you up training, your body will pull from itself.
- Medications: Birth control and antidepressants can deplete B6, B12, and folate , the exact nutrients your brain uses to make serotonin and dopamine
