This article originally appeared on Yoganonymous.com.

Do you feel like you need help sustaining long-term balance in your life? If so, you’re not alone.

Chances are, stress isn’t a new concept to you (and if it is new—man, are you blessed). You may have a chronic frown on your face, crook in your brow, or carry the weight of the world on your shoulders—but regardless, the way we interact with stress on a mental, physical, and emotional level is unique to all of us.

But what’s not unique, is what our bodies needin order to fight away stressful imbalances.

Stress causes you to make decisions that aren’t in your best interest. Stress cultivates unhealthy habits, and stress can sabotage your relationships in business, with family, with friends, and with significant others.

We all go through waves of ups and downs, but the more honest we are with ourselves about our stress levels, the easier it is to find long-term solutions.

Take your thoughts back to your biology—your cells and your neurons, and your bodily connections need certain components to maintain balance. As a raw nutritionist, two of the most common causes for mood swings and mental irrationality I see are related to unbalanced hormones and highly fluctuating blood sugar levels.

The great news is that you can work with your diet to incorporate foods and habits that help balance your hormones and balance your blood sugar levels. So how do you do it?

2 Secrets to Staying Balanced

1. Balance Your Hormones

Unbalanced hormones can damage relationships, throw your work off balance, and can cause a deep layer of confusion in your life (it throws off your ability to see things clearly). You may think that you are balanced at the moment, but in fact, you are completely off kilter—so here are foods and nutrition tips to incorporate into your diet to balance your thyroid (the hormone regulator in your body):

• Avoid dairy products

• Coconut oil (cook with it and oil pull) 

• Maca

• Kelp

• Nori

• Sulfur-rich foods: garlic, onions, cayenne pepper

2. Balance Blood Sugar Levels

Balancing blood sugar levels is a physically difficult process. It takes two weeks for sugars to fully exit your system. So, when you are detoxing, make sure your give yourself twenty minutes per day (minimum) to do something you like—that way you are positively encouraging yourself to be in a better mood, and you will be less prone to give into your cravings. You will feel the sugar addition pulling out of you, so drink plenty of fluids, and add in a solid serving of vitamin C to help combat any withdrawal you are having while you:

• Avoid starches

• Avoid dairy

• Cut down sugar intake (artificial, processed, and brown sugars)

It took a few years for me to nail this down pat, but I hope these tips help you drop your bad emotional habits and break the cycle that feeds them. You can balance your emotions by balancing your blood sugar levels and balancing your hormones. 

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!