How Nourishment and Movement Can Gently Support Healing
Wellness Coach Sonia Magnier shares her advice.
Recently, holistic life, wellness and business coach, Sonia Magnier, suffered an immense family loss and was thrust into the dark depths of grief. As she emerges from that dark place slowly, she’s been leaning on the practices she preaches as a coach harder than ever.
Everyone experiences grief at some point in their lifetime, and we should be discussing practical systems to help each other get through it. Here she shares her advice with us.
Grief is not just an emotional experience, it’s a full-body one. When we experience loss, our nervous system becomes overwhelmed. Cortisol levels rise, sleep becomes disrupted, and appetite often shifts dramatically.
In these moments, nourishment and movement become powerful companions, not to fix grief, but to help us move through it.
As a coach, I see firsthand how the body holds our emotional stories. When we begin to care for the body with compassion, food, movement, and mindful presence, we remind ourselves that healing is still possible, even in the midst of pain. I’ve been there myself, and I’m not quite out of it yet, but these focuses have helped me and my family firsthand.
During grief, the body enters survival mode. Supporting energy, mood, and nervous system balance through intentional food choices can help you begin to feel grounded again.
Simple, nourishing habits become anchors in a time that feels anything but steady.
Nutrition for Grounding and Recovery
• Keep meals simple and nutrient-dense. Think comforting yet balanced foods like soups, stews, and protein paired with complex carbohydrates.
• Balance blood sugar. Stable energy helps regulate emotions and reduce emotional crashes.
• Prioritise hydration and minerals. Grief often depletes electrolytes, especially when sleep and appetite are disrupted.
• Practice gentle consistency. Even small, mindful meals signal safety and support to the nervous system.
Movement also offers a way to release what words cannot express. It shifts stagnant energy and helps reconnect you with your physical self, something that can feel distant during times of loss.
Movement for Release and Reconnection
• Walk in nature. Treat it as moving meditation, each step a moment of reflection and processing.
• Try strength training or yoga. These grounding practices stabilise both body and mind, offering a sense of rootedness.
• Incorporate breathwork or stretching. Gentle practices help release tension and calm the nervous system.
Nutrition and movement are not acts of discipline, they are acts of self-compassion. They remind the body that even in grief, you are safe, supported, and still here.
Healing begins with these small, nurturing choices; food, breath, presence, and movement.
Through mindful nourishment and gentle movement, grief can begin to soften. While it cannot be rushed, it can be supported one meal, one breath, one step at a time.
For more info please visit soniamagniercoaching.com.
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