USING FOODS TO FIGHT STRESS

Stress in humans can be defined as the result of a strained interaction between two or more people and a hostile environment which threatens their well-being. The relationship between the stimulus (stressor) and a the way humans respond to it has been broadly investigated, especially when it comes to how stress can affect one’s relationship with food. Though the correlation has been convincingly demonstrated, the tendency seems to be to consider the consumption of comfort food as a cure for stress, rather than an effect of it.

Stress has been implicated as one of the factors responsible for reduced efficiency in human especially during working hours and also at home.
Stress can drive up our blood pressure and raise serum cholesterol levels, wreaking havoc on our arteries and increasing our risk of heart attack.

In stressful situations, it’s easy to turn toward food to deal with emotions. Unfortunately, the foods we’re drawn to when we’re stressed are usually very high in fat and carbs.
To that effect,  there is need to make the much needed correction.


1. Spinach

It may be the complete opposite of what you’re craving, but spinach and other leafy greens are rich in magnesium—a mineral that’s essential in more than 300 chemical reactions in the body. Magnesium is used to help prevent anxiety and also treat ADHD. All you need is one cup of spinach to start reaping the benefits of this mineral’s natural stress-fighting power.


2. Whole grains

All carbohydrates trigger the brain to produce serotonin—one of those feel-good hormones that helps balance out your mood, sexual desires, appetite, sleep, memory and more. To naturally boost your serotonin levels, choose healthy whole grain breads, brown rice and oatmeal for a little more stress relief.


3. Avocados

Potassium naturally helps to lower blood pressure and just half of an avocado contains more of it than one medium banana. You’ll also be nourishing your body with healthy B-vitamins, monosaturated fat and fiber when you incorporate avocados into your diet.


4. Oranges

Oranges are full of vitamin C, which lowers cortisol and blood pressure while also gives the immune system a bit of a boost. A German study in Psychopharmacology found that vitamin C helps reduce stress and return blood pressure and cortisol to normal levels after a stressful situation. Also according to the University of Maryland, large doses of vitamin C has been proven to reduce both physical and mental responses to stress.


5. Salmon

Wild salmon is such an important food source for its powerful omega-3 fatty acids. It helps prevent stress hormones from rising and fights inflammation, keeping both your brain and body healthy so your anxiety level can stay on the lower end.


6. Nuts

Nuts like pistachios, coconuts and walnuts are rich in healthy fats and lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B21 and vitamin E, which help give the immune system a boost. These nutrients may help strengthen you and lift you up when you’re more likely to feel stressed, anxious or even depressed.


7. Yogurt

According to WebMD, a diet that incorporates probiotic foods (like certain types yogurt- those that underwent complete bacterial fermentation) has been show to change the body’s response to stress and anxiety. Gastrointestinal problems often come hand in hand with anxiety and probiotics can help reduce inflammation in the gut to bring some relief.


8. Chia seeds or Sunflower seeds

Chia seeds and sunflower seeds contain tryptophan—an animo acid that triggers the release of serotonin in the brain and promotes feelings of calmness and sometimes even sleepiness. Some research has shown that it can help reduce anxiety.

9. Asparagus

Low levels of folate(folic acid) may be partly to blame for feeling more anxious and even a little depressed. Asparagus is very rich in folate and all you need is one cup of it to give you two-thirds of your recommended daily value.


10. Dark chocolate

Is it really any secret that chocolate is known to release those feel-good chemicals in our brains? Besides the fact that it pretty much falls into the traditional comfort food category and tastes really good, research has shown that it can actually help calm you down too.



FOODS TO AVOID


High-fat foods:

Fatty foods such as meat or cheese dishes and many baked goods thicken our blood which in turn makes us feel tired, even lethargic. This is clearly not a good way to reduce stress! Even just one high-fat meal can increase our risk of a heart attack.


Caffeine:

Many of us deal with a stress-induced lack of sleep by turning to coffee, tea, and colas. Unfortunately, caffeine stays in our systems longer than many realize. Cutting back on caffeine can help with both sleeping problems and jitters.


Sugar:

As a carbohydrate, sugar tends to calm us. The problem with sugar is that it's a simple carbohydrate so it enters and leaves the bloodstream rapidly, causing us to, in effect, "crash." On the other hand, complex carbohydrates?such as pasta, beans, and lentils, the starchy parts of foods?soothe without bringing us down.