Nutrition In times of stress, food becomes the automatic go-to source for natural stress relief for many. Indeed, certain foods induce a calm and relaxed state as well as a greater sense of personal control during stressful situations. It seems that when stress levels rise, the willpower to avoid comfort foods falls by the wayside. In short, eating can make us feel good when we're feeling bad! It's no surprise our body tells to us to go for the mac n' cheese and bread and sweets, etc.
Traditional comfort foods can be useful for managing stress to a degree as long as they're eaten in moderation. However, when eaten too often or in indulgent amounts, these nutritionally deficient foods can actually exacerbate the effect of stress on the body. Good nutrition is a much better (and of course, healthier) way to combat stress. When the body and mind are fed correctly, you're much more resilient to the daily challenges of life.
Periods of intense stress trigger the production of adrenaline. This is good in the short term because you get a burst of energy to handle a crisis. When the danger passes, however, blood sugar drops and wholesome food is required for replenishment. Unhealthy foods and liquids stress out the body by complicating digestion, exacerbating low blood sugar or by failing to provide essential nutrients to the brain. Stress can trigger bad digestion as well. Good eating can mitigate the effects of stress, while increasing your physical and emotional stamina and protecting your health.
Your refrigerator is probably full of tasty, stress fighting foods! Let's take a look. You'll get stress fighting benefits from: tofu and other soy products, milk and cheese, fish and shellfish, poultry, lamb, beef, fruits, spinach, dark, leafy green vegetables, asparagus, broccoli, beans and legumes, eggs, avocado, bananas, whole grains. With a little thought, all of these foods (and other wholesome choices) can be whipped up either alone or with other ingredients to create tasty and healthful menu options.
Some other things to consider as you embark on a more healthful eating lifestyle:
1) Breakfast is the most important meal of the day in my opinion - so eat it daily. If you're usually not hungry at breakfast, eat a piece of fruit to start. Make a fruit smoothie with some of your favorite fruit, a high quality protein powder and sneak some veggies like spinach and cabbage in for extra nutrition. You won't be able to taste them - promise! Also, (real) whole wheat toast with all natural peanut butter is a great way to start the day.
2) Nutritious AM eating will help control cravings and hunger later in the day so you'll make more healthier choices with ease and eat less food.
3) To maintain energy levels in between meals, snack! Always carry healthy food with you (be prepared!) and when you get hungry - eat! Apples, nuts, nut butters, avocado and whole grain crackers are good choices. Ignoring your hunger is another stressor on the body and as this former extreme dieter can attest, it can mess with your mind. So eat until you feel satisfied. Neither overeating or undereating is encouraged! Both stress the body out - listen to its hunger signals and get fed up!
4) Caffeine. Caffeine is not your friend when it comes to stress relief! Besides increasing stress hormones like cortisol, it's dehydrating and disruptive to sleep, neither of which is helpful for effective stress management. Do your best to go de-caf. Herbal teas are a good option and decaffeinated coffee (after a brief transitional period) works for me too!
5) Sugar. Don't eat it! The brain requires glucose for proper functioning, but foods that are quick sources of sugar including white flour and juice can trigger a blood level surge followed by a precipitous drop. Sleepiness and lethargy ensue followed by a sweet craving by the body to increase blood sugar and a vicious cycle is born. Avoid sugar and white flour as best you can.
6) Cravings. Cravings often occur a few hours after lunch and during stressful situations and hormonal fluxes. To curb your cravings, it's best in my opinion to feed the body with healthy foods rather than totally surrender to the craving. Over time, the body will crave the healthier foods even during times of stress. That is my personal experience. Eat the healthy food (that tastes good to you) to the point of satiety. Your body will be less stressed and you'll be more clear minded to handle the situation at hand.
Hopefully, I've impressed on you the importance of eating well as a foundation for natural stress relief. Relieving stress with food doesn't have to be hard or boring and with some diligence, the body will have strong cravings for healthy food to the point that you'll never miss cookies and cake again. Honest.
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