Eat Right to Manage Stress – Dos and Don’ts

September 5, 2006 by Vishal | 1 Comment

A healthy diet can work wonders in preventing and reducing symptoms that are caused by stress. There are certain foods that can act as excitants or stimulants and due to their adrenalin increasing properties cause more stress. On the other hand there are some foods that will help in providing energy and better bowel movement among other benefits that help in dealing with stress situations.

Foods to Avoid

The items that you need to avoid in your food to be in better health are alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, sugar, salt and fat. Though all of these are required to some level by the body, excess intake can cause problems. For instance alcohol has relaxing capabilities and can act as an effective medicine in reducing heart related issues if consumed in moderation. Similarly, sugar can provide a spurt in the energy levels since it is a simple compound that can be broken to provide instant energy. However, both alcohol and sugar are addictive in nature and before you know it they are the first things that you reach out for in times of stress. Alcohol causes adrenalin to be produced in excess causing problems related to the nervous system, irritation and sleepless nights. It harms the body by creating an internal environment where fat deposits are formed in the heart. It also weakens the immune system of the body and attacks the liver and mars its capability of removing toxins from the system. Excess sugar in the system requires the pancreas to work overtime increasing the chances of diabetes.

Smoking is another coping mechanism that is used by many people in times of stress. Nicotine does have relaxing capabilities but in the long run it harms the lungs and can also increase chances of contracting cancers, hypertension and heart diseases.

Salt increases blood pressure levels and can be reduced by avoiding processed foods like pickles, bacon, sausages and the like. Fats not only increases obesity and cardiac problems but is also known now to cause breast, colon and prostate cancers.

Foods to Prefer

The foods that you need to include in your diet to enable you to fight stressful circumstances are carbohydrates, fibers and vegetables. Carbohydrates are complex sugars and though they provide the required amount of energy needed by the body, they do not put a high amount of pressure on the pancreas. They also cause the brain to release neurotransmitter serotonin that helps in soothing the senses. Sources of carbohydrates include potatoes, rice, pasta, breads and the like.

Fiber helps in fighting problems with the digestive system that are created due to high stress. 25 grams of fiber per day is enough to provide easy and comfortable bowel movement. Fruits, vegetables and whole grain are a good source of fiber. Make the right choices! Choose fresh fruit juice over canned juice. Choose brown bread over white bread. Making these small changes shall go a long way in maintain good health.

The production of serotonin, which is soothing for the body, is increased with high absorption of an amino acid called L- Tryptophan. Natural forms of L- Tryptophan are found in vegetables. Though some people argue that L- Tryptophan is present in meats also, the fact of the matter is that meat also contains many other complex amino acids that compete with the absorption of L- Tryptophan.

A number of studies have shown omega-3 fatty acids to be helpful in treatment of depression and stress. Omega-3 fatty acids can be directly obtained through foods such as fish oils. Alternately, they can alo be manufactured in the liver from alpha linolenic acid (ALA) found in foods like Flax seeds. This conversion is however limited and may be affected by various factors like presence of high amounts of omega-6 oils, found in corn, safflower, sunflower and also stress, ageing and illness.

To net the entire argument, to be in a position to handle stress better you need to consume whole grains, green, yellow and orange vegetables, carbohydrates and essential fatty acids found in fish oil and flax.

Vitamins and Minerals

Stress is not only a psychological phenomenon. It has a significant effect on body functions and the manner in which the body processes food and the essential nutrients that are present in it. Some of the main minerals that stress depletes are magnesium and calcium.

Magnesium

Magnesium is used by the body to fight stress. It aids in a reposeful sleep and causes muscles to relax. Magnesium is lost by stress and also by the intake of alcohol, fatty acids, sugar and caffeine. These are normally the foods that one attacks when one is depressed and stressed causing the magnesium depletion to accelerate. Foods that are rich in magnesium include whole grains (including bran), nuts (almonds, cashews, brazil nuts), beans, seeds (sesame, sunflower), fish, avocados, and leafy green vegetables (spinach).

Calcium

Though calcium is known for its many benefits due to the heightened awareness osteoporosis, not many are aware of the fact that it also has stress reducing capabilities. Calcium supplementation needs to be paid attention to since by derivation continuous stress can cause the body to loose the much-needed calcium, ending in osteoporosis. Since magnesium and calcium work in tandem to reduce stress levels, a combined supplement of calcium and magnesium would be a good idea. Dairy products, green leafy vegetables, seeds and nuts are some of the good sources of calcium.

B-Complex

Among the vitamins, the B vitamins are known for their calming effects. Vitamin B6 also helps in delivering magnesium to the body. Whole grains, rice bran, brewer’s yeast, bananas, dates, nuts and seeds are some of the best sources of vitamin B.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps in building a better immune system. But the issue with vitamin C is that it cannot be stored in the body. This indicates that we need to constantly add this essential nutrient to the body to be able to maintain our immunity levels. Stress, nicotine, caffeine and birth control pills are known to eat away into vitamin C and therefore, we need to compensate the depleted vitamin by eating more citrus fruits. Foods like gooseberry, oranges are rich sources of vitamin c.

Adding these vital minerals and vitamins to your body at times of stress can help your body cope with a demanding situation in a much better manner than otherwise. So eat well and supplement the nutrients required and ensure that you are in the best of physical conditions to tackle periods of stress.

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Posted in Stress Management