Foods To Smooth Away Stress

Do you ever have a feeling of dread, for no apparent reason?  Are you anxious and depressed?  Today’s stresses can leave many of us feeling overwhelmed and anxious. That’s a natural reaction to stressful situations, and there ARE things we can do to help ourselves handle the stress better, and even protect ourselves from the outcomes of stress.

When we feel anxious or scared, our bodies release adrenaline which helps us be able to produce the “fight or flight” response. This pumping feeling of adrenaline allows us to be strong and energetic, even doing things we would never be able to accomplish on a normal day. You can imagine the drain on the body after this rush. Rest and recovery is sometimes delayed if we experience stressor after stressor. Then, we can experience a seemingly constant feeling of dread. Soon, if we don’t get a break, and don’t get the rest we need from our stressful situations, our body is worn down, and our mind, heart and even bones nd immune system weaken.

During these times, it’s tempting to turn to comfort food that actually harms us and robs us further of energy and healthy fuel.

Instead, develop the habit of choosing food that helps soothe the body and mind, raising our moods and arming us with energy to combat out stressful lives.

• Eat Strawberries! – Strawberries are natures tranquilizers.  Strawberriees reduce stress, calming our anxiety by giving us a surge of dopamine, which is an ingredient in the brain chemical “norepinephrine.  That name really doesn’t mean much to the one in stress, but if we realize tht this chemical controls how well we deal with stress, we might understand why eating strawberries is so helpful.  Craving them yet?  It’s important to realize that the study I’m talking about had been done on animals, but, I’m thinking it can’t hurt to try it out, and many people report feeling calm and “loving” after eating strawberries.  If you’re not allergic, help yourself!
• Eat More Bananas! – The vitamin B in bananas helps replace the vitamin B6 that stress eats up in your body.  When those daily job and life pressures crash into you, don’t let them get you down, replenish your supply of B6 with bananas and bypass the coffee and doughnuts.  You’ll have a brighter outlook on life, soon!
• You can feel nice, with rice! – Thiamin, or vitamin B1, is another B vitamin you need during a stressful time.  We need thiamin to help our nerve signals travel throughout our bodies fr0m our brain.  Stress causes our bodies to use up its supply of Bitamin B1 quickly.  If you’re stressed, or had a hard day at work, add a bowl of rice to your very next meal. One cup of rice provides 21% of the thiamin you need in a day.  How ’bout some stir-fry?
• Beef up your life! - In moderation, beef cn go far in easing tension.  Red meat is full of vitmin B12 which is an essential nutrient for handling stress. Vitamin B12 is also called cobalamin, another name you’ll tend not to remember, so just know that it helps your body with its neurotransmitters, those chemicals that carry messages back and forth to the brain.  Also, like other B vitamins, during stress, they are used up in a hurry.  Under pressure?  Make sure you replenish your supply.  A filet mignon rewards you with 34% of your daily B12 dose.  Since you can only get B12 naturally from meat, if you are a vegetarian, you’ll need to take supplements.  Always check with your doctor before changing your diet.
• Gobble Turkey! – You know how everyone wants a nap after a Thanksgiving meal of turkey and the trimmings?  Well, the Thanksgiving turkey deserves a tribute because this bird is full of folate, which is a B vitamin that helps the brain process the relaxing chemicals:  dopamine and serotonin.  Again, under stress, the body gobbles up folate so be smart and eat turkey frequently!  Just one serving will give you 121% of the folate you need in a day.  That’s not an overdose if you’re stressin’!
• Tension is defeated with Beans! – When times are tough, add pinto beans to your meals.  Studies have shown that anxiety causes our body to drop in levels of iron.  Eating iron-rich foods like beans helps to restore this important mineral just when it’s needed most.  As you’ve experienced, when you’re stressful, we reach for easy food like chips and popcorn or candy.  By neglecting to replace needed nutrients, our weakened immune system cannot fight against germs  Beans give the body ammunition to fight the damaging effects of anxiety and stress, making us feel better.
• Drink Soothing Chamomile Tea! -  This hot beverage, Chamomile Tea, is so relaxing that some people report just the scent alone relaxes tense nerves.  Steeped dried chamomile flowers release  blue oil that is full of flavonoids.  Resembling valium, you’ll feel relaxed right away without suffering the addictive side effects you might from a drug.
• Almond Oil is Relaxing! – If you’re feeling tense and neck or back muscles are hard and hurting, treat yourself to a relaxing almond oil massage.  Beg a family member or friend or spouse, and then return the favor for them!  Almond oil nourishes your skin with vitamin E.  However, never place undiluted essential oils directly on your skin, so add 10 – 20 drops of any esssential oil to every 1 ounce of almond oil, producing a wonderful recipe for the perfect massage.
• Wheat Germ Fights Stress! – Studies reveal that stress will rob your body of many important minerals.  Zinc is replaced in the body easily by adding one tablespoon of wheat germ to commong foods, contributing 13% of the daily requirement.  Zinc protects you from damaging side effects of stress.  Toss this crunchy topping  of wheat germ onto your cereal, or into your pancakes, waffles, or even homemade biscuits for a healthy additional ingredient in your recipes!
• Oranges are calming! – Feeling Frazzled?  Eat an Orange!  This sunny fruit is a super snack and is chocked full of vitamin C.  Yur brain neds this vitamin to make serotonin, which in turns produces those good feelings and helps us rest and sleep.  Feeling tired and sluggish is a sign you re not getting enough Vitamin C.  C also blocks the release of cortisol, a tension causing product of the adrenal gland.  Just one orange gives you more than twice as much C as you need for the entire day.  Remember it’s used up, these habits need to be repeated daily!
• Oatmeal for Breakfast, please! – Complex crbs with each meal will keep your spirits up.  Researchers at the University of South Alabama discovered that complex carbohydrates stimulate serotonin production and create a lasting elevated mood effect, so it’s important to start the day with these carbs.  Skip the pastry and have a bowl of whole grain cereal for a strong start on your day.  Grains and fruits break down in the digestive system more slowly than sugary foods.  In turn, your body’s balance of blood sugar and insulin will provide a brain boost of serotonin, helping you feel calm and in control, even content! 
• Drink a glass of milk! – If you’re not allergic, milk is  great source of tryptophan!  Many people find a warm glass of milk before bedtime soothing enough to produce sleep.  The “happy” neurotransmitter, serotonin helps calm us down.  Other dairy products that are high in tryptophan are cottage cheese and cheddar cheese.  Milk also has beta-casomorphins, compounds that help create a soothing feeling.  Snuggle up with warm milk and get some sleep!  Remember, milk is high in fat, so make sure you can drink it with the approval of your doctor.
• Popeye knows his Spinach! – Eat some!  Rich in magnesium, a mineral used up quickly during times of high stress, spinach is a good choice for vegetables during the day or evening meal.  If yu are exposed to chronic stress, you will most likely have lower magnesium levels than you should.  A lack of magnesium can make your stress coping skills weaker.  You can’t go wrong by adding 1 cup of cooked spinach to your plate.  That will give you 157 milligrams of magnesium, which is about half y9ur daily recommended portion.

Here’s an example of a stress reducing – power packed dinner:  Turkey, rice, spinach, fruit salad with bananas, oranges, and strawberries, and chamomile tea.  Sleepytime!

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