Right Nutrition to Overcome Stress

Not always a quick Starbucks coffee will help you stay calm and deal with stress. At times, a simple, warm cup of herbal tea may also help. Fortunately, we should be glad that we have useful and interesting food options to take care of us during stressful times which act as stress busters. Knowing which foods to fuel up on (and which to skip) can help you manage your stress levels under control.

From sleep, diet, and exercise, to work, family, and romantic relationships, stress can take a toll on every aspect of your life. Meanwhile, stress can lead to a loss of lean muscle mass, which decreases your metabolism and increases your risk for weight gain.

Those cookies and potato chips aren’t doing you any favors, refined carbs such as these spike blood sugar and then cause it to crash, increasing stress and anxiety. But choosing healthy foods — including healthy fats such as avocados, eggs, and walnuts — has the opposite effect, creating a “favorable hormone signaling in the brain, which supports satiety, mood regulation, and sleep and energy balance.”

For conquering stress, a food’s nutrient profile might be just as important as how it makes you feel.

Warm, Soothing Foods
Take a calming, warm cup of tea or chamomile tea. There’s the soothing effect of sipping a warm drink, regardless of the flavor — but certain herbs have been shown to have a relaxing effect on their own. Chamomile may reduce anxiety by helping rewire the body’s stress response, and increasing production of the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine.

Dark Chocolate
Usually, dessert isn’t a good choice to pick when you’re stressed, but dark chocolate sounds good. This treat could help reduce stress in two ways — via its chemical impact and its emotional impact. Chocolate feels like such an indulgence that it can be a real treat to simply savor a piece of it, and that feeling alone can help reduce stress. Dark chocolate, which is also rich in antioxidants, can also lower levels of stress hormones in the body. Just be sure to avoid excess calories in your diet by not overindulging in chocolate.

Whole-Grain Carbohydrates
The right carbs can act as stress busters, especially for low carb keto diet followers. Carbohydrates can increase levels of serotonin, a chemical in the body that helps boost mood and reduce stress. More serotonin means more concentration and a more productive workday. Choose right carbs like refined carbs — such as chips, cookies, and crackers — are tied to inflammation, stress, and depression. These carbs may also raise your blood pressure, straining your heart health and lead you to overeat later in the day. Complex carbs like sweet potatoes and whole grains such as whole-grain bread, quinoa, brown rice, and oats can do wonders for your stress levels because they digest more slowly and keep blood sugar levels more even.

Fatty Fish
Stress can tax the heart, but noshing on fatty fish can help strengthen your ticker and boost your mood, to boot. Heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids in whole fish like tuna, halibut, salmon, and sardines may help lower chances of depression. Lowering overall stress and anxiety is another possible benefit.

Water
Looking for a quick and simple way to ease stress? Fill your cup with water and sip away! The importance of hydration during stressful times is well-documented. Even mild dehydration can increase cortisol levels, which contributes to increased stress. While drinking enough water will not make your stressors vanish, taking this step will help set your body up to handle stress when it does occur.

Nuts
Nuts are a boon to your health in more ways than one. Not only are they satiating, they can help ward off unhealthy cravings but they could help lower blood pressure. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios are a good option to start with. B vitamins have been shown to help lower stress levels. Just remember to reach for only a small handful, as nuts are calorie dense and can lead to weight gain if you eat too many.

Avocados
Guac out to your heart’s content. Avocados are packed with healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and fiber, making for a perfect stress-fighting snack. As mentioned, vitamins C and B6 can help reduce stress, and the fruit’s potassium may help lower blood pressure. Not to mention, the healthy fats and fiber in avocados can help contribute to satiety, discouraging you from unhealthy snacking when you’re stressed.

Over to you
Preparing healthy food may be the last thing you want to do when you’re pressed for time and stressed. But rest assured that your time and effort will pay off in a positive way — and that you’ll likely notice the benefits of this plan when your stress levels are at their highest. These foods will give you more energy, a calmer mind, a boosted immune system, and maybe even a slimmer waistline. Need we say more?