Eat to help reduce stress

[sheffy]

Are you stressed? Maybe you find there aren't enough hours in the day, you have too many commitments, you don't like to ask for help, you try and do too many things at once, or you try and take on other people's problems . Sometimes you have no time to call your own.
If this is the case one of the things that helps is to be well nourished. So as well as tackle the issues that cause the stress you need to eat regularly and not skip meals. Keep your blood sugar levels nice and even. concentrate on slow fuel food and fill up with foods rich in nutrients. i.e. low fat protein. e.g. chicken, turkey, fish and pulses like beans and lentils. Complex carbohydrates e.g wholemeal bread, brown pasta, brown rice . Vitamin C (our bodies use it up when we are stressed) e.g. citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberrie, blackberries, peppers and lightly cooked vegetables. B vitamins e.g. wholegrains, meat, poultry, nuts and bananas/
Also, cut down on caffeine. It can disrupt your sleep and raise stress hormones. It can increase your stress.

[Brian]

Good post Sheffy.

I think a good healthy diet would go a long way to making people feel better all round and prevent a lot of illnesses. I read over 50% of minor illnesses are caused by people having low imune systems due to poor diet. I suppose this stands to reason and you can't expect to eat junk and your body perform at peak level.

It's amzing really that we can abuse our bodies so much and take it for granted that we can function as well as we do.

[sheffy]

I guess everyone is so busy now that it is too tempting just to eat what is easy. Interesting that during WW11 when we were all on rations that the nation's diet was the best ever!

[SalinaA]

When I am stressed I always reach for goodies like chocolate and cake - I cant help it, it makes me feel better

[sheffy]

I guess that is what a lot of us do and that is why some people end up over weight. I am the opposite because I go off my food when I am deeply stressed.

[SalinaA]

I guess that is what a lot of us do and that is why some people end up over weight. I am the opposite because I go off my food when I am deeply stressed.

Yes deep anxiety or stress makes me not eat... But the average daily stresses have me reaching for the goodies!

This week to try and stop myself I have a little bowl of fruit next to me at work... So far I have eaten the apple.... Banana and Plum to go hehe!