Fighting stress through diet change
At lunch time you feast on snacks because you could not afford the time to eat any balanced meal. At the close of work, you rush to the children’s school to pick them up after lesson, then head for the house but meet heavy traffic congestion(like on Kubwa road in Abuja) back home. You spend […]
At lunch time you feast on snacks because you could not afford the time to eat any balanced meal. At the close of work, you rush to the children’s school to pick them up after lesson, then head for the house but meet heavy traffic congestion(like on Kubwa road in Abuja) back home. You spend about an hour driving back home. When you eventually get there you are too tired to cook any balanced diet and you make indomie for the children. While reclining on the couch in your sitting room you sleep off and wake up from the sound of horn from your husband’s car. Then you drag your feet to the bedroom and wake up at 6am the next morning.
The result; you barely got a sound sleep and the next morning you are all tired and yawning at the office. You end up drinking endless of cups tea to prevent you from falling asleep at your desk.
Sounds familiar? Yes the diagnosis is that you are going through great amount of stress in your life and it’s high time you take a break.
In the book The Hallelujah Diet by George Malkmus with Peter & Stowe Shockey, they asked, “Could these problems be caused by the foods we eat?”They submit that there is a body-mind connection between what we eat and our emotional stability. They assert that each thing you eat and drink affects how your brain neurotransmitters are balanced. Unhealthy sugar-based carbohydrates and the accumulation of partially digested proteins can lead the mind to an altered and depressive state. Providing the body with high quality fuel will help assure proper function. An unhealthy body is the home of an unhealthy mind; but as you detoxify your system, you free your mind as well.
To help you to reduce stress, there are easy stress relievers, which can actually change your moods and reduce your stress to a great degree, according to health experts. These tips include:
Drink plenty of water. It is the easiest task you can do every day to keep yourself lively. If you starve your body of water; you will function below your best and you will get stressed physically and mentally. Therefore, It is very important to drink water as it keeps you well-hydrated and helps enormously to reduce stress. Water is key in any diet as it allows your body to flush out toxins and keep cells hydrated. Simple test to check out if your body is properly hydrated is when you pee. Check if your pee is clear or near clear. If it is yellow you are not taking enough water. When you drink water you need to pee. This gives you a bit of a break and a bit of exercise now and then, which also reduces stress. The best way to start drinking water is by keeping some on your desk at all times – it’s human nature to drink it if it’s there.
Dietiticians say bananas are a rich source of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is very commonly linked to stress and anxiety disorders. Increasing your magnesium intake will decrease anxiety and even help you sleep better. Other great magnesium rich foods are beans, nuts and green vegetables.
Drinking milk everyday can reduce physical responses to stress, enhance memory and improve your mood as it contains enormous amount of proteins. It also helps reduce stress because it has antioxidants that destroy free radicals. Have a bowl of whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk in the morning to start your day with a stress-fighting breakfast.
Fish contains huge amount of vitamin B and especially tuna and salmon have great potentials of reducing stress. Try eating fish at least twice a week to keep a guard on your stress levels. The simple formula is, buy tuna sandwich or tuna salad for your lunch and eat fish regularly to fight stress.
Oranges are very rich in vitamin C. When you are stressed, your body releases even more free radicals than usual. Vitamin C helps to keep the free radicals in check, and repairs the body. Basically, it helps protect the body from the cumulative effects of stress. Thus, adding oranges in your daily diet is another simple way to reduce stress.
Dark green vegetables are sources of vitamins that help replenish our bodies in times of stress. Many vegetables contain potassium, which is good for our nerves and can calm them. Sticking to a diet with green vegetables is the best and easiest way to eradicate stress from your life.
Alternatively you can reduce stress by other ways which can be in the form of exercising regularly, listening to music, reading or spending some time enjoying your favourite hobby. So get going, take control of your life, enjoy it to the fullest and say good-bye to stress forever.