Stress relieving foods

You are what you eat, so everything that goes into your mouth becomes you. Remember that we are made of trillions of cells, which are made up of protein and fats. The quality of the fats and proteins will determine the health of your skin cells, brain cells,  the cells that make up the organs of your body as well as the hormones you produce.

When your stressed it is very easy to turn to comfort foods. The problem is that comfort foods affect your blood sugar levels in a bad way.

Whether your stresses are big or small, the accumulation can lead to fatigue, anxious, depressed, unhappy, irritable, hunger and more.

These symptoms may be surprising but you must remember that the body and the mind are both connected. Your mental health plays a big impact on your physical health and vice versa.

1. Green leafy vegetables

They are filled with phytochemicals, minerals which balance your body and cause a calming effect. For example, green leafy vegetables contain pholate, which produces a pleasure inducing brain chemical known as dopamine.

Minerals help to relieve stress and green leafy vegetables have calcium, potassium and the most powerful for stress relief which is magnesium.

2. Bananas

The three types of sugars in bananas help. keep your body functioning with good energy. Bananas are said to alleviate depression, PMS, anemia, blood pressure and more. The sugars in bananas are fructose, sucrose, and glucose as well as fiber.

They also contain vitamin B6 which help the brain produce serotonin, which is a hormone that calms your mood and relaxes the brain

3. Salmon

This is a high source of Omega 3 which has been shown to boost concentration. Also, the anti inflammatory properties of Omega 3 may help to counter the affects of stress hormones.

4. Water melon

This fruit is high in electrolytes, lycaphine, and potassium which help restore your body when its extremely fatigued at the end of a long day at work or if you are just rundown.

5. Blueberries

One of the reason why this food is on the list of most top 10 healthiest foods is because its high in vitamin C, and phytonutrients. Vitamin C is one of the best anti-oxidants for relieving stress.

6. Avocados

Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats and are one of the healthiest foods in the world. They contain glutathione, which blocks the absorption of fats that can cause oxidative stress.

7. Fermented foods

The bacteria in your gut can contribute to poor brain health leading to depression and anxiety. Good gut bacteria can lead to the transmission of mood and behavioral signals to your brain. Fermented foods contain good bacteria that overtime can colonize in your gut and improve your gut health.

8. Dark Chocolate

Cocoa is a super food with many good properties that go beyond just reducing stress. It has been known to reduce the stress hormone cortisol by relaxing your blood vessels to improve circulation and lower blood pressure.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

Sugar and fats – Which is worst for you?

We all know that eating saturated fat is bad for us, and that obesity, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure (all forms of coronary vascular disease {CVD} are high in the UK and worldwide.  The question is, is it just down to the amount of saturated fat (SFA) in our food? Eskimos consume a high saturated fat diet and have a low prevalence of obesity, heart disease and other health related diseases. Also, the amount of saturated fat we eat in our food has been reduced over the last 20 years in the UK, which means other factors are responsible for these health related problems.

One of the major causes of health related diseases and weight gain are the amounts of sugar in food. The amount of SFA in our foods has been reduced, while sugar content has been increased. Sugars can be found fizzy drinks, sausages, crisps (Pringles), pizza, sausages and it is unlikely this is a coincidence. Also, many low fat ready meals are high in sugar, but are these meals healthy?