You may notice that you reach for the
potato chips when a television program becomes particularly frightening. Or you grab the crackers at work when you
learn that you’ll have to handle a new project.
You may also nibble on candy bars when you’re having difficulty
controlling your children. These eating
patterns are all a reaction to stress.
Stress plays an important part in our
daily diet. In fact, a great deal of
overeating has been attributed to stress.
However, it is also true that your diet can have an impact on
stress. There are certain foods that
tend to worsen our stress levels. A
number of these foods fall into the category of stimulants.
Of course, the best-known stimulant is
caffeine. You’ll find it not only in
coffee, but in soft drinks, tea, and chocolate.
Your heart beat races, as does your mind, when you are served a
significant amount of caffeine. Caffeine
consumption may even be connected to high blood pressure. However, you might not want to cut out
caffeine entirely all at once. A gradual
reduction will help lessen your withdrawal symptoms.
Consuming alcohol can also increase
your stress level. It leads to the
production of adrenaline, which can cause you to have difficulty sleeping. You might also experience a feeling of
tension as a result of your alcohol intake.
In addition, alcohol makes it more difficult for the body to get rid of
toxins. Smoking is also quite dangerous,
increasing hypertension and leading to heart disease.
Chances are you will experience a great
deal of stress after eating sugar. This
is because this sweet substance can exhaust the adrenal glands, leading to
depression and irritability. While some
people tend to reach for sugar cookies when they are feeling stressed, the
irony is that sugar-filled snacks can actually make you feel even more stressed
out.
Salt and fat are two substances that
can increase your stress level. Salt,
for instance, raises the blood pressure, causing an individual to feel as if
his or her emotions are out of control.
As a result, you should not eat high-salt foods such as ham or
sausage. Meanwhile, consuming fat can
put strain on the cardiovascular system, leading to more stress. In general,
you should avoid highly processed food, which tends to be sparse in nutritional
value.
If you want to get your stress level under control, consider a diet that
is rich in whole foods, fruits, and vegetables.
These are natural stress-busters, filled with nutrients that will help
you to feel good over the long run.
Also, these foods are far less likely to result in weight gain—another
significant cause of stress. Some
dieticians recommend eating a diet that is 65 to 70 percent raw in order to
ensure that you receive the maximum amount of nutrients—nutrients which could
be otherwise lost during the cooking process.
How do you know if your diet is
stressing you out? Pay close attention
to the warning signs. For instance, do
you get headaches right after eating?
Are you experiencing neck or back pain?
Do you feel irritable after dinner?
Do you feel anxious for no reason?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you could be dealing
with food-induced stress. As you attempt
to combat that stress, you should also make sure that you get at least seven
hours of sleep each night in order to ensure that you are well-rested. Being tired can contribute significantly to
your stress level.
There is no question that eating right
can reduce your stress. Indulging in
caffeine-filled drinks or fatty foods can simply make you hyper, unable to
relax or to concentrate. However, if you
eat meals that are rich in vitamins and minerals, you could find your stress
level significantly reduced. Plan your
meals ahead of time to ensure that you receive the maximum nutrition. Be sure to eat slowly and
deliberately—feeling rushed at mealtime can contribute to your stress
level. The good news is diet is a
stressor you can easily control. By
following a few common sense techniques, you can ensure that you are eating a
diet which will greatly reduce your stress.
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