Food to Eat When You are Stressed

Almonds, pistachios and walnuts

When all hell breaks loose, reach for a handful of almonds. They’re bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that bolsters the immune system. About a quarter cup every day is all you need. Sick of almonds? Shell pistachios or crack walnuts. Both will help keep your heart from racing when things heat up. Eat about a handful of pistachios a day to lower blood pressure so your heart doesnt have to work overtime. Walnuts have also been found to lower blood pressure, both at rest and under stress. Add a handful to salads, cereal, or oatmeal.

Avocados

The humble avo’s double whammy of monounsaturated fat and potassium can lower blood pressure. A good way to reduce high blood pressure is to get enough potassium – and just half an avocado offers 487 milligrams, more than you’ll get from a medium-size banana. To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, puree a medium avo with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne.

Skim milk

Science backs up the old warm-milk remedy for insomnia and restlessness. Turns out calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, says Dr Mary Dallman, professor of physiology at the University of California. A glass of milk may also reduce stressful PMS symptoms such as mood swings, anxiety and irritability.

Oatmeal

Carbohydrates make the brain produce more serotonin, the same relaxing brain chemical released when you eat dark chocolate. The more slowly your body absorbs carbs, the more steadily serotonin flows, according to Dr Judith Wurtman, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet. The result: a less-likely-to-snap you. Because thick, hearty oatmeal is high in fibre, few things take longer for your stomach to digest, says dietician Elizabeth Somer. Wurtman also recommends topping it with a swirl of jam for a quicker release of serotonin.

Oranges

Fretting over a job interview or presentation at work? Pour yourself a glass of OJ or peel yourself an orange. The magic nutrient here is vitamin C. In a study in Psychopharmacology, German researchers subjected 120 people to a public-speaking task plus a series of math problems. Those who took 3 000 milligrams of vitamin C reported that they felt less stressed, and their blood pressure and levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) returned to normal faster.

Salmon

Stress hormones have an archenemy: omega-3 fatty acids. A 2003 study from Diabetes & Metabolism found that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids kept cortisol and adrenaline from geysering. Omega-3 fatty acids also protect against heart disease. Eat an 85g serving of fish, especially fatty fish like salmon and light tuna, at least twice a week. Not a fish eater? For another omega-3 punch, buy foods fortified with DHA (you’ll find this particular fatty acid in eggs, yogurt, milk, and soy products); but don’t go out of your way for products that boast booming levels of ALA, another fatty acid, which may not work as well.

Spinach

Magnesium can help lower your stress levels, keeping your body in a state of relative ease as you kick off yet another round of small talk at the company party. Not getting enough magnesium may trigger migraine headaches and make you feel fatigued. Just one cup of spinach provides 40 percent of your daily value – so try subbing it for lettuce on sandwiches and salads.

From: MWEB.com/ Posted by Mags