The world seems like it’s divided right down the middle when it comes to eating healthily; those that have the time and patience for it and those that simply don’t and are all too guilty on giving in to those unhealthy cravings.
Whether that means indulging in heavy carbs enveloped in cheese, or the fudgiest of brownies. But when it comes to combating frazzled nerves and soaring stress levels, what you eat or in fact what you don’t eat may help you out in the larger scheme of things.
Everyone knows how to reduce stress in general. It’s common knowledge, eat well-balanced meals, get enough sleep and exercise daily.
Fish, in particular fatty fish (very underestimated), are a great source of Omega 3, and you can bet that Omega 3 helps withstand the pressures of everyday life. Eating fatty fish such as Salmon and Tuna has been found to ease and relieve depressive symptoms and anxiety by enhancing communication between nerve cells.
Similarly, the right kind of carbohydrates have been found to amplify neurotransmitters (i.e. Dopamine), which in turn generally boosts morale and can reduce stress. Substitute refined carbs for whole grains, try to look past the colour! Try eating more brown rice, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and whole wheat breads and pastas and popcorn (just not the kind that’s coated in salt and dripping in butter).
Getting enough sleep is crucial when it comes to stress and anxiety levels. Serotonin is not only key in helping to establish a healthy sleep pattern, but it also helps with stabilizing your mood. Tryptophan is most commonly found in protein-based foods, so encourage yourself to gorge on nuts and seeds as an alternative snack to crisps and such. Indulge in dark chocolate as opposed to milk or white chocolate. If you’re not a huge fan of dark chocolate, opt for bars with 70% cocoa. Whatever you thought you knew about cheese, forget it. Cheese HELPS you sleep. Hard cheeses like Parmesan and Cheddar were found to have the highest levels of tryptophan with Mozzarella coming in a close second.
Exercising daily is globally renowned for being able to combat stress. Eating healthy carbs and constantly hydrating yourself with some good ol’ water is said to hugely impact how you perform physically. Foods with a high water content help combat bloating and inflammation helping you navigate through the day easier and happier, stress-free. Cucumbers, melon, strawberries, spinach, cabbage etc. all fight for first place in the ‘highest water content’ race.
By all means, if you’re feeling down and you know the only thing that’s going to make you feel better is Ben and Jerry’s finest tub of phish food, then you eat that whole thing.
Long term however, what you eat does affect your health, mood and behaviour and this should be duly noted by everyone.