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Stress strategies begin in your plate
In a previous page we defined stress. We also looked at some of its causes. We learned that stress can manifest itself in many ways, including anxiety, overeating, skin eruptions, anger, depression, and feeling tired all the time, no matter how much sleep we get.
In this page, I will provide you with some tools that you may want to give a try. They are based on dietary changes that, in time, will help you function at an optimal level. Ready? Here we go!
Number 1: Eat breakfast every morning. I know that some people, like my husband, cannot stomach food first thing in the morning, however.... Give yourself half an hour or so to "get your wits together". Then eat something, if only just a bowl of cold cereal. Research has shown that even a bowl of cereal can help decrease cortisol levels (cortisol is one of the stress hormones, remember?).
Number 2: Include omega 3 oils in your diet. They can be found in fatty fish such as salmon. Omega 3s will help you feel mentally alert. Of course, I'd rather see you get your omega 3s from an actual piece of salmon or tuna, but if you must buy the stuff in pill form, so be it...
Number 3: Instead of eating two large meals a day (which will make you feel sluggish a little later), make it a habit to eat small meals every three or four hours. These small meals should include carbohydrates for energy (Please don't tell me about the bad and unjustified publicity they get!) Your (small) meal should also include some protein, to sustain energy levels, if needed. Also include some healthy fats like those naturally found in nuts and olives. They will help your tummy feel satisfied.
Number Four: Keep your hydration level up. If you do not like to drink a lot of water, choose foods that have high water content. These include watermelons, oranges, yogurt, broccoli or oranges.
Number Five: Do not forget to add fiber! Fiber has a time-release effect on the carbohydrates. This will help diminish the "high" you can get from carbohydrates, followed by the almost inevitable "slump". The added protein (see #3 above), along with the fiber, will solve the carbos' high and low problem. So there, problem solved!
Before it slips my mind... In addition to helping you feel more alert, the omega 3s will also help your body store the carbohydrates in the form of glycogen rather than in the form of fat. Glycogen, in case you forgot, is the principal source of stored fuel in the body).
Well, I really hope you will give these tips a good try. Before I leave you... I would also like to mention the importance of exercise, how losing some extra "baggage" will help with stress and much more.
As usual, please do not expect overnight miracles. Be consistent and have faith. You will soon begin to reap the rewards of your new healthy habit. The turtle wins the race.
It's a matter of stress
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