EAT TO BEAT… STRESS
ONE of the first body mechanisms to fall prey to prolonged stress is blood sugar balance. When blood sugar levels drop, there are only a few ways to raise them — food, stimulants or stress hormones from the adrenal glands.
If we don’t eat in response to the falling levels, we can become accustomed to running on adrenaline and lose hunger signals. For example, if we frequently skip breakfast and charge out of the door in a high-stress state, it can start to feel ‘normal’ to energise ourselves via stress, but that will eventually wear us out and keep our brains highly agitated. It’s a vicious circle.
And so is the alternative — giving in to the craving for sugar stimulated by the stress response.
A lack of willpower — and weight gain — only adds to the stress by making us feel guilty or ashamed. Diet can help to break the cycle by soothing a stressed mind.
Calming salads
CELERY and lettuce contain the chemical apigenin, which activates the soothing parasympathetic tone of the nervous system.
Celery also contains high levels of the mineral potassium, which is needed to ease the stress response. Add it to soups and stews to make particularly reassuring comfort food.
Get a magnesium boost
THERE is no more important nutrient to mention in the face of modern stress than magnesium.
The stress response uses magnesium up quickly as it works to create energy and get the heart pumping faster and the muscles ready for ‘fight or flight’.
But magnesium is also needed by the calming parasympathetic nervous system, so if stress depletes our stores, calming down can be difficult. We then get caught in a state of constant alert.
Good magnesium food sources include green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, carrots, sweet potato, avocado, cauliflower, the sesame dip tahini, parsley, soy, whole grains and lentils.
But even if you’re eating plenty of these foods, if you feel under prolonged stress, it’s safe to supplement with extra magnesium from your health food store.
Stress-busting stews
DON’T underestimate the calming effect of something hot to eat or drink. Holding mugs or bowls of warm liquids between our hands has been proven to have a soothing effect, and has even been shown to alleviate feelings of loneliness. Try herbal teas or steaming soups or stew with plenty of veg.