Beating Stress With Better Nutrition

For most of us, stress and food go hand-in-hand. Food can give us the feelings of power, control and satisfaction that they require in stressful situations. It is no surprise that when our stress levels go up our resistance to 'comfort' foods goes down.
This is not always a bad thing because our favorite foods actually can reduce our stress levels. But moderation is key.
Giving your body the natural nutrition it needs is a positive step you can take every day toward combating stress. With the correct nutrition, you are better prepared to face the challenges of the day.
Adrenaline is produced in the event of intense stress. That gives you a burst of energy, but your blood-sugar level drops after the crisis is past. Sustaining food is necessary to replenish it. Some foods can increase the physical stress on your body by making digestion more difficult, or by denying the brain essential nutrients. Stress itself may cause bad digestion. Drinks that can have as great an effect include caffeine and alcohol. Both can put a substantial strain on the body.
With a sensible diet it is feasible to reduce the effects of stress, avoid some common issues, and protect your health.
Common Issues and Cures
     Indigestion. This can result from eating in the midst of a stressful situation, as the digestive technique is not relaxed. It may also be due to eating on the run, so always sit down to eat and eat more slowly, chewing food properly. You will then taste and enjoy your meals and snacks.
     Bloating. As all of us know, bloating is disagreeable, and stressful in itself. It could be triggered by wheat products (bread, pasta, cakes and biscuits) and dairy products (milk, cheese, butter and cream), so try cutting out each food group for a couple of weeks to see if the issue eases.
â�¢    Caffeine dependency. Relying on caffeine to keep you going is a bad idea. It raises stress hormones and can lead to insomnia and dehydration, affecting your body's ability to handle stress. There's lots of scrumptious caffeine-free options, such as herb teas.
    Hangovers. Nobody functions well with a hangover, so drinking heavily will lead to bother the following day. This does not mean that you require to keep away from alcohol , be aware of its effects, and resist using it regularly as a coping system.
   Cravings. These often hit in the middle of the afternoon, and increase at hormonal times and if under stress. To curb your cravings, include tiny portions of the craved item into your usual diet, than trying to resist . Or distract yourself by getting involved in something else, and the craving may pass. Keep healthy food nearby, and do not wait      Sugar highs and lows. Although the brain needs glucose to enable it to perform effectively, very sugary foods cause your blood sugar level to spike and then plummet, leaving you sleepy and listless. This can lead to another sweet craving, and the cycle continues.
Theory into Practice
Some tips on improving your diet:
â�¢    Breakfast. Always plan to eat breakfast, even in the event you can only manage a piece of fruit.  Breakfast gets you metabolism up and going after no 'fuel' for 10-12 hours. Fruit smoothies make a great choice for breakfast. They can be made with various combinations of fruits and with or without yogurt. Be adventurous by adding vegetables or spices.
â�¢    Lunch and the evening meal. Natural and healthy options include baked potatoes with baked beans or tuna, sushi, vegetable soup, whole-grain sandwiches or salads. In restaurants, baked fish or chicken with vegetables are lovely choices. Or go for pasta with a tomato-based sauce.  It would be great if restaurants would use natural whole grain choices! 
â�¢    In-between. To maintain your energy, snack on healthy food throughout the day. This calls for some planning. Bring a banana, yogurt, nuts and raisins, a few oatcakes or whole wheat crackers to work to have on hand.
â�¢    Drinks. Cut down on stimulants such as coffee, tea, and soda as much as you can. Trade them for decaffeinated coffee or tea, 100 percent fruit juice and herb teas. Drink lots of water to keep away from dehydration, protect your kidneys and to naturally flush out the bad stuff.
â�¢    Alcohol. Alcohol supplies few to no nutrients. Females ought to never have over seven alcoholic drinks a week, and men none over 14. Attempt to match each alcoholic drink with a glass of water or juice.
â�¢    Supplements. Think about a vitamin and mineral supplement to replace the nutrients depleted by stress, the B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Herbal supplements to aid digestion include liquorice root, aloe vera, lemongrass and kava kava. Mint, dandelion, fennel, ginger, slippery elm and meadowsweet teas help digestion.  Also, some green teas are supposed to help with weight loss but read labels as many are not decaffeinated.