Foods That Help Tame Stress

Is There a Stress Management Diet?

Stress: We all have it, and how we handle it can make all the difference. Stress management can be a powerful tool for wellness, since too much stress is bad for you. There are many strategies, and one of them includes what you eat. Read on to learn how a stress management diet can help.

Stress-Busting Foods: How They Work

Foods can help tame stress in several ways. Comfort foods, like a bowl of warm oatmeal, boost levels of serotonin, a calming brain chemical. Other foods can cut levels of cortisol and adrenaline, stress hormones that take a toll on the body over time. A healthy diet can help counter the impact of stress by shoring up the immune system and lowering blood pressure. Do you know which foods are stress busters?

Complex Carbs

All carbs prompt the brain to make more serotonin. For a steady supply of this feel-good chemical, it's best to eat complex carbs, which take longer to digest. Good choices include whole-grain breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals, including old-fashioned oatmeal. Complex carbs can also help you feel balanced by stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Simple Carbs

Dietitians usually recommend steering clear of simple carbs, which include sweets and soda. But in a pinch, these foods can hit the spot. They're digested quickly, leading to a spike in serotonin. Still, it doesn't last long, and there are better options. So don't make these a stress-relieving habit; you should limit them.

Oranges

Oranges make the list for their wealth of vitamin C. Studies suggest this vitamin can curb levels of stress hormones while strengthening the immune system. In one study of people with high blood pressure, blood pressure and levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) returned to normal more quickly when people took vitamin C before a stressful task.

Spinach

Too little magnesium may trigger headaches and fatigue, compounding the effects of stress. One cup of spinach helps you stock back up on magnesium. Don't like spinach? Other green, leafy vegetables are good magnesium sources. Or try some cooked soybeans or a fillet of salmon, also high in magnesium.

Fatty Fish

To keep stress in check, make friends with naturally fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as salmon and tuna, can prevent surges in stress hormones and may help protect against heart disease, depression, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). For a steady supply of feel-good omega-3s, aim to eat 3 ounces of fatty fish at least twice a week.

Black Tea

Drinking black tea may help you recover from stressful events more quickly. One study compared people who drank 4 cups of tea daily for 6 weeks with people who drank another beverage. The tea drinkers reported feeling calmer and had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after stressful situations.

Pistachios

Pistachios, as well as other nuts and seeds, are good sources of healthy fats. Eating a handful of pistachios, walnuts, or almonds every day may help lower your cholesterol, ease inflammation in your heart's arteries, make diabetes less likely, and protect you against the effects of stress. Don't overdo it, though: Nuts are rich in calories.

Avocados

One of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure is to get enough potassium, and half an avocado has more potassium than a medium-sized banana. A little bit of guacamole, made from avocado, might be a good choice when stress has you craving a high-fat treat. Avocados are high in fat and calories, though, so watch your portion size.

Almonds

Almonds are chock-full of helpful vitamins: vitamin E to bolster the immune system, plus B vitamins, which may make you more resilient during bouts of stress or depression. To get the benefits, snack on a quarter of a cup every day.

Raw Veggies

Crunchy raw vegetables can help ease stress in a purely mechanical way. Munching celery or carrot sticks helps release a clenched jaw, and that can ward off tension.

Bedtime Snack

Carbs at bedtime can speed the release of the brain chemical serotonin and help you sleep better. Since heavy meals before bed can trigger heartburn, stick to something light.

Milk

Another bedtime stress buster is the time-honored glass of warm milk. Research shows that calcium eases anxiety and mood swings linked to PMS. Dietitians typically recommend skim or low-fat milk.

Herbal Supplements

There are many herbal supplements that claim to fight stress. One of the best studied is St. John's wort, which has shown benefits for people with mild to moderate depression. Although more research is needed, the herb also appears to reduce symptoms of anxiety and PMS. There is less data on valerian root, another herb said to have a calming effect. Tell your doctor about any supplements you take, so they can check on any possible interactions.

De-Stress With Exercise

Besides changing your diet, one of the best stress-busting strategies is to start exercising. Aerobic exercise boosts oxygen circulation and spurs your body to make feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Aim for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times a week. If you're not active now, tell your health care provider you're going to start exercising -- they'll root for you and make sure you're ready to get moving.

Source
http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-diet-for-stress-management

Sources

Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD on 6/, 014

This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information

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How to Prevent Crazy PMS Cravings From Making You Gain a Few

You just ate lunch, but 30 minutes later, you can't stop thinking about chocolate, so you eat it. Then 10 minutes after that, you want something salty and crunchy, so you down a few handfuls of pretzels. Then 10 minutes later, ice cream seems like the best idea you've ever had. What gives? Then you realise you're due for your period next week. Damn those PMS cravings!

You can thank your hormones, specifically cortisol and serotonin. Nutritionists Stephanie Clarke, RD, and Willow Jarosh, RD, of C&J Nutrition explain the "stress hormone cortisol tends to spike right before your period and the calm-inducing hormone serotonin tends to dip. This combo causes cravings for sweets and carbs as well as fatty foods." Here's how to make sure your PMS cravings don't sabotage your goals.

Skip These

Willow and Stephanie recommend choosing the least-processed carbs you can to keep blood sugar levels steady. That means skipping crackers and chips and choosing cooked whole grains and starchy veggies such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, beans, lentils, peas, and Winter squash. Bake up some sweet potato fries, satisfy your salty-sweet cravings with these honey-roasted cinnamon chickpeas, or snack on crunchy and salted roasted edamame.

Eat This For Breakfast

Eating at least 20 grams of protein at the first meal of the day can also help stabilise blood sugar levels and keep you feeling more satisfied. Plain Greek yoghurt with nuts and fruit, eggs with half a cup of sautéed potatoes and 230 mL of soy milk, or a vanilla milkshake protein smoothie are great high-protein options.

Hunger Is Your Enemy

Since your willpower is already waning and strong carb cravings can get even stronger if you're overly hungry, avoid feeling anything close to famished so your crazy cravings don't cause you to mindlessly pig out. Aim to eat a snack or meal at least every three hours to keep hunger at bay.

Two Cents About Caffeine and Alcohol

Consuming too much caffeine can make you feel more irritable and stressed out, but cutting out your usual daily cup can leave you even more on edge. So while Willow and Stephanie don't recommend cutting out caffeine entirely, they do recommend having a smaller cup of joe. And definitely cut out the afternoon cup, since caffeine can disrupt your sleep, which adds to the grumpiness and low energy that make you want to reach for sugary pick-me-ups. Alcohol can have the same effects on sleep and can also make you feel down and decrease your inhibitions and your ability to say no to overindulging. Skipping those evening glasses of wine the week before Aunt Flo arrives might seem like the absolute worst idea ever, but try it this month to see if it helps curb cravings.

How to Beat Bloat

PMS bloat can make you feel less like exercising and can also be a culprit in "I've already gained weight so it doesn't matter what I eat" thinking. But exercise is just what you need to help boost your mood and reduce PMS symptoms, so try to keep up with your regular workouts. If cramps make that impossible, try gentler exercise such as long walks, swimming, or yoga. In addition, Stephanie and Willow suggest skipping the sugary, carby, and fatty foods that can cause bloating and to take a probiotic to help keep your body's natural good bacteria in balance, which can also help to reduce that puffy feeling.

WTH, Just Give In!

You can also say, "F*ck it, it's only one week," and give in to your cravings. But there are lower-calorie ways to satisfy your needs so you can keep your mood happy without gaining weight this time every month. For ice cream cravings, make this dairy-free cherry chocolate chip ice cream. If ooey-gooey pizza's on the brain, make this low-carb version with a cauliflower crust. In the mood for a candy bar? Skip the Snickers and make these chocolate-covered caramels containing dates and sunflower seeds. Then once the cravings subside, you can go back to eating clean and healthy.

Source
http://www.popsugar.com.au/fitness/How-Deal-PMS-Cravings-37638900

HOMEMADE VANILLA ALMOND MILK

Do you know what one of my favorite parts of my juice cleanse was? It was finally getting to that moment in the day where I was able to enjoy the vanilla almond juice. It was the final juice of the day, and by far, my favorite. Unlike the other juices, this one had more of a smoothie consistency, feeling far more substantial and filling. It also tasted amazing. It was hard to believe there was no sugar in the drink! There were only four ingredients: vanilla bean, almonds, dates, and filtered water.

Even though I didn’t love the last juice cleanse I did, I must admit that I miss drinking that final juice of the day. Of all the juices I’ve ever had, in my life, I have to say it is my favorite.

While I’d love to have that drink every day of my life, I don’t think my paycheck could support that kind of habit! So an alternative will have to do.

Almond milk isn’t exactly the same as the vanilla almond juice that I had in my cleanse, but it’s close, and it definitely satisfies my cravings! This recipe uses the same ingredients as the drink from my cleanse, and it’s a surprisingly easy recipe to follow! Grab your cheesecloth and get started!

Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk

Makes 5-6 cups of almond milk

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups raw almonds
• 5 + 2 cups filtered water
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (or real vanilla bean) [I chose to use pure vanilla extract instead of real vanilla bean based on price]
• 2-4 large Medjool dates, pitted

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, soak the raw almonds in filtered water. Make sure the filtered water covers the top of the almonds. Cover the bowl and let the almonds soak overnight. They will expand to nearly twice their size! You can soak them up to 24 hours, but don’t let them soak longer or else they might begin to rot!

2. When you’re ready to make the almond milk, drain and rinse the plump almonds. Then, throw the almonds in the blender or food processor (I’m using a Vitamix) along with 5 cups of filtered water, vanilla extract, and dates. Blend until smooth.

3. Now it’s time to strain the almond juice using the cheesecloth. Lay the cheesecloth over a large bowl (for your almond milk). Pour some of the blended almond milk over the cheesecloth to strain out the chunks. Do this little by little so you aren’t overwhelmed! Wring the cheesecloth to get all the moisture possible out of the blended almonds.

The pulp that remains in the cheesecloth is actually almond meal. You can set that aside and freeze to use in recipes (like in macarons!)

4. Continue to strain the almond juice until you have no blended almonds remaining.

That’s it! Shake the juice before drinking, as separation WILL occur. Keep refrigerated, and drinking within 5 days.

*Tip* for a thicker almond milk, add less filtered water. For a sweeter almond milk, add more dates.

Source
http://www.thesassyRlife.com/homemade-vanilla-almond-milk/