Eat Your Way Stress-Free
The meals you will reach for when you’re anxious are most likely to be traditional “comfort” foods, such as large dinners, take-out, fatty meals, precious items, and alcohol. We’ve all found solace in a good meal and a bottle of beer or glass of wine when stressed out or angry about something. Let’s look at how you can eat your way stress-free.
However, this isn’t a long-term solution. When you turn to unhealthy meals, you may feel better momentarily, but your health will suffer in the end. You can start to feel less energetic, sluggish, and distracted if your body isn’t receiving adequate food. All of this might result in even more stress.
These stress-reducing eating habits offer only temporary relief that will cause you to stress down the road. It’s time to bring your stress levels under control and eat healthily, following a stress-reducing diet.
To help you avoid these side effects of unhealthy eating, here are some stress-reducing tips regarding food:
Eat Your Way Stress-Free With These Foods
If you feel more stressed out these days, it’s good to know what foods are best and foods to avoid. When it comes to stress and helping you to deal with feelings of anxiety is to have a healthy, balanced diet. Choosing foods like whole grains, leafy vegetables, and lean proteins as the basic staples in your diet is the best way that your body gets the optimum nutrients for both your physical and mental health. Try these stress-busting foods that will help heal and calm your mind permanently, rather than providing a temporary.
Some of the best eat your way stress-free foods include:
• Avocado is a creamy and versatile fruit that can be raw, cooked in sauces, dressings, and dips, or used in smoothies. Because of their high glutathione content, which inhibits intestinal fat absorption, these nutrient-dense fruits help your body resist stress. Avocados also contain vitamin E, folate, and beta-carotene levels than any other fruit, giving them added stress-busting abilities. However, when eating avocado, keep portion control in mind since it is rich in fat.
• Blueberries – If you’re feeling down and reaching for snacks, replacing chocolate or chips with one of the finest superfoods is a fantastic method to assist you in coping with your stress levels and a high level of calm. Blueberries have some of the most significant amounts of antioxidants, particularly anthocyanin, which means that this berry has a range of health advantages, including improved memory, attention, and concentration – all things that can help you manage your stress.
• Chamomile Tea – It’s not just what you’re eating that affects how stressful your life is; what you drink can also help or aggravate your stress levels. If you drink beverages containing a lot of sugar and caffeine regularly, such as coffee, energy drinks, or soda, you may develop higher stress levels. Chamomile tea has been used at bedtime for centuries as a sleep aid. It has also been studied in clinical trials and found to relieve anxiety disorder symptoms effectively.
• Chocolate – Chocolate has been shown in studies to make people happier. Chocolate is linked to our mood, even though some chocolates are loaded with sugar and considered harmful. It does not mean that you should start eating chocolate bars when stressed out; instead, chocolate works best as a de-stressor when consumed in moderation and as part of a healthy and balanced diet. Dark chocolate, in particular, contains more flavonols and polyphenols than many fruit juices, making it superior for you since it includes more of these vitamins than other drinks.
• Beef – Grass-fed beef is better for the environment and animals but also for humans. Grass-fed meat contains many antioxidants, including beta-carotene and Vitamins C and E, which can help your body fight stress and anxiety. If you want additional reasons to spend a little extra on organic grass-fed beef, it’s lower in fat than grain-finished beef while containing more omega-3 fats.
• Oatmeal – Oatmeal may be incorporated into a hearty comfort meal or enjoyed on its own as a nutritious breakfast. Oatmeal is particularly beneficial because it can be eaten as a delicious comfort food or as a healthy breakfast. Eating oatmeal boosts serotonin levels in the brain, making you feel calmer and less anxious. Children who eat oatmeal for breakfast are more alert during school than those who eat other morning meals.
• Walnuts – If you’re trying to keep a handle on your stress levels and need something nutritionally beneficial, walnuts are an excellent option. There’s no denying that walnuts have an excellent taste and texture, and they can be a part of a dessert or in-between meal substitute. Walnuts are great for salads too.
• Pistachios are another food that is excellent for munching on and can help with stress and anxiety in the long run. When you’re stressed, eating two small, snack-size amounts of pistachios each day was found to decrease vascular narrowing, putting additional strain on your heart by widening your arteries. The rhythmic, continuous act of shelling pistachios may also be soothing!
• Leafy, green vegetables should be a staple in everyone’s diet. Choose greens that are high in nutrients and antioxidants, which aid in preventing disease and making your body feel healthier and more energetic. Spinach, for example, is excellent since it is high in folic acid, which helps your body manufacture more mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin. Making greens a regular part of your daily diet will help you feel happier and less stressed throughout the day.
• Fermented Foods Last but not least, fermented foods, including yogurt, can aid in maintaining a healthy gut, which will help enhance your mental health and reduce stress. The beneficial bacteria in fermented foods such as yogurt actively impact your brain chemistry by influencing neurochemicals and sending positive mood and behavioural regulating messages via the vagus nerve.
Putting Together Your Diet Plan to Eat Your Way Stress-Free
Planning your meals is key to staying fit and healthy, staying mentally strong, and managing your stress levels best. Knowing the foods to avoid and what to snack on when you’re worried and anxious is essential to helping you control your emotions.
When you’re stressed, you may feel tempted to reach for the classic ‘comfort food choices’ with sugar, starch, and fat. Many foods can make you feel better in the moment, and they will impact your health in the long run. So switch your focus to eating your way stress-free.
Fresh berries, yogurt, dark chocolate, walnuts or pistachios, or even a fruit smoothie with avocado and leafy greens can all help you feel better when it comes to stress.
Creating a weekly meal plan with a good variety of stress-free foods in your kitchen is essential to create meals and snacks when you’re feeling stressed—ensuring that most of your dinners include items like lean proteins and leafy greens. It will also boost your mood and reduce your anxiety levels.
Here’s an excellent example of a nutritious, eat-your-way stress-free menu plan:
Breakfast: Oatmeal and berries or a smoothie with avocado, fruit, and berries
Mid-morning snack: Natural organic yogurt with fruit or a handful of walnuts.
Lunch: A whole-grain organic pasta salad filled with loads of leafy greens
Afternoon snack: Dark chocolate
Dinner: Grass-fed beef with veggies
Before bed: Chamomile tea
Please don’t feel like you have to follow this outline; use eat your way stress-free as a guide to give you some direction! Remember to pay attention to your portion sizes when eating nuts, chocolate, yogurt, and avocado! We all know that saying, you are what you eat. Be sure you’re filling yourself with foods that are good for your mental health.
If you find yourself reaching for comfort food when you’re stressed, then it’s time to rethink your eating habits and give the eat your way stress-free a try. Grabbing that take-out or ordering a large dinner may feel like the right thing to do at first, but these are not long-term solutions. You’ll be short on energy and sluggish if all you eat is fatty foods with little nutritional value – especially over an extended period of time. Here are some better ways to fight stress without harming your health: Want to get on a solid, healthy nutrition plan? Book a consultation today.