Try these foods if you're feeling stressed
Feeling overwhelmed and not sure what to do about food?
Stress and nutrition are closely interlinked - more so than you might think!
Being stressed can affect our food choices, cravings, and metabolism, but on the flip side, what we eat may also affect how stressed we feel. And while some stress is inevitable in life, being aware of what we can do to help counteract its negative effects can empower us to stay well even when times get tough...
Stress has complex effects on the body (which we cover in other posts), but it also has specific effects on our health.
The hormones our body releases when under stress (mostly cortisol), stimulate appetite- in particular for high calorie foods - explaining part of why many of us reach for sugary fatty refined carb foods when we're feeling the pressure! They also increase our blood sugar levels and stimulate weight gain.
And ironically, the blood sugar roller-coaster we can end up on due to craving sugary high carb foods, and getting a larger blood sugar spike than normal, then crashing a few hours later can trigger off even more cravings for those same foods that caused the problem in the first place 😔This can also create brain fog, fatigue, and aches and pains - making it even harder to make good food choices as we feel lousy and exhausted.
Plus high sugar, ultra processed, high saturated fat foods (which we also often crave when stressed) can trigger off systemic inflammation, which may worsen stress symptoms. Add into this the effect of poor sleep (which is common when we're under stress, and also stimulates food cravings) then we can end up in a vicious cycle …
Chronic stress doesn't just make us feel bad either, it can also cause or contribute to:
✔️insulin resistance /type 2 diabetes
✔️sugar cravings
✔️persistent fatigue
✔️brain fog
✔️dementia
✔️weight gain
✔️poor sleep
✔️muscle pain
✔️autoimmune disease
✔️allergies
✔️high blood pressure
✔️heart disease
✔️irregular periods
✔️poor immune function
✔️higher risk of some cancers
✔️worsening menopausal symptoms
Meaning nutrition is extra important when we're stressed!
Research shows that typical 'Western diets' high in added sugar, refined carbs, and saturated fat can also actually increase cortisol (stress hormone) levels, and that switching this to an anti inflammatory plant focused diet can reduces cortisol level in just 8 weeks
So to counteract the physical effects of stress, as well as counteracting the symptoms of stress, the evidence points to an 'anti-inflammatory' brain healthy diet as being key
This is:
✔️low in refined carbs and added sugar (ie a low glycemic index diet, which avoids blood sugar spikes)
✔️high in whole plant foods ie 'a rainbow' (which are anti inflammatory, contain beneficial nutrients and phyto chemicals, and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases)
✔️low in saturated fat and red meat (both of which increase inflammation and risk of disease)
✔️moderate in plant protein and unsaturated fat (which help regulate blood sugar and provide a steady source of energy)
✔️high in fibre (which helps blood sugar control, as well as reducing appetite and levels of inflammation)
✔️adequate omega 3 (important for regulating inflammation, and for brain/mental health)
✔️limited in caffeine and alcohol - they may make you feel better short term but can affect sleep, as well as worsening symptoms
There is also limited evidence that certain foods can potentially help to directly mitigate stress levels ie reduce our cortisol (stress hormones) when we're under pressure.
Most of the trials on this are small, but interestingly many mirror traditional remedies for stress!
✔️Drinking tea may help - one RCT comparing black tea with placebo over 6 weeks showed tea drinkers had less of a cortisol spike when stressed and recovered faster from stressful situations
This is thought to be due to the EGCG and l-theanine content .
So making a cuppa to calm the nerves may have some basis 😉
Green tea is also a powerful antioxidant, and has been shown to reduce dementia risk - it is included in brain healthy diets such as the MIND diet.
✔️B vitamins:
B vitamins appear to reduce stress perception, which can benefit everyday mood. They are important for neurotransmitter (brain hormone) production, and also have a role in increasing energy levels and reducing inflammation - Vitamin B12 in particular seems to reduce mental and physical fatigue by helping cellular energy production.
A metanalysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) showed that B vitamins consistently reduced stress levels compared to placebo. There are also several trials showing a significant reduction in stress, anxiety, and fatigue in work situations in people who took a b complex vitamin.
And one small trial done after the Christchurch earthquake showed reduced stress levels in people given B vitamin supplements compared to those who didn't have them
B vitamins are needed for many metabolic pathways, and deficiencies increase risk of mental health issues and dementia
Thiamine (B1) helps the immune system and nerve function
Riboflavin (B2) acts as an anti oxidant
Pantothenic acid (B5) helps regulate stress hormone production and metabolism
Pyridoxine (B6) helps regulate mood and sleep as its needed for neurotransmitter production (serotonin /melatonin/GABA), it also helps with protein /fat/carb metabolism
Folate (B9) is essential for mental health and brain health as well as energy production and DNA formation, and it reduces levels of homocysteine (an amino acid that increases the risk of heart disease, strokes, and dementia)
Cobalamin (B12) is essential for energy production and brain/nerve health
Foods rich in B vitamins include leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, avocado's, citrus, eggs, and poultry/fish (all also foods included in an anti-inflammatory diet)
✔️Tryptophan:
Warm milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid which is needed for serotonin (happy hormone) production, as well as helping sleep, (serotonin is converted to it melatonin, the sleep hormone) production (a warm cup of milk before bed may have some science behind it!)
Studies show that diets high in tryptophan can help sleep quality and reduce the time taken to fall asleep, as well as reducing irritability and anxiety
Bananas, nuts, apples and oats all also contain tryptophan
✔️Magnesium:
Magnesium is often used for stress, relaxation, muscle tension, and sleep
Many cultures use mineral baths high in magnesium to help stress and aches
Stress can deplete magnesium levels, a metanalysis of magnesium and anxiety showed benefit
Magnesium is involved in production of neurotransmitters and may even affect hypothalamus function
Foods high in magnesium are again brain healthy foods - leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, avocado and even dark chocolate 😋
Magnesium is essential for tons of bodily processes, but it’s especially essential for relaxing muscles, reducing inflammation, and metabolizing cortisol. It also helps regulate the heartbeat and decrease blood pressure.
When we’re stressed, we excrete magnesium and potassium in our urine, and low levels of magnesium can intensify stress, which can create a vicious cycle. Getting enough magnesium has been shown to help decrease anxiety and stress.
You can find magnesium in pumpkin seeds and other seeds like almonds and pistachios. You can also find magnesium in broccoli, bananas, avocado, artichokes, spinach. Also, dark chocolate contains magnesium, and it has high amounts of flavonoids, which lower stress reactivity in the adrenal glands.
And the bonus of all of these foods, as well as an anti-inflammatory diet, is that they’re great for overall health too - so why not try them next time you’re feeling under pressure, and see how you feel - there’s nothing to lose!
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