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Five Foods that Fight Stress
When you’re under stress, your first impulse may be to reach for a bag of chips or some other unhealthy food that brings an instant burst of false satisfaction and relief. Unfortunately, the effects of these foods are short-lived. Cookies, candy, soda and over-processed fast food items can wreck your teeth, spike your blood sugar and ultimately cause your stress to become even worse. On the other hand, there are many healthy foods that can stabilize your blood sugar, provide valuable nutrients and actually help reduce your stress levels. Here are five stress-busting foods that you should add to your menu to prevent stress from ruining your health and well-being.
Spinach and other greens
Green, leafy vegetables are full of folate, a nutrient that produces a feel-good brain chemical called dopamine. Studies have found that people who consume higher levels of folate feel calmer and happier and are less likely to become depressed.
Salmon
Stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol go out of control when you’re under extreme mental or emotional pressure. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon counteract the inflammatory effects of these hormones to help prevent stress-related physical symptoms and long-term damage to your health.
Chocolate
Indulgence isn’t always bad. Small amounts of dark chocolate have been shown to help reduce stress hormones. Chocolate also has other benefits. Cocoa is full of healthy antioxidants, and these can help relax the walls of your blood vessels and improve circulation. To enjoy the euphoria of chocolate therapy, select varieties that contain 70 percent cocoa or more.
Cashews
Cashews are high in zinc, a mineral that may reduce anxiety and irritability in people who don’t get enough of it. Zinc has a direct effect on nerve chemicals that influence mood. If you’re already getting plenty of zinc, adding more zinc-rich foods like cashews may not improve your stress levels, but they’re still a healthy alternative to junk food.
Seeds
Magnesium can help regulate emotions and lift depression and fatigue, and many healthy seeds offer a generous dose; these include flax seed, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
Don’t Forget Your First Line of Defense
Despite your best efforts to prevent stress through a healthy diet and lifestyle, there will be times when major stress-producing events like work deadlines, relationship problems or family illnesses drag you into a state of physical unbalance. When you’re suffering sore, tight muscles, chronic back pain, arthritis flare-ups or overwhelming fatigue due to emotional or mental stress in your life, massage could be a perfect solution. A relaxing massage can work together with your healthy diet and positive outlook to wipe stress and its physical symptoms out of your life.
If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live? -Unknown-