I’ve been writing about stress management quite often over the past few months. There’s a reason for it — we’re stressed out! I don’t know about you, but between pandemic worries and the uncertainty of the future along with constant changes to our day-to-day lives...we’re living in stressful, stressful times, my friends.
There are plenty of ways to manage stress. We’ve covered many of them: mindfulness exercises, a network of support, exercise, and a good night’s sleep, to name a few. One of the things I mention, too, is the importance of a healthy diet.
I feel like we can dive a little bit deeper. What you eat matters. Nutrition plays a big role in how our bodies function — not only in terms of physical health, like weight and bone density but in hormone regulation and even happiness.
Here are a few things you should eat if you want to get an advantage over your stress levels.
How Food Impacts Your Stress Levels
There are three chemicals that greatly impact stress in the body: cortisol, adrenaline, and serotonin. While cortisol and adrenaline produce a stress response in the body, serotonin is a chemical known to promote feelings of well-being and happiness.
The foods that we eat can, in turn, increase or decrease the presence of these chemicals, resulting in fluctuating levels of stress in the body. Remember, stress isn’t just about having too much on your mind. While there is a mental component to stress to be sure, it affects health the most in physical ways.
5 Stress-Busting Foods
1) Turkey
Everyone always talks about how the turkey at Thanksgiving makes you want to take a nap. And there’s some truth to that. Tryptophan is an amino acid that creates niacin, an essential part of creating serotonin. It’s less that you’re sleepy and more that you’re feeling content thanks to that resulting serotonin boost! Of course, the added boost of melatoninfrom tryptophan definitely makes you sleepy.
Turkey isn’t the only tryptophan-rich food out there, either. Soybeans, certain nuts and seeds (namely pumpkin and squash), cheddar, parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses, beans, lentils, and whole eggs all are a good source of this feel-good amino acid.
2) Complex Carbs
Complex carbs, such as whole-grain products and sweet potatoes, are known to boost serotonin levels. This is in addition to other benefits, like vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients. Oatmeal makes a great breakfast if you’re looking to lower your stress levels.
3) Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate comes with two primary benefits. One, it feels like an indulgence. Psychologically, you’re treating yourself. Physically, you’re benefiting from the antioxidants found in this sweet-but-bitter treat. Antioxidants may lower the presence of stress hormones in the body. It is important, however, to pick your chocolate wisely. Even dark chocolate can come with too many added sugars. Focus on a higher concentration of cacao to get the biggest benefit without the blood sugar spike.
4) Fatty Fish
Fatty fish, like fresh salmon and tuna, is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. These acids help fight against spikes in stress hormones. They also protect against heart disease, which you are more vulnerable to when under chronic stress.
5) Blueberries & Oranges
Let’s talk fruit. We know fruit is good for us, but when it comes to stress management, blueberries and oranges are among the best. The antioxidants in blueberries reduce your levels of stress hormones (without the risk of added sugars, as with chocolate!). Oranges are rich in vitamin C, which has been linked to improved immune response and a decrease in stress hormones. Studies show that consuming vitamin C before a stressful event or task helps those cortisol levels return to normal more quickly.
5 Stress-Inducing Foods to Avoid!
Because most of these foods do the same thing to our bodies, I feel like I can talk about them together. If you’re looking to reduce stress, you also should cut out certain foods from your diet — or at least consume them in moderation!
Sugary Sweets / Simple Carbs
Fried Foods
White Flour
Coffee & Soda
Processed Foods
Why avoid these foods in particular? It comes down to either increased cortisol levels, adrenaline levels, or increased risk of heart disease and hypertension. Simple carbs spike the blood sugar, which can lead to health problems. Fried foods tend to make us feel sluggish and uncomfortable. This reduces our motivation to be active, thereby increasing obesity rates and disease. Other foods — those high in caffeine and sodium — also pose a threat to one’s cardiovascular system.
What are your favorite “feel-good” foods? Share in the comments!