The Stress Busting Diet

When you’re stressed out, the foods that you’re turning to are most likely going to be

traditional ‘comfort’ foods – think big meals, take-out, fatty foods, sweet foods, and

alcohol. Let’s face it – we’ve all found some comfort in a tasty meal and a bottle of beer or

glass of wine when we’ve been stressed out or upset about something. However, this isn’t a

good permanent solution.

When you’re turning to unhealthy foods you can feel better temporarily, but in the

long run, you will feel worse. When your body isn’t getting the right nutrition, you can

begin to feel less energetic, more lethargic, and in some cases less able to

concentrate and focus. All of this can lead to even more stress.

Foods that Fight Stress

If you’ve been feeling more stressed out than usual lately, it’s important to know

which foods are best to choose and which to avoid when it comes to combating

stress and helping you to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. The best way to

fight stress is to have a healthy, balanced diet which includes a moderate amount of

each of the different food groups.

Filling up on foods such as whole grains, leafy vegetables, and lean proteins as the

basic staples of the diet is the best way to ensure that your body gets the optimum

amounts of nutrients to fight both physical and mental health problems. When it

comes to choosing the foods to eat, some have a range of great properties which

help the body to combat stress. Choosing these stress-busting foods will help to

heal and calm your mind permanently, rather than providing a temporary fix.

Some of the best stress-fighting foods include:

Avocado – Avocados are a creamy and versatile fruit which can be eaten in a

range of different ways whether you enjoy it raw, made into sauces, dressings

and dips, or in a smoothie. These nutrient-dense fruits have the properties to

stress-proof your body, thanks to their high glutathione content which

specifically blocks the intestinal absorption of certain fats which cause

oxidative damage. Avocados also contain higher levels of vitamin E, folate,

and beta-carotene than any other fruit, which boosts their stress-busting

properties. However, be careful with portion control when eating avocado, as

it is high in fat.

Blueberries – If you’re feeling stressed out and reaching for the snacks,

swapping chocolate or chips for one of the best superfoods is a great way to

help you deal with your stress levels and achieve a higher level of calm.

Blueberries have some of the highest levels of antioxidants, especially antho-

cyanin, which means that this berry has been linked to a wide range of health

benefits including sharper cognition, better focus, and a clearer mind – all of

which can help you to better deal with stress.

Chamomile Tea – Of course, it’s not all about what you’re eating when it

comes to managing stress; what you’re drinking can also alleviate or worsen

the stress you're feeling. Drinking liquids which are high in sugars and

caffeine, such as coffee, energy drinks or soft drink, can actually increase your

stress levels if consumed regularly. Chamomile tea has long been used as a

natural bedtime soother, and it has also been used in clinical trials, which

determined that chamomile tea is effective in reducing the symptoms of

generalized anxiety disorder.

Chocolate – Although it’s usually seen as an unhealthy treat, there is an

undeniable link between chocolate and our mood. Studies have shown that

eating chocolate can actually make you happier. However, that doesn’t mean

that you can start munching on chocolate bars every time you're stressed out

– chocolate works best as a de-stressor when eaten in moderation and as

part of a healthy and balanced diet. Dark chocolate in particular is best for

you, as it contains more flavanols and polyphenols, two hugely important

antioxidants which can help combat stress, more than many fruit juices.

Beef – Grass-fed beef is not only kinder to the planet and to animals, it’s also

good for people, too. Grass-fed beef has a huge range of antioxidants,

including beta-carotene and Vit-amins C and E, which can help your body to

fight stress and anxiety. If you’re looking for more reasons to spend a little more money on organic, grass-fed beef, it’s also lower in fat than grain-fed

beef whilst being higher in omega-3.

Oatmeal – Oatmeal is great in that it can be a filling comfort food, but also

has a large number of healthy properties to actually make you feel better from

the inside out. A complex carbohydrate, eating oatmeal causes your brain to

produce higher levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin, helping you to feel

calmer and less stressed. Studies have shown that kids who choose oatmeal

for breakfast tend to be much sharper throughout the morning in school

compared to kids who had alternative morning meals.

Walnuts – If you’re looking for a healthy snacking option which will help you

to stay better in control of your stress levels, walnuts are a great choice. There

is no denying the sweet, pleasant flavour of walnuts and they can be a tasty

snack for in-between meals or as part of a desert. A versatile nut, walnuts are

great for salads, or add them to a sweet treat such as coffee and walnut cake.

Pistachios – another food which is great for snacking on and can also help to

combat stress and anxiety in the long term is pistachios. Studies have found

that simply eating two small, snack-size portions of pistachios per day can

lower vascular constriction when you are stressed, putting less pressure on

your heart by further dilating your arteries. Along with this, the rhythmic,

repetitive act of shelling pistachios can actually be quite therapeutic!

Green Leafy Vegetables – leafy, green vegetables should be a pivotal part of

anyone’s diet. Along with helping to combat stress, leafy greens are full of

nutrients and antioxidants which help to fight off disease and leave your body

feeling healthier and more energized. Dark leafy greens, for example spinach,

are especially good for you since they are rich in folate, which helps your body

to produce more mood-regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which

is a ‘feel-good’ chemical. Making leafy greens a part of your diet will help you

to feel happier and less stressed out overall.

Fermented foods – last but not least, eating fermented foods such as yogurt

can help to keep your gut healthy, which actually in turn will help to improve

your mental health and reduce stress levels. The beneficial bacteria which are

found in fermented foods such as yogurt actually have a direct effect on your

brain chemistry and transmit positive mood and behaviour regulating signals

to your brain via the vagus nerve.

Putting Together Your Diet Plan

Planning your meals wisely is key to not only staying physically fit and healthy, but

also to staying mentally strong and being able to best manage your levels of stress.

Knowing which foods to avoid and which are the best to reach for to snack on when

you’re feeling worried and anxious is important to helping you get control over your

emotions and fears.

When you’re feeling stressed, you may be tempted to reach for classic ‘comfort

foods’ – usually foods which are laden with sugar, very starchy, or greasy. However,

although these foods can make you feel momentarily better, they will actually make you

feel worse in the long run.

Having stress-busting snacks such as fresh berries, dark chocolate, yogurt, walnuts

or pistachios, or even a fruit smoothie with avocado and leafy greens in it can help

you to feel better in both the short and long term when it comes to stress. When it

comes to combating and dealing with stress in the long run, it’s important to make

sure that for the most part, you are eating a diet which is healthy and balanced.

In order to stay on track, it’s a good idea to make a meal plan for your week and plan

ahead to make sure that you have a good selection of these stress-busting foods in

your kitchen to make meals and snacks from when you’re feeling like stress-eating.

Making sure that the majority of your meals include foods such as lean proteins and

leafy green vegetables will not only make you feel healthier overall, but can improve

your mental health and stress levels, too.

A good example of a healthy, stress-busting menu would be:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with berries or a fruit smoothie with avocado and berries

Mid-morning snack: Natural yogurt with fruit or a handful of pistachio nuts

Lunch: A whole-grain pasta salad filled with plenty of leafy greens

Afternoon snack: Dark chocolate

Dinner: Grass-fed beef with vegetables

Before bed: Chamomile tea

Of course, you don’t need to stick to this menu – but it gives you a good idea!

Remember to exercise good portion control when eating foods such as nuts, chocolate, yogurt or avocado! As the saying goes, you are what you eat – so make sure that first and

foremost, you’re filling yourself up with foods which are good for your mental health.