Stress Management Tip - Nutrition and Stress
A lot of research today is showing that having a good
nutritional diet has a direct impact on a person's ability to
manage stress. A body that is well nourished and healthy is far
more resilient to stressful conditions than a poorly nourished
body.
In order to function properly, you body requires a certain
amount of energy from carbohydrates, protein and fats. Like the
term "balanced diet" suggests, there is no single food that
provides all the essential nutrients. Rather you should be
eating a variety of foods during the day to ensure that your
body is receiving the necessary nutrients.
A healthy nutritious diet typically includes fresh fruit, whole
grains, vegetables, lean meat and fish. Foods that contain high
levels of fat, salt, sugar and alcohol should be taken in
moderation. A healthy diet enhances the immune system and helps
to maintain a reasonable energy level which is essential for
dealing with stress.
As certain foods are helpful in dealing with stress, other types
of food are known to have a detrimental effect and quite
possibly add extra levels of stress particularly when consumed
in large amounts. For example, too much caffeine, i.e. coffee or
tea, can increase anxiety and cause inability to sleep. Large
amounts of alcohol may initially cause you to feel sleepy but
will ultimately disrupt sleep. Nicotine, while not a food,
raises the heart rate and is quite simply bad for the body.
Finally too much sugar may give an initial burst of energy but
can cause an energy dip as the naturally occurring insulin is
generated within the body.
As you can see the impact of these food types, do not only add
to your stress levels, but also can affect your ability to deal
with stress.
In short, if you follow the suggested tips below, your ability
to deal with stress will be maximised while the impact of any
ongoing stress will be reduced.
- Never start the day with out breakfast.
- Eat slowly rather than rush.
- Eat small frequent meals and snacks.
- Include a variety of foods in your diet as described earlier.
- Avoid saturated fats.
- Minimise your intake of salt and sugar.
- Drink alcohol in moderation.
- Avoid excessive caffeine based drinks such as coffee and tea.
- Drink plenty of water.