Foods to relieve stress and
tension from your life
In today’s world, stress is a significant component of every individual’s life. From a high school student juggling extracurriculars alongside academics, to a corporate manager chasing the so-called ‘work-life balance,’ each person experiences stress in one or the other form. The WHO has dubbed stress as ‘The health epidemic of the 21st century.’ Globally, an average of 75 percent of the population suffers from stress, with workplace stress recorded as its most common form.
Biologically speaking, there are two hormones, namely, cortisol and adrenaline, that trigger an acute stress response in a person. Prolonged increase of cortisol levels leads to chronic stress, which further causes many other ailments like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc. While taking stress can be helpful in some situations, it usually morphs into an ugly form and vastly affects your social and personal relationships. Thus, it is crucial for you to keep a check on your stress levels to maintain a healthy state of your mind and body.
One of the most acclaimed ways to reduce stress levels is doing light exercises such as yoga, meditation, jogging, and many more. Studies have shown that physical activity leads to the release of endorphins, i.e., the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters. Endorphins effectively improve your mood and act as stress-busters. Moreover, some of these exercises can be done first thing in the morning to give you a fresh start to the day. An added benefit of daily exercise is a gradual improvement in your figure. Not only will this boost your confidence, but it’ll also make you look great in your fitness outfits.
However, not everyone can spare time to commit to an exercise regime. On the other hand, most people eat at regular intervals during the day. Consumption of the right kind of food can also help in mitigating anxiety and stress. Certain nutrients, when incorporated in your daily meals, can help counterbalance the effects of stress on your body. These include Vitamin C, complex carbohydrates, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Magnesium among many more.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C plays a crucial role in stress reduction as it regulates cortisol levels by clearing it out quickly from the body. This, in turn, prevents a spike in blood pressure and heart rate; thus producing a calmer response in stressed situations.
Complex Carbohydrates
All forms of carbohydrates prompt the brain to produce a particular chemical, called serotonin, which performs functions similar to endorphins. Since complex carbs take longer to digest, it leads to a steady supply of serotonin.
Magnesium
Incorporating an ample amount of magnesium in your diet helps the brain in filtering out the stress hormones. Consequently, you experience lesser headaches and fatigue in stressed situations.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are a rich source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. These fatty acids have been proven to reduce stress levels by almost 20% in addition to reducing the risk of heart diseases in many patients.
Now that you know the key nutrients that play the role of stress-busters, here are a few food items that are rich in them.
Oranges
Oranges, among other citrus fruits, contain high quantities of Vitamin C. Plus, Vitamin C acts as a strong antioxidant, which helps in boosting your immune system. Oranges can be taken as a part of chilled smoothies, nutritious salads, cold-pressed juices or by simply sprinkling black salt over a few slices.
Spinach
Green leafy vegetables like spinach are loaded with Vitamin C and magnesium, which make you feel relaxed, reduce anxiety levels, and promote a healthy sleep cycle. Furthermore, studies suggest that green color produces a calming effect on many individuals. Thus, spinach acts as an effective stress buster.
Consuming one cup of raw spinach daily is sufficient to improve your mental wellbeing. If raw spinach does not suit your taste buds, you can whip up savory spinach dishes to meet the required amount of intake.
Oats
Composed of folate, magnesium, and complex carbs, oats serve as a triple threat to stress. Moreover, they enhance the production of serotonin, i.e., the antidepressant hormone. Oats can be served as plain oatmeal, made into cookies, or can be topped with fruits to enhance its bland flavor.
Dark Chocolate
Heath benefits of dark chocolate are immense. Chocolate has been proven to act as a stress reliever as it promotes the release of dopamine in the brain, which in turn acts as a soothing hormone. In addition to this, dark chocolate is a rich source of polyphenols, which reduce neuroinflammation and improve blood flow.
Even though dark chocolate has the benefits as mentioned above, experts suggest buying dark chocolate with a minimum of 70 percent cocoa beans. Since dark chocolate contains added sugars and fats, it is advisable to consume small portions at a time.
Walnuts
The next time you’re looking for something to munch on, grab a packet of walnuts instead of going for the much more tempting pack of salted crisps at your local grocery store. Walnuts are an abundant source of omega-3 fatty acids and are rich in melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. Chopped walnuts can be used to garnish various dishes or can be blended into thick shakes to enhance their nutritional value.
Herbal Teas
Variants of herbal teas like peppermint, chamomile, passion flower, etc. act as natural stress relievers. In addition to their pleasant aromas, herbal teas combat irritability, headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, and similar symptoms of a stress response. Being a natural remedy, they have lesser caffeine content, thus reducing the chances of you losing your sleep after consuming them.
Food can act as a medicine if you know how the nutrients work together to induce a stress-free response. So the next time you find yourself exhausted after a grueling day at work, head into your kitchen to find one of the above foods and let them do the healing for you.
Guest Blogger
Jessica is a new writer. She loves traveling and reading. She wants to explore everything in her life. She believes that fashion and trends inspire her to write an informative and interesting piece of work. She believes that a healthy diet is key to healthy living. She loves chocolates and Heath benefits of dark chocolate are immense.
