Eat Your Stress Goodbye
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 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, lethargic, and in some cases, unable to concentrate and focus. All of this can lead to more stress.
Stress Fighting Foods
If you’ve been feeling more stressed out than usual lately, there are a few things most TCM doctors would recommend to calm the mind. Using essential oils, get an Acupuncture treatment, and know which foods are best to choose that help you to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. One of the best ways to fight stress is to have a healthy, balanced diet, which includes a moderate amount of superfoods.
Food therapy is one branch of Chinese medicine and Traditional Chinese medicine is a complete medical system. You don’t have to eat strange food that you can’t pronounce. You do want to consume food that is organic and nutrient dense. You can get all that and still enjoy the foods you love when are on my Ultimate Lifestyle Transformation program.
From a naturopath perspective consuming foods like 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 issues. When it comes to choosing the foods to eat, some have a range of excellent properties which help the body to alleviate stress. Choosing these stress-busting foods will help to support and calm your mind while on a wellness lifestyle plan, rather than providing a temporary fix.
Consuming a healthy portion of grains, green veggies, and lean proteins as the basic mainstays of your diet is the greatest approach to guarantee that your body receives the optimal levels of nutrients to combat both physical and mental health issues.
When it comes to foods to eat, some contain a variety of good features that help the body manage stress. Choosing these stress-relieving foods will assist to mend and relax your mind in the long run, rather than just giving a quick fix.
- Avocado – Avocados are a creamy and versatile fruit that can be eaten in a range of different ways, whether you enjoy it raw or made into sauces, dressings, 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 vitamin E levels, 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 antioxidants, especially anthocyanin, 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 just about what you eat when it comes to stress management; what you drink can either alleviate or exacerbate the tension you’re feeling. Drinking beverages heavy in sugars and caffeine, such as coffee, energy drinks, or soda, might raise your stress levels if drunk on a daily basis. Chamomile tea has long been used as an all-natural sleep aid. It has also been utilized in therapeutic investigations, which revealed that chamomile tea successfully decreases 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. In particular, dark chocolate is best for you, as it contains more flavonols and polyphenols, two hugely important antioxidants that can help combat stress, more than many fruit juices.
- Oatmeal is fantastic since it can be a full comfort food while also having numerous healthful elements that will make you feel better from the inside out. Eating oatmeal, a complex carbohydrate, enables your brain to produce larger levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin, making you feel calmer and less anxious. According to studies, kids who eat oatmeal for breakfast are considerably sharper throughout the morning than kids who eat other breakfast options.
- Walnuts – If you’re looking for a healthy snacking option that will help you stay better in control of your stress levels, walnuts are a great choice. TCM doctor would tell you that walnuts are related with the Lung, Large Intestine, and Kidney meridians in traditional Chinese medicine, and have sweet and warm characteristics. It tones the kidneys, nourishes the blood, warms the lungs, and moistens the intestines.
There is no denying the sweet, pleasant flavor 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.
Fermented foods – last but not least, eating fermented foods such as yogurt can help keep your gut healthy, which will help improve your mental health and reduce stress levels. The beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods such as yogurt actually directly affect your brain chemistry and transmit positive mood and behavior regulating signals to your brain via the vagus nerve.
- 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 that help fight off disease and leave your body feeling healthier and more energized. Dark leafy greens, for example, spinach, are perfect 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 feel happier and less stressed out.
Pistachios – another food that is great for snacking on and can also help 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.
Pistachio is known in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for its capacity to tonify qi and yang. It enters the small intestine, big intestine, kidney, and liver, according to ancient Chinese medical writings. Pistachio has a sweet, bitter, and sour flavor and is believed to be temperature neutral.
Dr. Antonika Chanel Lac DACM
Is a board certified Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor and Classical Naturopath. She has more than a decade of experience worldwide.
USCG Veteran, Author, speaker, and consultant, Antonika is committed to the influencing and establishing Integrative Medicine practices in every home. She is recognized as a Top Tier Acupuncturist among luxury cruise lines. Her wealth of knowledge stems from years of mentorship with over 25 leaders in the field of Integrative Medicine.
East Asian Medicine is extremely powerful yet simple health practice that aims to “balance you and restore your health’. Antonika says, ‘The fastest growing industry in healthcare today is East Asian Holistic Practices”.
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