Some of you may wonder what on earth has nutrition to do with stress? Research has shown that nutrition not only affects our physical health but can also influence our stress levels too.
The human body is the greatest machine on the earth. Even more than that - greatest self-repairing machine. As all machinery, it needs fuel. But for self-repairing we need special fuel - one that provides us with all necessary macro and micro nutrients: healthy food. Unhealthy foods poison your body. That's not the worst of it. Your Body, Mind and Spirit are one and form a whole. So, where your body goes, your mind follows, just as where your mind goes your body follows.
A physically unhealthy body can influence the mind to be unhealthy, unmotivated, moody, tired, unclear, forgetful, anxious, and stressed. We all know these are not comfortable feelings.
And on the contrary: if our fuel is of high quality, our bodies function well and we think clear, we are full of energy, vitality, our overall health is excellent and we prosper. The fuel we give to our bodies' engine comes directly from food, from things we eat.
During the period of stress, the body uses up nutrients quicker than usual. Chronic long - term stress damages all body systems, digestive system included and reduces all body's nutrient reserves. Therefore here are some considerations to take into account when creating your daily diet and supplementation plan.
The key to of good stress nutrition is the balance, variety and moderation. To stay in good health the body needs the right balance of macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, fats and micronutrients: vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients and water.
Take Action:
1. Eat 5 -6 times per day to avoid unstable blood sugar levels and escape fat storage, and ensure stable energy levels. Low and stable blood sugar levels reduce not only stress but also the risk of adult type diabetes.
2. Aim for 7 to 10 servings per day of different types of organic fruit and vegetables. Colorful fruit and brightly green vegetables are perfect for stress prevention/ reduction nutrition - they are rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients.(eat them as much as possible and preferably raw or very lightly cooked). This is not as difficult as it looks :)
3. Eat foods with high fibre content. Eat both types of fibre: soluble and insoluble. This gives the muscles of the walls of the digestive system some bulk to work against.
3. Eat complex carbohydrates (oatmeal , buckwheat, whole-wheat bread, pasta and brown rice). Many whole grain foods rich in complex carbohydrates are good sources of essential vitamins and minerals as well. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include also vegetables, peas, and beans. NB: one teaspoon of sugar or its equivalent suppresses the immune system for 5 hours after eating.
4. Protein is essential for growth, development and repair of body tissues. Although keep protein intake within moderation. Avoid red meat completely. Eat more beans and pulses, grains, seeds and nuts. Fish and organic poultry are also acceptable. Soya is also a good source of protein.
5. Fats Take fish oil for omega 3 essential fatty acids or eat oily fish 2 or 3 times a week. Eat a variety of seeds each day (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and always linseeds) and walnuts . Mix them together and add them to cereal and salads.
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