Stress And Your Diet
Do you run to the snack drawer when you get stressed out? For many people there is a direct relationship between stress and the foods they eat. For many turning to snack foods in stressful situations is a method of comforting themselves, but what many don’t realize is that what you are eating can also add to your stress.
Stress has more of a role in what we eat than many realize and a great deal of overeating can be attributed to stress. One common substance that we ingest which can be related to our stress levels is caffeine. Caffeine is not only found in coffee but is also in tea, soda and chocolate. Caffeine can add to your stress by elevating your heat beat as well as your blood pressure. Cutting out caffeine may help you reduce stress, but it is advised to cut back gradually to avoid suffering the ill effects of withdrawal.
Some people turn to alcohol when they get stressed but alcohol can actually increase stress. Alcohol can make your body produce adrenaline which can affect your sleep. Drinking alcohol can make you tense and can interfere with your bodies immune system.
One common comfort food that many stressed out people turn to is sugar. Who hasn’t ripped open a candy bar after a stressful work day? While it may seem like this is comforting you, it can actually make you feel more stressed. This is because sugar can affect the adrenal glands which can lead to depression and irritability. Fatty foods go hand in hand with sugar and fat can strain the cardiovascular system leading to more stress on your system.
Typically people either turn to sugar or salt for snack foods but eating salty foods is no better on your system. Salt raises blood pressure and can cause you to feel out of control with your emotions. If you are already stressed out this can compound your feelings.
If you want to control stress, you should take a good look at what you are eating. Try eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole foods. These foods will naturally help you fight stress and are filled with nutrients that will help your overall health. In addition, eating healthy won’t pack on the pounds thus allowing you to avoid the stress of weight gain. In order to get the maximum amount of nutrients, aim to eat the majority of your fruits and vegetables raw as some important vitamins and enzymes can be lost during cooking.
How can you tell if your diet is adding to your stress? Pay attention to any warning signs. Do you experience headaches after eating? Are you having neck or back pain? Do you get irritable after dinner? Are you feeling anxious for no reason? If you answer “yes” to any of these, you might have food induced stress. While fighting this with better food choices, also make sure that you get at least seven hours of sleep each night in order to ensure that you are well-rested. Being tired can contribute significantly to your stress level.
There is no question that there is a connection between stress and you diet. Eating caffeine filled drinks and sugary foods will make you jittery and hyper as well as reduce your ability to concentrate and relax. On the other hand, meals loaded with vitamins and minerals will give you clarity of mind and give your body the ability to better handle any stressful situation that comes along.
Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/stress-and-your-diet-11077.html
How much does your diet and what foods you are eating contribute to your anxiety and stress?
Your diet is your health. If you eat junk, your have no respect for your body. Fuel yourself with nutritious food and guess what? You have a better perspective.
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Well think of it like this: The food you eat is what gives you primal energy to survive and do things. The ancient analogy is where they compare a human body to a car and the food that you put in it is like the car’s gas. With that said, if you put horrible food with empty carbs in it, you will feel horrible. It shouldn’t be that simple but really it is.
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caffeine causes anxiety. your diet will def. contribute to stress. eat less fatty foods for thta less stressed out feeling.
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I don’t have a diet. It would be too stressful.
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Caffeine is torture for your anxiety.
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I think only if you drink a LOT of coffee or power drinks………..and yes, that CAN do it…..but life causes stress too —- ya know…………here’s the thing — it’s not what happens to us that counts so much as HOW we deal with it all….for real. Once you (us all) are mentally healthy, it’s ALL GOOD — no matter how bad it gets. TRUST ME – my kids grew up with not much — drugs, cancer, losing home, oh …. and that’s just the tip of the iceberg…………and ya know what? I figured out what is important in life to make me happy and IT’S NOT MONEY.
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A LOT!
chemically, i mean eating sugar gives you an attitude, yea eating sugar makes you less enjoyable. and eating salt stresses your body, now a little isn’t bad, but when you shove it in, its really bad, not excercising, eating when your not hungary, it all contributes. healthy foods have been proven to make you feel awake, makes you feel not lazy, and take the edge off your stress=D
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fats and greasy foods should make you more stressed but most people are stressed because they let someone make them so because most people let someone control their own life not them selfs
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Good question, especially today, a holiday, where I have eaten candy and macaroni salad and DQ ice cream cake.
Other than THAT, I have restricted my calories to about 1450 a day, so I can weigh 120 when I go to Florida in June (I weigh 128 now. Well, I did before I hogged out today!). It doesn’t seem that restricted, but it really is a lot of work to plan out what I can eat, and get enough of it to fill me up, under 1450 a day. Once I figure out what I’m going to eat, I have to fight being hungry, because there is no way 1450 is enough for me to TRULY feel full on. I like food and I like a lot of it, but I know I can’t have it if I want to look good.
Also, eating less makes me lethargic, as I run every morning, and lift weights a few times a week. I truly do stress out about my diet and what I am eating – I want to be sure I’m getting the right kinds of foods and not suffer in any nutritional way while restricting calories. So, overall, it’s worth it because I like to look good, but I do think about my diet and being hungry quite a bit of my day. I look forward to my tiny lunches and snacks, and I write down everything I eat so I don’t go over.
Really interesting question. I am a little stressed out about what I’ve eaten today, but I’ll just work out an extra bit tomorrow morning.
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you have to eat a good breakfast in order to have a good mood for the rest of the day. if u eat things like brocli or eggs with mayo u will probably have a bad mood. but if u wat something like some oats or a good bran cereal with yogurt or milk after eating like a banana with some apples u will have the best day of ur life. i don’t like to call it a diet because u have to eat different things in order to stay in shape. at lunch u have to have some kind of meat or fish product. followed by salad, but it’s more important to drink ur liquid product before ur meal because ur digestion will work better when everything is cleaned up for the big food. a snack bar is good to have between breakfast and lunch because it keeps everything together. it’s best to eat fruit at breakfast and dinner and also on ur breaks. at lunch it’s not so good. at dinner u can have the full course but u have to start eating at least at 8 oclock. from 6:30-8:00 is better to start eating. u have to finish in time by 10 oclock. then no more food and no late midnight snacks becasue it will leave u dizzy in the morning. u have to make sure to drink a lot of water at lunch and breakfast. a dessert is good after dinner because u can’t get hyper when ur in bed.
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It depends on your biology and metabolism. For me, if I don’t eat during the day I have a panic attack at night, simple as that. So there is some connection between blood sugar and adrenaline release in my system. I also learned that certain foods are better for prevention, it is better to have oats for breakfast as they line the stomach (adrenaline causes your stomach to shrink) but it is better to have anything rather than nothing.
I am vegan and try and avoid junk food, and my anxiety is 100% more manageable than a few years ago when I was vegetarian and ate lots of fat and animal protein.
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I’m a biology student and anxiety sufferer.