Eating to Reduce Stress:

One thing many people have in common is the amount of stress in their lives. Our lives are filled with stress every single day, and it is easy to become overwhelmed. However, there are specific foods that you can eat that will help you reduce the stress in your life and enable you to cope with much more efficiency.

Foods rich in B vitamins have been proven to reduce the impact stress has on your body and give your immune system a necessary boost to keep on fighting. If your body is deficient in vitamin B, you won’t be able to continue burning the midnight oil for long. Your body can quickly become depleted, leaving you wide open for sickness and other stress related health problems. Foods that contain vitamin B are: Chicken, fish, dark green vegetables, broccoli, bananas and avocados.

Vitamin C cannot be overlooked on your nutritional path. It is a powerful antioxidant that has been proven to allow your body to function correctly, fighting off free-radicals and providing your immune system with the power it needs to keep functioning correctly. If you have problems ingesting your daily requirements of vitamin C, a supplement is a necessary addition. However, it is important to find a supplement that has a buffering agent, particularly if you have stomach problems.

Magnesium is another powerful weapon in the fight to reduce stress. You can find magnesium in fish, broccoli and other vegetables, as well as in supplements. However, it is important to balance your magnesium intake with the proper amount of calcium to ensure that you are getting the full benefit of this mineral.

Now that you know which foods to eat, it is also important to avoid foods that decrease your body’s ability to respond correctly to stress.

Sugar in general is not good for your nervous system. Many people do not realize just how much sugar is present in sodas, candy bars and other snack foods. It is important to limit your intake of sugar to ensure that your nervous system can maintain healthy functions.

Instead of reaching for a diet soda, which often contains aspartame, a chemical found to be dangerous to nervous systems, try adding water, or non-sugar added fruit drinks to your beverage list.

Caffeine is another culprit in reducing your body’s ability to handle stress. Often, a cup of coffee or a soda is the first thing people reach for when they need to buckle down, but they are not aware of the impact caffeine is having on their bodies from within. Try switching to non-caffeinated coffee or tea and avoiding soda all together.

Your body doesn’t need to suffer from stress. If you consistently eat the right kinds of foods, you will be able to handle these stressful events with ease, and allow your body to keep going, even when you may be mentally ready to quit.

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