Dark Chocolate
If the bar is 70% cacao or higher, dark chocolate can alleviate stress and promote relaxation. It contains phenethylamine, which the chemical that explains why we feel SO GOOD when we eat chocolate.
Spinach
I know, quite the letdown after the last food. But spinach is high in magnesium, which "improves your body's overall response to stress and stops blood pressure from spiking." I put it in my smoothies with a bunch of fruit so I can't taste it, or I cook it into scrambled eggs in the morning. Mmm.
Oatmeal
When you are stressed and crave carbs, choose a complex carbohydrate like oatmeal. These help your body produce seratonin, which can relax you and reduce anxiety. This is also great for those of us who have low blood sugar and need to eat things that won't mess up our levels.
Walnuts
Eating 1 ounce of walnuts a day can prevent "blood pressure from rising and keeps your anxiety levels in check." For those of you with high blood pressure, this sounds like a dream come true!
Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds contain folate, which makes you feel good and helps you "take control of your emotional responses."
Blueberries
When the body is stressed, it releases high amounts of the hormone cortisol. The antioxidants in blueberries counteracts this hormone and reduces the effects of stress on your body.
Salmon
My favorite. Salmon contains a ton of Omega-3's, which reverse stress symptoms by "boosting seratonin and lowering anxiety hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline."
Do you feel less stressed when you're eating well? How can you incorporate these super foods into your diet?
I already knew that healthy eating could help reduce stress but I wasn't aware of the different foods that could help. Out of all the ones you listed I would most likely eat blueberries, dark chocolate, salmon and sunflower seeds.
ReplyDeleteI definitely feel a lot better when I eat healthy! I had started to get into that habit for a bit but have fallen back into a fast food kick lately. Need to remind myself how much better I feel without the junk.
ReplyDeleteI could always use a good reason to eat dark chocolate :)
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