Two of the most widely acknowledged health concerns in the United States are stress and anxiety. These conditions effect young and old, corporate and blue-collar, male, female and spare no sect of the population. Anxiety and stress are conditions that have fear as their base element. When a person experiences something new or unknown, such as a change of residence, job, or school, concerns about navigating the “new” conditions can often provoke a fearful response. In the case of divorce, there may be fear of losing finances, home, relations and love. These and other types of stressful changes can manifest physically as bone difficulties (usually in hips, knees or back), hair problems (premature gray and/or loss), and hearing deficiency. Emotional states lead to emotional eating. According to Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., author of Food & Mood, “The red flag for emotional eating is when you eat in response to a mood rather than in response to hunger. The former fuels the feelings; the latter fuels the body.” Using food to fill a void or as a tranquilizer during times of anxiety is a common practice to circumvent facing uncertainties in our lives.
In addition to emotional difficulties, there are also physical stresses which include: overworking, lack of sleep, abusing caffeine, eating fried foods, breathing environmental pollutants, excessive alcohol consumption, and physical illnesses. In any of these cases, whether environmental, dietary, or physical exhaustion the body reacts decisively. This type of strain burdens the heart, blood vessels, produces adrenal burnout, depletes our bodies of essential nutrients, and compromises our immune system. Symptoms include chronic fatigue, low blood pressure, sensitivity to cold, and addictions to either sweet or salty foods.
The best way to manage the pressure and undesired manifestations of stress whether physical or emotional is through nutrition and exercise. The easiest approach is to incorporate whole grains into daily diet, especially at breakfast. Whole grains raise serotonin levels in the brain, which can improve mood and create a general sense of well being. A bowl of oatmeal or kashi cereal is helpful to achieve a sharper mental focus as well as providing daily vigor. Most richly colored fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, collards, kale, squash, pumpkin, carrots, bananas, strawberries, and cantaloupe, replace the magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, sodium, and copper, which are depleted from the body by stress. When in an emotionally difficult state, diet choices can add to, subtract or completely eliminate stress and anxiety.
Choosing the correct exercise for a particular type of stress is essential. Sporting events that require group participation such as tennis, basketball, roller hockey and volleyball are an excellent option for relieving emotional tension. Also, lifting weights and martial arts training are beneficial for this type of stress. These group activities require concentration and physical movement which helps bring a person out of the mind and into the body. Those suffering from emotional stress have a mind filled with mental activity. Therefore, engaging in exercises like yoga can magnify thoughts ultimately adding to anxiety. Conversely, those suffering from the strain of physical stress should not choose activities that apply force to the body. The body is already stressed. Yoga, meditation, massage and breath work are better suited for people suffering from physical tension. Opting for stretching and breathing exercises will help release tension and allow for physical relaxation to occur.
Reducing caffeine and refined sugars as much as possible, will stabilize your frame of mind. Soft drinks contain on average 8 teaspoons of sugar per 12 ounce serving. When ingested, this amount of sugar causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. The pancreas, in turn, releases insulin in an effort to remove the excess sugar from the blood. This creates a surge of physical energy followed by an abrupt and often unpleasant plummet. One minute you are on top of the world, the next you could be arguing with your spouse, yelling at the dog and asking, “ How did I get this bad?” This response is physiological, not psychological.
As with sugar intake caffeine consumption indirectly stimulates the production of insulin attaining the same unwanted results. Larry Christensen, Ph.D. at the University of South Alabama reports that people suffering from emotional stress feel better if they eliminate sugar and coffee from their diets. In his studies, people were less stressed and showed improved emotional stability within two weeks of initiating low-sugar, low-caffeine diets. A good solution for reducing cravings for sugar and caffeine is achieved by incorporating more grains, beans and fish into your diet. These foods diminish naturally the desire to use these toxins.
In addition to stress and anxiety and numerous other imbalances, both physical and emotional, diet directly affects energy levels. The basic winning formula for enhancing energy for optimum performance and health is to eat complex carbohydrates in combination with small portions of low-fat protein. It’s important to note excessive protein in the diet leads to fatigue. It must be properly balanced with carbohydrate intake. The carbohydrates are the source of the energy. Protein slows down carbohydrate absorption, resulting in calm sustained energy. Carbohydrates, however, are sub-categorized as either simple or complex in nature. Some common, simple carbohydrates, which are mainly sugars are: white flour, alcohol, white rice, refined sugars, and soft drinks. Replacing these foods with complex carbohydrates will ensure a longer, sustained energy without the erratic rise and fall in blood sugar and energy levels associated with simple carbohydrates. The complex group includes: Sweet potatoes, whole grains and most vegetables. Satisfying your sweet tooth with fruit whenever possible, is the most health conscious solution to the age old sugar problem. Save the chocolate desserts for special occasions. Understandably these dietary changes evoke a natural calm energy preferable to the quick bursts and crashes that coffee and sugar cause.
It stands to reason less stress and more balanced energy would result in a happier more controlled day-to-day existence. A few small changes in diet will have a huge and beneficial impact on your life. Understanding caffeine, sugars, and other simple carbohydrates is the first step in controlling and understanding your temperament.
Does this aspect of diet sound entirely too simple to have such a profound impact on mental and physical well being? Consider that you are already perfect. By reducing stressful foods and incorporating a high performance diet, your loved ones, relations and coworkers will know you as the caring, whole, perfect person you are.
The Nine Most Tiring Foods
1. EGGS
2. DAIRY PRODUCTS
3. REFINED SUGARS
4. POOR QUALITY AND EXCESSIVE SALT
5. MEAT
6. SHELLFISH
7. CAFFEINE
8. HIGHLY PROCESSED FOODS
9. ALCOHOL
The Nine Most Energizing Foods
1. LEAFY GREENS (SPINACH, KALE, ESCAROLE ETC.)
2. NUTS
3. ROOTS VEGETABLES AND WINTER SQUASH
4. TOFU
5. BEANS
6. FRUIT
7. SEA VEGETABLES
8. WHOLE GRAINS
9. FISH (BASS, TILAPIA, ORANGE ROUGHY ETC.)
This article was published in Cuizine Magazine Dec. 2001by Rose Payne, CHHC.
Source: good-medical.com
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