Yahoo Lifestyle Eat to Beat Stress
Stay sharp, focused and energised all day by eating the right food.
Tension, whether it's caused by your job, kids or ageing parents, triggers a surge in hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can lead to fatigue and its related symptoms, from headache to back pain. A stressful lifestyle may also leave you with little time to prepare energising, nutritious meals for yourself.
Try the following meal plan to beat stress and keep a bounce in your step all day long.
Eat more:
Carbohydrate-rich foods
Healthy treats, such as half a wholemeal English muffin with sliced banana, are packed with carbohydrates, which can boost your levels of serotonin, a calming brain chemical.
Chocolate
Nibbling on a few squares of dark chocolate may work. This sweet treat is rich in caffeine and theobromine, two mood- and energy-boosting stimulants, according to researchers from the United Kingdom.
Fluid-filled foods
Food accounts for approximately 20 to 25 per cent of our daily fluid intake, so staying hydrated is one of the simplest ways to keep energised and focused. To eat for energy, avoid dry, packaged snacks such as crackers or soy crisps, which lack sufficient fluid to aid hydration. Instead, opt for water-rich snacks: "Watermelon, celery and all fresh fruits have a high water content, as do foods that absorb water when cooked, such as oats, pasta, rice and dry beans," says Julie Gilbert, a Brisbane-based accredited practicing dietitian.
Drink more:
Tea
A recent report found that pairing caffeine with the amino acid L-theanine—both of which are present in tea—decreased mental fatigue and improved alertness, reaction time and memory. What's more, black tea varieties, which are generally stronger in flavour and contain more caffeine than less oxidised teas, can help you recover from stress, according to researchers at University College London. In their study, adults who drank tea four times a day for 6 weeks had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after a tense moment, compared with those who drank a tea-like placebo.
Your stress-busting menu
Breakfast
1 cup porridge made with skim milk, topped with 1 diced pear, 2 tbs chopped walnuts and 2 tsp brown sugar
1 cup black tea
Lunch
1 cup low-salt minestrone soup
1/4 cup hummus with 10 baby carrots,
1 cup cucumber and red capsicum slices
2 cups air-popped popcorn (unsalted, unbuttered)
Snack
20 g dark chocolate
1 cup black tea
Dinner
Spicy seafood spaghetti: 10 medium-sized prawns sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil with 1 clove garlic (minced) and a pinch of dried chilli flakes, tossed with 1 chopped tomato and 1 cup cooked wholemeal spaghetti
Small salad with 1 tbs vinaigrette
1 orange
Snack
3/4 cup raspberry sorbet
Nutritional info 6,531 kJ (1,560 cal), 57 g protein, 248 g carbs, 38 g fibre,
44 g fat, 10 g sat fat, 840 mg sodium
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