Foods Relieve Stress

Foods Relieve Stress

 Foods Relieve Stress. The idea that all types of stress-including psychological stress, physical exertion, lack of sleep, etc.-are the same, or can be relieved by consumption of particular foods, does not have any basis in research. Too many different factors, both physical and psychological, contribute to stress. Unless you know the root cause of the stress, it's difficult to know what foods and nutrients might be helpful in reducing or preventing it.

We realize that some people try to reduce their stress by overeating, or by eating highly pleasurable treats. Although common sense tells us that our stress will only be made worse by unhealthy eating, we want to emphasize the importance of approaching stress with healthy changes rather than unhealthy ones. When feeling stressed, the best steps a person can usually take do not involve food. They involve physical relaxation and deliberate focus on breathing and on releasing stressful thoughts. Although we don't try to provide comprehensive lifestyle change information on our website, you might be interested in taking a look at some typical stress reduction steps offered by Susan Lark, MD, at the following website address: http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=1205.

If we look at preventing stress (rather than reducing it once it has already occurred), there are many more potential food-related options. Foods components that act as stimulants, like caffeine, can be problematic in contributing to stress. For this reason, we recommend that caffeine-containing foods like coffee, tea, or chocolate be eaten in limited amounts. Because stress can involve disruption of our blood sugar levels as well as our immune system activity, we also recommend that meal plans be developed in a way that will support blood sugar consistency and immune system balance. Blood sugar consistency requires us to avoid concentrated sugar foods like fruit juice, dried fruit, and all added-sugar foods. It also requires us to consume whole, natural foods that are high in fiber and that provide a minimal amount of protein. Keeping our blood sugar stabilized is one way to help prevent stress.

In the immune system category, avoiding foods that cause adverse reactions is also worthwhile in stress prevention. You can find detailed information on allergy-producing foods in our article on the "Allergy Avoidance Diet."

One particular set of nutrients-the B-complex vitamins-appear especially important in prevention of stress. We like all of the vegetables, especially the dark green leafy vegetables, as sources of B-complex vitamins. We also like whole grains for this same reason.

The timing of meals is also important in prevention of stress. In general, one of the best guidelines to follow is: eat the most before you do the most, and don't eat a lot when you are not going to be doing much (physically) afterward. For example, eating a large amount of food within an hour or so before bedtime (more than 250-300 calories' worth of food) is usually problematic, especially if the food is high in protein or fat. The amount of time your body will spend digesting this food is too great and may end up interfering with the quality of your sleep. Similarly, skipping lunch and working out later in the afternoon can be a problem because your body will lack the nutritional support it needs to stay vital throughout the exercise. Timing your meal pattern to match your day's activity pattern can help avoid nutritional stress-and some psychological stress as well.

Office Posture Tips

Office Posture Tips

Office Posture Tips. How you sit in your office chair is very important for your body’s posture, long term health and comfort.

Humans weren’t really designed to be seated for hours on end, but unfortunately we are frequently faced with having to do so. So, let’s begin with how not to sit. You should avoid slouching or slumping in your chair as this will cause your spinal joints to open up and be in a state known as kyphosis.
This can cause problems with trapped nerves which can get caught when you return to a more upright posture.

Another thing you should be mindful of is sitting in the same position for extended periods of time. So, always make sure you keep your muscles and body moving frequently. Fortunately, our bodies tend to do this as a natural reaction to discomfort. Take frequent breaks, use a countdown timer to prompt you. And do some simple exercises, I’ll post some in the Blog in the next couple of weeks.

Try to sit with your back reasonably upright, but make sure not to crane your neck forwards and be sure that your lower back is well supported to emphasize it’s natural ‘S’ curve known as lordosis.
Recent research suggests that sitting at a reclined angle is actually good for your back and posture.
Some of the better quality chairs like the Aeron, Life and Leap allow you to do this easily whilst still keeping your feet on the floor and remaining in touch with your work space.