Beat Stress Through Nutrition

Stress and Food go hand in hand! Food gives us the feeling of satisfaction when put in stressful situations. Our favorite foods- "comfort foods"- can reduce stress, but we must remember moderation is key!! Giving your body the proper nutrition it needs is already a positive step in reducing stress. During intense stress, Adrenaline is produced in the body giving you bursts of energy, but after the stressful situation diminishes, blood-sugar level drops. It is up to us to replenish it!! Most people do not know that even certain foods increase physical stress on the body by making the digestion harder, or denying the brain essential nutrients. For example---> Caffeine and alcohol both put strain on the body! The better the diet the higher the chance you reduce stress and protect your health.

Avoiding Common Problems: (Jane Collingwood)
Indigestion. This can result from eating in the middle of a stressful situation, as the digestive system is not relaxed. It also can be due to eating on the run, so always sit down to eat and eat more slowly, chewing food properly. You will then really taste and enjoy your meals and snacks.

Bloating. As we all know, bloating is unpleasant, and stressful in itself. It could be triggered by wheat products (bread, pasta, cakes and biscuits) and dairy products (milk, cheese, butter and cream), so try cutting out each food group for a couple of weeks to see if the problem eases.

Caffeine dependency. Relying on caffeine to keep you going is a bad idea. It raises stress hormones and can lead to insomnia and dehydration, affecting your body’s ability to handle stress. There are many delicious caffeine-free alternatives, such as herb teas.

Hangovers. No one functions well with a hangover, so drinking heavily will lead to trouble the following day. This does not mean that you need to avoid alcohol completely, just be aware of its effects, and resist using it regularly as a coping technique.

Cravings. These often hit during the ‘post-lunch dip’, and increase at hormonal times and under stress. To curb your cravings, include small portions of the craved item into your usual diet, rather than trying to resist completely. Or distract yourself by getting involved in something else, and the craving may pass. Keep healthy food nearby, and do not wait too long between snacks.

Sugar highs and lows. Although the brain needs glucose to enable it to perform effectively, very sugary foods cause your blood sugar level to spike and then plummet, leaving you sleepy and lethargic. This can lead to another sweet craving, and the cycle continues.

Does Stress Make You Fat??

There are numerous ways stress does in fact contribute to weight gain. When we are under stress our body triggers the fight or flight response releasing various hormones. The fight or flight response gives us a burst of energy to prepare us to run or fight, shifting the metabolism and blood flow. If our bodies remain in this state for an extended period of time, chronic stress, your health becomes at risk. Chronic stress can also cause weight gain due to cortisol. Below are several ways chronic stress and cortisol contribute to weight gain:
1. Metabolismà Too much cortisol slows your metabolism, causing more weight gain than you would normally experience, even when you are eating the same foods.
2. Cravingsà People experiencing chronic stress crave fatty, salty, and sugary foods. These processed foods and sweets lead to increased weight gain.
3. Blood Sugarà extended stress can alter blood sugar levels resulting in mood swings, fatigue, and hyperglycemia. Too much stress can lead to heart attacks and diabetes.
4. Fat Storageà Stress affects where we tend to store fat. High levels of stress are linked to greater amounts of abdominal fat.
5. Emotional Eatingà Increased cortisol levels can make you crave unhealthy food and eat more than normally due to nervous energy.
6. Fast Foodà Stress due to busy lifestyles often force people to depend on fast food and take out instead of creating the time to make dinner.
7. Too busy to Exerciseà American’s live more sedentary lifestyle today than in the past. A lot of people working long hour days (often at a desk) and come home exhausted. Exercise is often overlooked, but is extremely important in reducing stress.

Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress:
1. Journaling
2. Exercise
3. Yoga
4. Breathing Techniques
5. Mediation
6. Humor and Stress Release

Stress and Nutrition

Stress can often lead to unhealthy lifestyle, which turns around and creates yet more stress. When we are in a hurry or under stress we often make poor food choices, which ini return can create stress in the long run. When people feel overwhelmed they often do too much of the following. Although it may relieve stress at the moment, it is setting them up for life-long problems.

1. Too Much Coffee---People often use coffee to wake them up in the morning and get their day started, but statistics show that people under great deals of stress continue to drink coffee throughout their entire day. Too much caffeine affects concentration and sleeping patterns.

2. Eating Wrong Foods----People under stress tend to crave foods high in fat, sugar and salt because of the increased levels of cortisol.

3. Skipping Meals---Overstressed people often skip meals because they're in a rush or preoccupied.

4. Forgetting Water---A large percentage of American's drink no water at all! They turn to soda or coffee instead, which does not benefit you nearly as much as water.

5. Fast Food---We are the nation of fast food! People often put themselves in the situation where they have too much to do in not enough time. They rely on take out and fast food to feed their family. Fast food can often get expensive and extremely unhealthy if eaten in excess.

6. Crash Diets---After gaining weight from stress, some people intentionally eat less food than they need to shed the weight quick. Diets that are not balanced with fruits, vegetables, protein, and healthy carbohydrates can be bad for your health in the long run. It can cause Blood Sugar Inbalances (lead to mood swings, fatigue, and poor concentration)

7. Poor Health Outcomes--- Poor nutrition choices can lead to a lowered immunity so you are more likely to get sick. How can you make better food choices??
**Eat Breakfast
**Drink Plenty of Water
**Carry snacks (high in protein)
**Pack a lunch
** No Caffeine after 2p.m.
**Keep Healthy snacks/and food in your home to avoid binging!

Stress and Appetite

Stress and Appetite: Hand in Hand

Some people while under a great deal of stress, whether it be from work or family matters, will run to the kitchen and devour anything high in fat and sugar content. On the other hand, some people have a suppressed appetite and eat minimal amounts while under stress causing them to lose body weight. How does our body react in the aspect of food and stress?


When your body is under mild to moderate stress, an appetite stimulant called dynorphine is release. When you eat to eliminate the stress, dopamine is released, which is known for increasing your comfort level. Food becomes a comfort when we are stressed because it releases dopamine, which our body may not be doing on its own. I guess stress affects pretty much every part of our lifestyle!

What Can You Do To Avoid This Splurging??

• Avoid sugars, starches, and fats and cravings will back off
• If You Sense your binging due to stress is getting unhealthy, contact someone for help!
• Get Some helpful hints from the book, Anatomy of Food Addiction:The Brain Chemistry of Overeating, bye Anne Katherine.

Are You Really Eating Your Feelings?

Many people are under an enormous amount of stress today, whether it be work or family issues, and find their relief through food. Why do people seem to constantly eat their emotions?

When your body is under mild to moderate stres, an endorphin named dynorphin is released, which is a powerful appetite stimulant. If you eat to release your stress, dopamine is released, which increases your level of comfort. To sum it up, You are under stress, so you eat food, and feel comforted.

What can you do to eliminate these binges while under daily stress you may encounter?

• Eliminate starches, sugars, and fats from diet and it will decrease your food cravings.
• If you believe your food binging due to stress is becoming dangerous, speak to your Physician
• Read the book, Anatomy of a Food Addiction:The Brain Chemistry Overeating by Anne Katherine.
• I personally try and stay active when I'm stressed and out of the kitchen. If I can physically occupy my mind, the craving for food does not take over.