Food for your Mood and Stress Relief
Top 10 Best Foods For Stress Relief – MOOD AND FOOD CONNECTION
Stress is a common problem for many people. It is a disorder characterized by constant worry and nervousness, and it is sometimes related to poor brain health. There are certain foods you can eat that have properties to boost your brain and may help you to lower the severity of your stress symptoms. Whenever we are in stress, we usually turn to food.
We tend to over-eat foods that are high in carbs, fats, and have no nutrition value. This can result in obesity issues, depression, anxiety problems, and lead to more stressful situations. So if you are choosing the wrong kind of foods, then that can be responsible for your poor mental health.
Now, let us check out some foods, which will help you to de-stress your mind and uplift your mood.
1. Water intake:
Food for your Mood and Stress Relief
Water is a super nutrient, and we need to keep ourselves well hydrated. If our cells are not getting enough water, then this can lead to stress, as stress and dehydration are both interconnected. Therefore, we need to consume a good quantity of water to avoid stressful situations. Make sure to consume 2.5 to three liters of water regularly.
2. Berries:
Food for your Mood and Stress Relief
Berries are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C helps in regulating cortisol levels. Cortisol is the stress hormone. So if the cortisol levels are high, then it means stress is high. According to a study conducted at the University of Maryland, large doses of vitamin C have been proven to reduce both mental and physical responses to stress.
Berries help in reducing some physical and psychological effects of stress. So whenever you feel stress, make sure to grab some berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, any that you like.
One cup of strawberries will give you more than 100% of your daily-recommended amount of vitamin C studies have found that vitamin C reduced anxiety and levels of cortisol the stress hormone in your body. Blueberries are very rich in antioxidants. Blueberries are a high fiber, low-calorie fruit that is also rich in stress-fighting vitamin C.
3. Avocados:
Food for your Mood and Stress Relief
It is a delicious superfood rich in potassium, predominantly full of heart-healthy fats, which can boost your moodand help you to lower your blood pressure levels. You can have this nutritional powerhouse in your meals and you can combat your stress levels.
4. Chamomile Tea:
Food for your Mood and Stress Relief
Chamomile Tea has some relaxing and soothing properties. It also has some sleep-inducing effects; along with reducing your stress levels. Chamomile is safe. It is a herb. It has many health benefits. The chamomile herb helps to reduce anxiety.
It contains high amounts of antioxidants proven to reduce inflammation, which might decrease the risk of stress. The best time to take this tea is before bedtime. So you can have a cup of chamomile tea 30 minutes before your bedtime. This will help you to bring down your whole day’s stress and give you a good night’s sleep.
5. Green leafy vegetables:
Food for your Mood and Stress Relief
Try to include green leafy vegetables daily in your diet. Leafy green vegetables contain a lot of magnesium. Magnesium is an important mineral that has the power to relax muscles too. Leafy vegetables can help you to regulate your mood, cleanse your blood, balance your pH levels, and boost immunity.
6. Dark chocolates:
Dark chocolates helping to release some mood-boosting chemicals in your blood. It can improve your mood by reducing some symptoms of depression. Dark Chocolate contains flavonols, which are antioxidants that may benefit brain function.
Dark Chocolate may be helpful for improving anxiety due to its stress-reducing antioxidants and the ability to increase serotonin levels. But do try to take caution while consuming chocolates. It is okay to indulge in chocolate in small amounts.
You can have one to two squares of dark chocolates as snacks to stay healthy and energized.
7. Oats:
Oatmeal is the best breakfast option to have. Taking oatmeal daily can help to release some feel-good hormones in your body like serotonin, which makes you feel calm and relaxed. This is why it is essential to include healthy carbohydrates present in oat in your regular diet. So do try to include oats in your diet daily.
8. Nuts:
Nuts have healthy fats presenting dry fruits and nuts help you to balance your mood and prevent anxiety and depression. So do not forget to include a handful of walnuts, almonds daily in your diet.
9. Milk:
Food for mood and stress relief
Milk is high in antioxidants and also contains some unique nutrients that help to destroy radicals associated with stress. Milk contains vitamin B2, B12 as well as protein and calcium. The protein in milk helps to reduce anxiety while calcium helps with muscle relaxation. This is a reason why milk is sometimes referred to as a wind-down food.
10. Banana:
Food for mood and stress relief Bananas are rich in vitamin B9 or folic acid that is capable to fight depression by releasing serotonin (the happiness hormone). Bananas contain a neurotransmitter called norepinephrine that regulates stress levels.
Banana is also a very rich source of potassium. Potassium regulates your metabolic rate, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the symptoms of stress and anxiety. Eating the banana will help you to stay calm in a natural way.
Now let us check out the foods, which can trigger your stress.
a) Avoid junk foods fast foods and sodas: Processed foods are high in artificial colors, sugars, flavors, additives, and preservatives that are hazardous for human health.
b) Tea and coffee: Tea and coffee contain caffeine in it, taking high intake of caffeine in our diet can result in the release of stress hormones like cortisol, and it can lead to rapid heartbeat and increased blood pressure levels.
c) Alcohol: Alcohol is a deadly cause of stress. It may help you to deal with stress in the short term, but then longer it will make you feel more anxious and depressed and make your stress more worst.
You are what you eat. So make sure you are making the right choices to live a stress-free life. Share these food facts with your friends and family to help them live a stress-free life.
