Eating to Better Manage Stress

Traffic jams, misplaced keys, long lines at the grocery store, when you’re in a rush…Stressful situations are a fact of life, but you can take steps to minimize the impact they have on your mental and physical health, starting with your diet.
Your eating habits—what you eat and how you eat it (frequency, portions)—can affect how prone you are to stress, the intensity of your response, and your ability to cope. A balanced, nutritious diet helps ensure that you maintain the reserves of essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to run properly, especially in trying times.
When you encounter something stressful, your brain automatically triggers a cascade of physiological (bodily) changes often called the “fight or flight response.” You produce stress hormones that circulate in the blood stimulating your heart to beat faster, blood pressure to rise, muscles to tighten and other preparations for action. These heightened responses burn energy more quickly, so your metabolism—the rate at which the body converts food supplies into energy—accelerates. Essential vitamins and minerals are used up in the process. If you are low in certain nutrients to begin with, stress can compound the problem. And if you don’t replenish lost nutrients by eating the right foods, then your body won’t have the reserve capacity to respond to prolonged or repeated (chronic) stress.
Make the Right Choices
In times of emotional distress, people tend to reach for the wrong foods, however. Avoid high-sugar, high-fat, processed foods. A sugar infusion initially boost levels of serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter (brain chemical that affects mood and energy), but blood sugar levels then plummet, making you feel tired and triggering the release of adrenaline, a stress hormone. Trans fatty acids and sodium, typical ingredients in fast-food, raise blood pressure, which is part of the stress response.
Steer clear of caffeine as well. It boosts the production of adrenaline, magnifying jumpy, jittery feelings. If that is not an option, some nutritionists recommend substituting green, black, or oolong tea, which also contain an amino acid (L-theanine) that can help to ease tension.
Instead, fortify yourself with foods high in nutrients that help counter the effects of stress and replenish those lost during the stress response, including:
Calcium—strengthens and calms nervous system. Sources: yogurt, cottage cheese, asparagus, kale.
Iron—helps reduce stress-related fatigue. Sources: spinach, raisins, lean red meat.
Magnesium—helps muscles relax, helps you fall asleep, and stimulates production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that eases anxiety. Sources: green leafy vegetables, soybeans, salmon.
Omega-3 fatty acids—keep stress hormones from peaking; protect against heart disease. Sources: fatty fish (salmon, tuna, anchovies, mackerel, sardines, shad), nuts (pistachios, walnuts, almonds), flaxseed, canola oil.
Potassium—helps lower blood pressure. Sources: avocados, bananas, garlic, onions, pears, peaches, apricots.
Vitamin B complex—helps maintain nerves and brain cells; used in converting food into energy for the body. Sources: whole grains, seafood, eggs, lean meat, dark green leafy vegetables, avocados, bananas.
Vitamin C—Helps return blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol to normal levels. Boosts the immune system (one of the body processes that decreases activity during the stress response). Sources: citrus fruits, strawberries and other berries, cantaloupe, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes.