8 Foods to Eat When Stressed

Whether you are feeling the crunch of deadlines or #allthethings of life are mounting, we all feel stressed. In fact, I am just coming out of a season where my stress was at its highest. Yes, my friend, I am walking this stress journey right here with you! The great thing is that out of this season, I picked up some great tools from my friend Paula that I am excited to share with you. Meet my friend Paula! She is certified health coach with Go Whole LLC and has just utilized the tools she is going to share with us today in her own journey. She is an amazing writer and teacher, so I will let her share in her own words her advice for us in our journey with stress. Take it away Paula!

“Since we last spoke, the stress level in my life has been unexpected and almost more than I could handle.  Two members of my family struggled with some very serious health issues within a month or so of each other. Both are doing well now, but it was hard for me and my family.

Needless to say, I’ve had to be extremely mindful of my sleep, what I’m eating and exercising to keep my own sanity and not fall into a very vicious cycle of binging on sugars and carbs that give us that ‘ahhhh’ factor.    

When you are stressed, your cortisol levels are elevated.  When your cortisol is high, your body will experience cravings for salty and sweet foods.  Ghrelin is also elevated during times of stress and ghrelin tells our body it’s hungry.  So, you can see with those two hormones combined we have to be mindful of what our body needs versus what our body wants during stressful situations.  Unfortunately, when we give our body what it wants (sugar/salty), our blood sugar spikes, then crashes leaving us feeling the same, or even worse, and we repeat the cycle.

So what can we reach for when the stress levels are high without promoting blood sugar spikes? 

1- Dark Chocolate – Yes, chocolate!  Eating a square or a bite and not the whole bar.  Strive for varieties that are 70% cacao or more.  Research shows that dark chocolate can reduce cortisol, a stress hormone, and cacao has antioxidants that help reduce blood pressure.  It’s best to reach for dark chocolate after a meal and not by itself to prevent the rise and crash in our blood sugar levels.

2- Avocados are filled with monosaturated fat, fiber, vitamin C and vitamin B6.  Fat and fiber help you feel fuller longer.  Vitamin B6 and C can help reduce stress.  The sky is the limit on how to eat avocados such as:

·        avocado on whole grain toast (add egg for protein)

·        guacamole

·        stuff avocados with chicken salad or tuna salad

·        add to a smoothie

·        layer with tomato and mozzarella cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar or glaze

3- Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and kale, as well as other raw fruits and veggies, are rich in magnesium which can regulate cortisol and blood pressure levels.

·        Add spinach or kale to a smoothie

·        Add leafy greens to eggs or an omelet

·        Add a side salad to a meal.  Here’s one of my favorite kale salads (https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/kale-salad/) (HINT:  The key to a great kale salad is to massage it really well before adding any other ingredients.  This makes the kale softer and removes the bitter taste!)

4- Unsalted nuts (especially almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pistachios)

Many of these nuts are high in vitamin E, vitamin B6 and magnesium.  Magnesium helps control blood sugar levels, lowering blood pressure as well as regulating the nervous system. 

·        Create your own trail mix with unsweetened dried cranberries or blueberries

·        Grab a small handful of nuts for a snack

·        Pistachios and slivered almonds are a wonderful topping to yogurt

5- Oatmeal (steel or old fashioned) – Yes, oatmeal is a carbohydrate and complex carbs are much better than simple carbs (cookies, pastries, etc).    Oats contain tryptophan which produces serotonin and boosts your mood. 

6- Sweet potatoes with butter and cinnamon – Sweet potatoes is another complex carbohydrate.  Add butter for a healthy fat and cinnamon which reduces blood sugar in the body.  Have you ever had a sweet potato for breakfast?  Try this yummy way to start your day - https://unboundwellness.com/sweet-potato-breakfast-bowl/

7- Blueberries – These beautiful berries are filled with antioxidants, phytonutrients and vitamin C which help improve brain function and lowering blood pressure

·        Eat as a snack with a handful of almonds or a slice of cheese

·        Add to a smoothie

·        Add to oatmeal

8- Fatty fish (tuna, halibut, salmon, and sardines) are high in omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D which have been shown to help reduce stress levels and improve mood.

·        Here’s one of my favorite salmon recipes: https://www.aheadofthyme.com/pistachio-crusted-salmon/

·        Tuna salad doesn’t have to be boring (or loaded with mayo) - https://greenhealthycooking.com/10-minute-avocado-tuna-salad/

Bonus!!! There are 2 teas that you can drink as well that help when you feel stress:

 1- Chamomile Tea helps reduce brain inflammation and reduce anxiety.  It also contains antioxidants and can help with you sleep better and deal with stress better.

2- Green Tea has an amino acid, theanine, that can help boost your mood and calm your body when you’re stressed.

Thank you so Paula for sharing these with us! Now if you will excuse me, I’m going to make some avocado egg and toast with blueberries and dark chocolate!