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An Examination Of The Relationship Between Diet And Stress

Over the years there have been numerous studies into the benefits of sound nutrition and, as with many things in life, these studies more often than not contradict each other leaving us to ponder where the truth really lies. Generally however there is agreement that a healthy and balanced diet does have an important role to play in lowering stress.

It is also generally agreed that, where a diet is not very well balanced, the use of supplements can be helpful. For example, serotonin is a chemical that is produced in the brain which aids in inducing calm and, in the case of a poor diet, taking a supplement which helps the brain to produce serotonin will help the body to reduce stress.

Timing is however important and, because serotonin levels are usually naturally higher in the morning and reduced in the late afternoon, you can help your body by either by taking supplements in the late afternoon or by enjoying a late afternoon snack which will aid the body's natural production of serotonin. Try some pretzels or a baked potato, both of which are healthy and low in fat.

For some individuals excessive eating, particularly of high fat foods, is the solution to stress. However, high fat foods tend to inhibit or slow down serotonin levels and so frequently have just the opposite effect to the one you want.

Another result of over-eating is that of weight gain and, as a growing number of people are finding today, being overweight is a sure route to stress and even to depression. The solution therefore is both a sensible and balanced diet and a fair amount of exercise.

Eating sensibly and exercising will have the combined benefits of both lowering the production of stress-inducing chemicals within the body and of improving the way you look and feel, which will without doubt raise your mood and provide you with a sound barrier to stress.

Another to look out for is the habit many of us have of skipping meals. When you find yourself under stress you will often find that this depresses your appetite and it is a very matter to start skipping meals. Whether you are stressed or not, set yourself a regular routine for mealtimes and stick to it.

In addition, try to make mealtimes a 'break' in your day and leave your problems to one side while you are eating. Use this as a time, specifically set aside to relax and to focus your attention on the good things in life. You will almost certainly find that when you have finished your meal the world will be far calmer.

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