Stress Management Tip - Nutrition and Stress

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A lot of research today is showing that having a good nutritional diet
has a direct impact on a person's ability to manage stress. A body
that is well nourished and healthy is far more resilient to stressful
conditions than a poorly nourished body.
In order to function properly, you body requires a certain amount of
energy from carbohydrates, protein and fats. Like the term "balanced
diet" suggests, there is no single food that provides all the
essential nutrients. Rather you should be eating a variety of foods
during the day to ensure that your body is receiving the necessary
nutrients.
A healthy nutritious diet typically includes fresh fruit, whole
grains, vegetables, lean meat and fish. Foods that contain high levels
of fat, salt, sugar and alcohol should be taken in moderation. A
healthy diet enhances the immune system and helps to maintain a
reasonable energy level which is essential for dealing with stress.
As certain foods are helpful in dealing with stress, other types of
food are known to have a detrimental effect and quite possibly add
extra levels of stress particularly when consumed in large amounts.
For example, too much caffeine, i.e. coffee or tea, can increase
anxiety and cause inability to sleep. Large amounts of alcohol may
initially cause you to feel sleepy but will ultimately disrupt sleep.
Nicotine, while not a food, raises the heart rate and is quite simply
bad for the body. Finally too much sugar may give an initial burst of
energy but can cause an energy dip as the naturally occurring insulin
is generated within the body.
As you can see the impact of these food types, do not only add to your
stress levels, but also can affect your ability to deal with stress.In
short, if you follow the suggested tips below, your ability to deal
with stress will be maximised while the impact of any ongoing stress
will be reduced.

Never start the day with out breakfast.
Eat slowly rather than rush.
Eat small frequent meals and snacks.
Include a variety of foods in your diet as described earlier.
Avoid saturated fats.
Minimise your intake of salt and sugar.
Drink alcohol in moderation.
Avoid excessive caffeine based drinks such as coffee and tea.
Drink plenty of water.
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