Eat Right to Beat Stress

Not only does the kind of food you eat make a difference but also the way you eat it. Here’s how you can improve your eating habits and get rid of your stress :

• Eat a variety of foods: The greater the variety in your diet, the less the likelihood of a deficiency or an excess of any single nutrient.
• Eat slowly: Don’t try to gobble your food – it will only make your stomach do more work and result in indigestion. Slow eating will help you digest food better and avoid weight gain.
• Eat regularly: Do not eat just because you are bored or have no time for anything else. Make eating a pleasurable activity.
• Eat frequent meals: Eat small and frequent meals if you are stressed.
• Don’t eat if you are angry: Rather, communicate/share your feelings. When you are tired or angry, divert your mind, go take a bath, drink lemon juice. Only once you feel better, go and eat your meal.
• Don’t eat while watching TV: Or reading, or else you will tend to overeat.
• Avoid fats: Too much of fat can lead to heart diseases. Your diet should only contain 30 per cent fat.
• Avoid sugar: Especially if you are under stress. It provides nothing but calories.
• Avoid salt: No more than 5gms must be taken per day. Excessive salt intake is a major health hazard for people with high blood pressure.

You are what you eat, may be an old adage but it couldn’t be nearer to the truth. Follow these eating habits and say bye to stress. 

Take vitamins and mineral supplements: When you are under stress you require more of all the vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B. Deficiencies in the vitamin B, C and calcium/magnesium have been linked to stress-related symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, depression and fatigue.