Fighting Stress

We all have stress, right? I know I do!Raising triplet boys with autism would certainly cause anyone some stress! But it's not just that. In the past couple of years I've lost relationships that were dear to me...a best friend (the relationship had become emotionally abusive) and some of my close family chose to 'pull the plug' as they called it. In reality, emotional hurts are more stressful than anything else, in my opinion. Three of my dearest friends are experiencing unbearable stress presently. Stress does take a toll on us! I can tell I'm overly stressed when I grind my teeth at night or clench my jaw to the point I have a nerve that goes spastic in my cheek! Or if I find myself woofing down 3 Snickers bars in one sitting...I tell myself that I'm overly stressed! Some of you may have seen this Yahoo news story about foods that help us fight the negative effects stress has on our bodies....What a great idea...we usually want to eat when we are stressed anyway, right? And there's chocolate! Yea! LOL!

♥♥♥Dark Chocolate High in flavonoids, which are lauded for their relaxing properties (chamomile tea is another great source), chocolate also contains phenethylamine, a chemical that enhances your mood. The darker the chocolate, the more healthy substances you're getting in your diet, so look for bars that are 70 percent cacao or higher.

♥♥♥Milk One study found that women who drank four or more servings of lowfat milk every day were about half as likely to experience stress-related PMS symptoms than those who drank less than one serving a week.

♥♥♥Oatmeal Carbs help you produce serotonin, a calming hormone that helps fight anxiety's negative effects-which is probably why many of us crave them when we're stressed. Oatmeal is high in fiber, which means that your body will absorb it slowly. In one fell swoop, you'll prolong the serotonin boost, keeping yourself feeling full for longer and making sure your blood sugar's in check.

♥♥♥Salmon Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids-abundant in fish like salmon-can help reverse stress symptoms by boosting serotonin levels, and that an omega-3-rich diet can also help suppress the production of the anxiety hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

♥♥♥Walnuts They've been shown to help lower blood pressure, which is critical for those whose hearts are already working overtime thanks to high adrenaline levels. In fact, research so strongly backs their health benefits that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration goes so far as to recommend 1.5 oz per day.

♥♥♥Sunflower Seeds A good source of folate, which helps your body produce a pleasure-inducing brain chemical called dopamine.

♥♥♥Spinach Studies show that magnesium, which you'll find in leafy greens like spinach, improves your body's response to stress.

♥♥♥Blueberries Their antioxidants counteract the effects of stress hormones like cortisol on your body.

Now, how easy is that? You can fit these all into one day! Have oatmeal with some walnuts for breakfast, blueberry yogurt for lunch and salmon with a spinach salad sprinkled with sunflower seeds for supper. Dark chocolate for a snack. :) I also found that prayer, some exercise and a good night's sleep helps a lot, too! So, how do you fight stress?...apart from eating icecream right from the container with the freezer door still open. LOL!