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Friday, March 26, 2010

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!

44 comments:

  1. Oh I am so sorry to hear about your stress...I hear you! I tend to eat large amounts and I have finally figured out that walking or doing a pilates work out helps! Now a pilaties work out does not take long at all! I fast forward throught the talking and get right down to the workout. 20 minutes!

    Take care of you some how or another, take time for just you if you can. Bless you.

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  2. Nancy ~ pilates is a great idea! I've started jogging...and it really doesn't take long to get the benefits!

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  3. Your advice is so worthy to take to heart! And who wouldn't like a day with the menu you suggest.

    Apart from food....the best book I ever read on stress, and I've taught it several times to Ladies Bible Studies is "Calm my Anxious Heart" by Linda Dillow.

    Wonderful personal stories and hand on Biblical help for coping with stress.

    However, I fall into the trap often. Yesterday we got some disturbing news about a friend so I made an Apple Pie.

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  4. Well blow me down! I should eat more spinach then, yes? Especially on pizza...with mushrooms :P

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  5. Wanda ~ that book sounds great..perfect for a ladies Bible study!

    Apple pie makes everything better, right?

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  6. stress is everywhere! I am loving your list of foods to eat to combat it...I like each one...some more than others!!

    for me spending time behind a camera ...and singing

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  7. Sounds like a plan. I love oatmeal but it has a tendency to give me cramps. I eat it anyway. Maybe tomorrow I'll throw some walnuts on it. And blueberries! I have a few of those waiting in my freezer. (They don't have to go in pie, do they?)

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  8. And, I'm sorry for the stress levels. Praying for you on the family issues.

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  9. Martha ~ Well, blueberries would be better for you in the oatmeal than in a pie, I guess. ha.

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  10. Aww...thanks, Martha! Prayer should always be at the top of the list! I'm praying, too!

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  11. I knew the darker the chocolate, the better it was for you, but I didn't know it had the relaxing properties.

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  12. mmm....love me some blue berries...are you sure this is not a ploy just to get to eat more chocolate? smiles. a long walk in the woods does it for my stress...

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  13. Well, I don't get all that stressed these days but I've experienced a bit of depression and I found the best thing was exercise! Solution; we bought a treadmill and I'm feeling great.

    Hubby and I also have a couple of glasses of Red each night! I must substitute the peanuts for dark chocolate!

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  14. did you put a camera in my freezer? :)

    ...heading your way in April. Can we plan ahead to catch up? Praying for you. xox -Jen

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  15. I really enjoyed this post, so informative and interesting.
    Yes, stress can get the better of us - I love to eat all the things you list. Now I only need to switch to dark chocolate.;)
    Have a great Friday,
    xo
    Zuzana

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  16. I'm afraid I'm one of those people who eat under stress. I have had an awful 12-15 months with various 'life events' as they call them now. I have gained all of the 60-odd pounds I lost prior to that and then some.

    Luckily for me, I love all of those foods you listed, apart from salmon (allergic) and oatmeal (an intolerance), so I think I'll have blueberries, walnuts, sunflower seeds and spinach for lunch with chocolate for dessert, all washed down with a drink of milk. Do you think sesame paste or sardines will substitute for the salmon? Hmm. I'm so stressed, maybe both? LOL!

    Sorry to hear you've had a rough time too. Losing friends is the pits, and it does constitute one of my recent life events. I lost about four in one go due to a forum bust up. People took sides. *Sigh*

    Came over from Baino, by the way.

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  17. Betsy, sorry to hear of all your stress. May God be with you and lighten your load.

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  18. Jen ~ absolutely! You know I'd clear my calendar for you! Looking forward to it! :)

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  19. Jay ~ thanks for coming over and joining in on the conversation. Sorry to hear about your stressful year! Best wishes as you try to get healthy!

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  20. Betsy, I can't even begin to imagine the stress of raising triplets, losing friends, pulling the plug on family and just the normal every day stresses. God bless you. Running was the best thing for me... for years. Love all the foods!

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  21. I can totally relate Betsy. I have been wearing my mouth piece at night to prevent lock jaw from tight clenching while I sleep. Funny too that I just bought a bag of sunflower seeds recently. I think I'll be taking those to work today! Have a great FRIDAY!

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  22. Exercise has always been a key stress reliever for me but these days... think 9.5 months pregnant... well, exercise isn't coming so easily but I could easily wolf down that list of delicious food!

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  23. What a great post Betsy! I have started having blueberries on cereal every morning. Tastes wonderful. I agree with Subby, spinach on my pizza, Yes!
    I really don't know how you keep your sanity....you are an inspiration to us all! Have a good weekend with your 5 men!

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  24. The darker the chocolate, the better. We have found some that is 80% cacao and it is so rich and good. I didn't know about chamomile tea, though. Thanks for the great info.

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  25. Thanks for all the good suggestions. I've been eating a lot of oatmeal--s cereal, in muffins, and in the granola I've been making. The granola also includes walnuts and/or sunflower seeds, so I'm covered there too.

    However, the chocolate will have to wait until after Lent!

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  26. Kathy G ~ good for you! And dried blueberries would be yummy in your granola! :)

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  27. Pilates really does help. I've been doing that for a long time...and I completely agree with Lady Cat, the darker the chocolate, the better! :D

    I hear you...I hate it that so many people I care about are in pain right now.

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  28. The way I de-stress is by taking walks. I love all of your ideas also! It is good to get healthy and try to get our stress levels down as much as possible....so that we can be around to encourage and love others! :)

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  29. What a wonderful post. I do hope you are feeling better, Betsy. Exercise helps a lot ... a walk with my MP3 helps me a lot. I take oats too as breakfast. It is very good. Take care of yourself now. hugs,shakira

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  30. Words of wisdom indeed. Reading your words are stress reducing.Except for the Snicker's part ... surely I can figure out a way to keep them in my stress reducing diet! This is getting personal.

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  31. Debi ~ well, 'everything in moderation', right? One Snickers...not so bad...Three? very, very bad! LOL!

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  32. Blueberries and nuts and salmon ~ oh my! I love all these stress reducing foods. Especially Snickers (my favorite candy bar from childhood to today.) PS ... my caramels arrived and guess what? They reduce stress too ~ too much!

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  33. It's a sign of the changing times that we almost never even heard the word "stress" 30 years or so ago, and now it's become part of almost everyone's life... just at different levels.

    Thanks for the tips -- at last, something in one of your posts that won't knock down a diabetic like myself! -- and I seriously hope your own stressful events lighten up on you.

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  34. this sure was a perfect topic for me....ever since Buddy died i have been having a tingling on the side of my head.STRESS. and crying 24/7.

    thanks for stopping by Betsy....

    good to hear from a friend.

    i am going to force myself back to blogland...if i can stop crying:-(

    this has been THE WORST...but see that others are in a bad way too...

    thanks for the encouragement..it helps...

    more later
    love,
    kary

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  35. Hello Betsy!

    I find taking a good brisk walk does wonders fro me if I'm stressed, and believe it or not cleaning my house is also a stress reliever. I guess the exercise of walking and the routine of house cleaning releases endorphins and gives my mind something else to think about.

    I hope you all have a wonderful strees free weeekend!

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  36. Oh kary...big hugs to you! I do know how you feel...I've lost 2 pets before and really took it very hard. You know Buddy would want you to be happy....to move on... but hold his happy memory in your heart. It will come...just give it time. :) I think it would be a good distraction for you to visit a few friends here. Our little circles do offer comfort and love, don't they? :)

    xxoo

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  37. Pat ~ hey, housework does that for me, too! I don't know if it's the physical work or just loving the end results. I thought I was the only one! ha.

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  38. I try to drink a glass of milk every night because I've found that my sleep is better, more restful when I do.

    Unfortunately, I have built a lifetime of stress relief around food....the wrong kind of food. Anything crunchy does it for me...20 minutes of crunchy chewing. As great of a stress reliever as it is, it hasn't done anything good for my waistline.

    I can't imagine the stress level your life must be at sometimes. I am always amazed that your attitude is so wonderful. You are tops in my book.

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  39. Humor, humor and more humor. Laughing really does take the stress down a couple of notches. That and LaMaze.

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  40. Sandy ~ I completely agree about keeping your sense of humor! If you can laugh, you can get through just about anything!

    Lamaze? You know, if I get hurt...really in pain...I instinctively go into that breathing! haha. Never thought to do it under stress, though.

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  41. Some very good advice here !
    I try to eat at least two of the things on your list daily.
    Seems as though stress vanishes when I'm out digging in the dirt, I just let the world pass me by.
    I wanted to share this blog with you http://crystaljigsaw.blogspot.com/ you may be familar with it already.
    The lady is from England, and has an autisic daughter. She shares your determination and strength, I hope you will enjoy.

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  42. Brit In TN ~ oh yes, I'm familiar with Crystal. Haven't visited in a while, but have on and off for a couple of years now.

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  43. I had salmon tonight. No wonder I feel less stressed! I do yoga on Mondays. I will have to miss this week.

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  44. Well, no wonder I feel so much stress--I don;t eat any of these things! good to know, dear Betsy.

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