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A New Family History
Have you ever felt trapped by your family history? Many of us were raised by loving, well-meaning parents, many of whom had very bad health habits. Perhaps our parents smoked cigarettes, followed unhealthy diets, lived with too much stress or one...
Diet Information:The Atkins Diet
In the ‘80s we had the ‘F-plan’, in the Noughties, we’ve got the Atkins diet. Devotees to the Atkins plan claim to shed their unwanted pounds quickly and easily while still being able to tuck into ‘fry-ups’, while those whose tried it and fallen...
Don’t Let Friends And Family Sabotage Your Diet
One of the biggest obstacles to any weight loss plan is getting around the many subtle and not so subtle ways that family and friends use to sabotage your diet. While they may not even be aware that they are doing it, the tactics used by those...
Low Carb and Lowfat Diets...A Scam?!
If anyone knows anything about fitness, it’s that a low fat diet is the healthiest way to avoid serious diseases, right? Maybe wrong. In many instances quality research has shown just the opposite…that a low fat diet, sometimes even a...
Soy Foods for better health
Soyfoods aid longevity. Although a few authors dispute this, most literature found on the reputable internet sources show that traditional soyfoods, especially those with live cultures, correlate with reduced risks of various diseases without...
The Trouble With Love
After much analyses, I have figured out the problem with this love thing. The problem is that it takes two to make it work. Now the possibility that there are two people on the same planet that could actually love each other is not that remote. The...
Top Ten Creative Strategies for Inspiring Creativity Where You Work and Play
Websites, automobiles, milk cartons, living spaces. Design saturates every aspect of our lives and the difference between success and failure could be the color purple, could be the person that you talk to every morning when you wake up, or...
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The Relationship Between Stress And Diet
Do you run to the snack drawer when you get stressed out? For
many people there is a direct relationship between stress and
the foods they eat. For many turning to snack foods in stressful
situations is a method of comforting themselves, but what many
don't realize is that what you are eating can also add to your
stress.
Stress has more of a role in what we eat than many realize and a
great deal of overeating can be attributed to stress. One common
substance that we ingest which can be related to our stress
levels is caffeine. Caffeine is not only found in coffee but is
also in tea, soda and chocolate. Caffeine can add to your stress
by elevating your heat beat as well as your blood pressure.
Cutting out caffeine may help you reduce stress, but it is
advised to cut back gradually to avoid suffering the ill effects
of withdrawal.
Some people turn to alcohol when they get stressed but alcohol
can actually increase stress. Alcohol can make your body produce
adrenaline which can affect your sleep. Drinking alcohol can
make you tense and can interfere with your bodies immune system.
One common comfort food that many stressed out people turn to is
sugar. Who hasn't ripped open a candy bar after a stressful work
day? While it may seem like this is comforting you, it can
actually make you feel more stressed. This is because sugar can
affect the adrenal glands which can lead to depression and
irritability. Fatty foods go hand in hand with sugar and fat can
strain the cardiovascular system leading to more stress on your
system.
Typically people either turn to sugar or salt for snack foods
but eating salty foods is no better on your system. Salt raises
blood pressure and can cause you to feel out of control with
your emotions. If you are already stressed out this can
compound
your feelings.
If you want to control stress, you should take a good look at
what you are eating. Try eating a diet rich in fruits,
vegetables and whole foods. These foods will naturally help you
fight stress and are filled with nutrients that will help your
overall health. In addition, eating healthy won't pack on the
pounds thus allowing you to avoid the stress of weight gain. In
order to get the maximum amount of nutrients, aim to eat the
majority of your fruits and vegetables raw as some important
vitamins and enzymes can be lost during cooking.
How can you tell if your diet is adding to your stress? Pay
attention to any warning signs. Do you experience headaches
after eating? Are you having neck or back pain? Do you get
irritable after dinner? Are you feeling anxious for no reason?
If you answer "yes" to any of these, you might have food induced
stress. While fighting this with better food choices, also make
sure that you get at least seven hours of sleep each night in
order to ensure that you are well-rested. Being tired can
contribute significantly to your stress level.
There is no question that there is a connection between stress
and you diet. Eating caffeine filled drinks and sugary foods
will make you jittery and hyper as well as reduce your ability
to concentrate and relax. On the other hand, meals loaded with
vitamins and minerals will give you clarity of mind and give
your body the ability to better handle any stressful situation
that comes along.
About the author:
Lee Dobbins writes for Better Self where you can
learn more about self help and self improvement. Visit
www.better-self.com for more on how to
handle stress
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