Eating To Beat Stress

Chronic stress can have a negative effect on our physical health as well as our mental wellbeing. It can play a role in our susceptibility to illness and disease, but also in day-to-day functional problems such as aches, pains and stiffness.

There are many steps we can take to improve our ability to cope with stress and the role of nutrition is an important one. What and how you eat can help manage your stress.

To cope well with stress we need our food to provide us with balanced, sustained energy. Foods that quickly break down into glucose and are quickly absorbed - such as sugary foods and fast-releasing carbohydrates - may give us a burst of energy but can cause blood sugar to peak and then dip. This can actually increase our body's stress response and stress hormone levels, as well as making us feel irritated and out of control. As well as eating regularly, getting enough food is important when you're dealing with stress. 

Going on a weight loss diet - whether it's low-calorie, low-carb or low-fat - during a stressful time can add to your stress levels and in fact lead to yo-yo dieting. Instead, focus on balancing your blood sugar as outlined above, by eating regular meals, getting enough protein, healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables and cutting the refined carbohydrates and junks foods.