Soothe the storm
Certain foods
however can soothe stress by lowering your cortisol levels and counteracting
the damage on your body. ‘When you’re under pressure you need foods that help
to stabilize your brain chemistry and offer the satisfaction that’s missing
from quick-fix foods. You need to take inspiration from the original diets our
ancestors ate,’ says Charlotte.
The
hunter-gathered diet, based on the foods available to our ancestors, is the
ideal stress buster. It’s low in sugar and refined carbohydrates and packed
with vitamins and minerals designed to provide your body with optimum
nourishment and to lower stress levels. Check out our top five foods (above)
for keeping stress free.
Feel-good food rules
Want to slim
your stomach? Changing your eating habits will naturally help to lower cortisol
levels and shed pounds
- Eat protein
sources such as free range eggs, organic meat or fish with each meal to
regulate blood-sugar levels.
- ‘Good’ fats,
such as those from sardines, wild salmon, avocados, nuts and seeds, should
make up your fat intake. Cook with coconut oil, olive oil or (a small
amount of) butter.
- Eat plenty of
raw salad vegetables, which are full of fibre and key nutrients. Serve
them tossed together with a drizzle of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
to help absorb the fat soluble vitamins.
- Limit your
intake of grains containing wheat and gluten, and try to avoid eating too
much dairy, sugar, caffeine, processed fats and poor-quality meats.
- Swap sugary,
frizzy, empty calorie drinks for a healthier drinking option such as green
tea or purified water.
De-stress your life
Sit back and
relax with out top five tips for waving goodbye to stress
Move it: Walking
is a fabulously calming activity, helping to reduce stress hormones and improve
circulation, oxygenation and detoxification. While hardcore gym sessions are
great, they can cause the body more stress, so swap your spin class for
something low key in times of stress.
Have fun: If you
find a few activities you like, you’ll keep them up, and the feel-good factor
will eliminate stress. Try something new this month like yoga, gardening or
swimming.
Take a break: Give
yourself a break from the relentless stimulation of mobiles phones and laptops
and learn to just ‘do nothing.’ It can be much harder than you’d think! If
you’re stressed, make some ‘me’ time (take a long bath, or paint your nails) to
let your whole body rest and your brain switch off.
Breathe deeply: If
stress is starting to get the better of you, take 10 long and slow, deep
breaths. Then feel the muscles of your face, jaw and shoulders starting to
relax – any moment of restoration found in a busy day has huge positive health
implications and, if you do it regularly enough, it will become an almost
automatic process.
Let go: Sometimes
the best way to rid yourself of stress is just to have a great time. Laugh out
loud, listen to music, socialize, dance and have sex! These are all healthy ways
to naturally release stress hormones and make you feel more connected to others
which in turn stops you turning to sugar and other addictive substances.
