Food to Better Manage Stress is a new phenomenon. Breathing, heart coherence, yoga, mindfulness … All these techniques are effective in combating stress, but this is not the subject of this article. Here we will discuss the major role of food, which is too often neglected.
Today, you can no longer deny that the food you put on your plate has no impact on your morale and your health in general. In the same way, certain nutrients are essential to fight against stress and we will review the most important.
Sources of fatty acids
We need fatty acids to function. The balance between omega 3, 6 and 9 is indeed the fundamental basis of the fight against inflammation and, therefore, health. To achieve this balance, it is especially important to increase your intake of omega 3.
Omega 3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids that our body cannot make itself. It is therefore necessary to consume enough food containing it to ensure interesting intakes and enjoy the benefits of these. They are responsible for the synthesis of many classes of molecules with various roles (blood coagulation, chemical mediators, membrane receptors, etc.).
It is therefore important to consume them every day, through virgin and unrefined vegetable oils, nuts, and fatty fish rich in omega 3. Omega 3 are particularly useful in stress management because they regulate transmissions nerve, including protecting the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerves. Omega 3 also has influence on the secretion of a particular hormone, cortisol.
Focus on cortisol
Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. It is commonly called the stress hormone because it has the particularity of providing the body with the resources necessary to act in the event of stress. Releasing sugars in the blood and interacting directly on the metabolism of lipids and proteins is it’s main job. It is a catabolic hormone. This means that it degrades the reserves for energy purposes.
The peculiarity of omega 3, and more particularly EPA and DHA, is to reduce the amount of cortisol secreted by the adrenals. Therefore, a diet containing omega 3 such as fatty fish, flaxseed or rapeseed oil is beneficial for your health and helps you manage your stress better .
Foods containing magnesium
When we talk about food to better manage stress, Magnesium is a vital mineral for your body. It leads to several hundred biochemical reactions within. It is best known for it’s role in stress management. We will recognize magnesium for its muscle relaxant qualities. Its role in the transmission of nerve impulses implies that its function in muscle contraction, and therefore on heart contraction (as well as its rhythm), is very important.
A diet rich in magnesium allows you to better manage stress. Here is a list of the foods richest in magnesium:
- Cereal products
- Seafood
- Oil-seeds
- Dry vegetables
- Mineral waters
- Sardines
- Dark chocolate
Foods containing vitamin c
Pepper, currants, parsley, Brussels sprouts, kiwi, strawberry and orange are the foods rich in Vitamin C. In general, we advise you to consume, each day, a sufficient quantity of vegetables providing vitamin C to avoid any deficiency.
However, it is still necessary to consume enough each day. We therefore remind you of the importance of a diet rich in plants. It will bring you all the necessary fibers, better hydration and vitamins, in particular vitamin B9 and vitamin C. It is the latter that interests us.
Studies have shown that eating a diet rich enough in vitamin C can decrease cortisol secretion. Note that the study mentions a consumption greater than 1500mg per day. In such conditions, supplementation is necessary.
Coffee and alcohol in question
Certain foods have a negative influence on stress management. Naturally, you should limit or even avoid them.
Coffee and alcohol directly increase your cortisol production. As you know, cortisol is a hormone that you have to know how to limit it. In fact, you will not be able to suppress its secretion. It is a hormone that follows a circadian rhythm. Its production is high upon waking and allows a discharge of sugar in the body coming to feed your brain! It is therefore crucial. Its secretion then decreases during the day to become almost zero at night. Melatonin and cortisol are actually linked. When one decreases, the other increases.
This should be enough to push you to limit the consumption of alcohol or coffee in the evening because the production of cortisol would increase. Melatonin secretion would decrease and disturb your sleep. In the long term this will lead to … you guessed it right, to even more stress!
Of course, these few nutritional tips are part of a holistic approach. Do not count on these foods to reduce your stress if your lifestyle or your daily routine does not leave room for relaxation!
Food is one of the way to better manage stress. We also have a “Stress Management Guide” which will certainly give you insights of stress so that you can manage it better.