Stress Relief Through Food and Good News!

There is going to be a lot of eating during this holiday season! Some of the eating will be pleasurable and festive but the majority is going to be intermingled with stress.
·        The stress of not having enough money or a job to purchase the gifts your children desire;
·        The stress of dealing with unexpected health challenges in our loved ones;
·        The stress of not having loved ones around anymore to celebrate the holidays;
·        The stress of not having a home to live in because the home was lost in this economy;
·        The stress of starting over whether it is a new job, new relationship, or relocation to a new city/state.

Yes, stress is all around us whether it is good or bad. But…How do we cope with it? One way I cope with stress is by remembering certain scriptures in the Bible which is good food for the soul!

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
When negative experiences and situations are coming at you, and when it seems overwhelming, then stop, take a deep breath and simply take time to focus on something lovely and good. Overcoming stress starts with the ability to control our thoughts. We need to focus on the positive, uplifting things of God.


1 Peter 5:10
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
We go through stressful trials for a reason: God is working with us! He was working with Joseph when he was at the bottom of a well and when he was in an Egyptian prison. Joseph had a reason to be stressed out. When Daniel was in the lion's den, he, too, had a reason to be stressed out. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were facing their fiery trial, they also had a reason to be stressed out. But they kept going and obeying God. They faced their doubts and fears. They didn't collapse in self-pity and wonder why God was allowing this to happen to them. When you come to realize that there is a divine purpose for your trials, then the stress of dealing with them will diminish.


Now, wasn't that Good News?


The following article will help you to decide what to eat and what not to eat when experiencing stress:
Food – The best and worst medicine for stress
It has been proven that the major health disorder in the United States in stress. Nutritious food and simple deep breathing exercises are the simplest methods for stress relief.  They are cost effective, easily available and are without side effects. Foods that reduce stress act mainly by their vitamins and mineral contents.
Food and Stress Relief
The changes associated with stress are
  • Increase in the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol
  • Increase in blood sugar and cholesterol
  • Increase in the heart rate and blood pressure
  • Increase in the respiration
  • Accumulation of toxins like carbon dioxide and lactates
  • Emotional changes due to alteration in the brain chemistry
  • Gastro intestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome
  • Suppression of immunity
The principle of stress management programs is to reverse all these changes. Among these changes the levels of the already increased hormones cannot be brought down. The stimulus which increases their production can be controlled. All the other changes can be reversed using various stress relief options. One of the simplest options is the dietary changes.

Food Items to be Avoided
Food items which aggravate the signs and symptoms are to be avoided; such as the following:
  • Tea, coffee, cocoa
  • Junk foods and fast foods
  • Egg yolks
  • Butter, cheese , shrimps and meat
  • Coconut oil
  • Beverages including soda, chocolate drinks and soft drinks.
  • Sugar
  • Alcohol
Tea, coffee, cocoa including chocolate drinks contain neuro-stimulators like, caffeine and Theo bromine. In stress the patients will be already anxious and further stimulation results in aggravation of anxiety and worsen sleeplessness.

Egg yolks contain high percentage of cholesterol and should be avoided in stress which itself increase the cholesterol levels. Butter, cheese, coconut oil, and meat are to be avoided for similar reasons.

Junk foods and fast foods are highly delicious food items are not balanced diets. They contain protein, fats and carbohydrates in inappropriate proportions and moreover they don't contain the essential vitamins and minerals. Stress needs more of energy, vitamins and minerals also but in a balanced proportion.

Beverages including soda and soft drinks contain 'empty calories' which are useless and they also don't contain vitamins and minerals. In stress there is accumulation of carbon dioxide and lactates resulting in a condition called acidosis which is detrimental to health. Sugar should be avoided in stress as the person will be already having increased blood glucose levels with a higher risk of getting diabetes.

Food Items to be Included
Researches show that vitamins like B complex, C and E along with minerals like manganese, selenium and zinc are helpful in relieving stress. The food items rich in these substances should be included. It is better to include plant sources of these essential nutrients.  
The food items beneficial are
  • Fresh vegetables mainly green, yellow, orange and leafy vegetables
  • Fresh fruits
  • Soups
  • Yogurts
  • Fish
  • Skimmed milk
  • Herbal products
Fresh vegetables, fruits provide all vitamins and minerals. Green, yellow, orange vegetables like tomatoes, carrots are rich in vitamins for stress and minerals. Vegetables also contain more fiber content which is helpful in treating constipation and the loose stools associated Irritable bowel syndrome which is one of the long term effects of stress.

Yogurts provide minerals including calcium essential for proper nerve impulses and lacto bacillus which is essential for maintaining gut flora. More over yogurt neutralizes the acidity of peptic ulcer aggravated by stress. Skimmed milk contains less than 3% fat which is appropriate during stress. Milk also contains tryptophan which is essential for the synthesis of 5HTP or serotonin which is a mood stabilizer which helps in pacifying an anxious stressed person.

Sprouted grams provide all nutrients in a balanced and very importantly in an easily digestible and absorbable way. One should remember that stress affects digestion.

Fishes like Salmon and Tuna contain more of Omega-3 fatty acids which protect heart, from heart diseases which are precipitated by stress.

Whole wheat flour and yeasts provide B complex vitamins including pantothenic acid which is often described as an anti- stress vitamin. Vitamin C which is an anti oxidant is provided by fresh fruits, broccoli and potatoes. Magnesium which is a natural mood stabilizer and pacifier is found in cereals, spinach, pumpkin, and chocolates.

Herbal products such as Kava Kava, Valerian, Dandelion,, Chamomile, Passion flower relaxes both the mind and the body.
Meal Management
The meal management to tackle stress should be
  • A heavier meal in the morning
  • A lighter meal at night
  • Salads before the meals
  • Fruits as desserts at the end of the meal
The food that reduces stress has got a significant role in all stress management programs. A well balanced nutritious food as advised by the dietician and avoidance of unhealthy food can thus help in stress relief.

Watch the video below for more suggestions on foods to eat during stressful times!

References:
http://www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_article/food-and-stress.htm
http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-answers/coping-with-stress.htm


What ways do you cope with stress? What type of foods do you like to eat when you are stressed? Share your comments.

Comments

Quinn said…
Quinn Lohmann
Response to blog

You guys have great advice about stress. Especially about avoiding alcohol, because it can lead to heart disease and you could probably die if you drink too much of it.
tr0y101 said…
Internally, we all respond to stress the same: our blood pressure rises, our heart pumps faster, and our muscles constrict. When stressed, our bodies work hard and drain our immune system. Externally, however, people tend to respond to stress in three different ways: some become angry and agitated, others space out or withdraw, and still others freeze up. There are countless techniques for preventing stress. Yoga and meditation work wonders for improving our coping skills.
DrDSpeaks said…
tr0y101,
You are absolutely correct. Thank you for your comments.
Christopher Newman said…
My BMI is perfect as far as my weight to height ratio. But at the same time I take part in consumtion that is not healthy. So given the information that you Ms. Wooten provided I take as influence to better my eating habits and reduce my stress level. Food is very important to stress reduction, so to eat healthy is the best option.
Jasmine Johnson said…
I cope with stress in many ways. Depending on where I am, for instance if I was at home I would sometimes take a deep breath, stretch a little, take a warm shower, take some deep breaths in there or I may sometimes get on the phone and try to talk it out with my loved ones. Other times I would watch a movie until I fall asleep, and eat different types of food. Honestly whatever food I have in sight is what I eat, whether it be pizza, fish, chicken, oatmeal, salad, chips, or some fruit, I eat it all. But the main food I eat when I'm stressed would be strawberry ice cream. I think this section of your blog is very important and is a excellent start for people who stress tremendously.
DrDSpeaks said…
Jasmine,
Ice cream is dangerous to the woman's figure. It is ok to treat yourself every now and then, but be careful. Explore other foods to eat when you're stressed. The video has good suggestions.
Unknown said…
it's amazing how stress plays a huge roll in our lives. it can cause humans to have some reactions that they normally wouldn't have if they were stress free. now in days we have so many books, foods, shows, business, etc devoted to helping one reduce stress or learn how to manage it. i for one am lucky to have a massage therapist as a girl friend. thanks to her is how i stay stress free for the majority of the part. i can't go more than two weeks with out getting a message from her.
i do strongly believe we should all find that one thing that helps us stay stress free. Once again, this post is just equally amazing as all the other ones. you area covering every important aspect of life.
Anonymous said…
This is helpful news, between my personal life, school, and work. My stress level can snowball quiet fast. The foods to intake to avoid stress gain is new to me, and I'll be sure to include in my diet!

Although I must say, in "Foods to Avoid" some of the foods listed there have some health benefits too! Coffee as an example, it helps fight off certain disease's! Such as two types of Diabetes and Alzheimer's and much more, and I am aware of the bad effects too.
and the intake to get these benefits is a small amount. Thanks again Dr. D! -Daniel Gonzalez
Unknown said…
The ways that I cope with stress is that I would rather hold things in and pretend like nothing happened I know its bad but I don't think about it as much if I keep my mind and myself busy. I try to travel and take extracurricular activities to keep myself busy. When I am under stress I really don't eat. After reading this blog I feel this has helped me a lot. It opened my eyes to ways to avoid stress and understand that God has a plan for all of us. Thank You. Cynthia Ojeda
Anonymous said…
When I was younger I would always use Marijuana to cope with stress. Not only did the effects relax my body but it also did to my brain and thoughts. My family is custom to use drugs to relieve stress either, pain killers, marijuana, or alcohol. Reading this article makes me want to change that cycle mainly because the positives of stress relieve in this article focuses on simply being healthy and not damaging the body in order to relieve the stress.
Jose M.
PW said…
i usually drink tea weather i'm stressed or not. i also tend to eat unhealthy like once a day. It seems like everything you mentioned not to eat except eggs i eat and i will stay away from them and try to drink alot of water.


PW
Anonymous said…
Being able to understand what foods can affect my stress level has help me understand I need to minimize the intake of these foods. I can do without all the other foods except my coffee..it's going to be really difficult to give up coffee!!

OR
Anonymous said…
stress does revolve around our lives. its mostly mental beause we feel hopeless and out of control. i eat healthy but then again i was always have something to treat myself i will try to avoid doing that ona daily basis and have more herbal drinks.
Nanette said…
I agree that foods do relief or aggravate stress. Although I know eating ice cream is bad, I still feel like it reliefs stress for me personal, even though I know it depressed me more later on because I end up gaining weight. I think just like me, what most people experience is emotional eating, were you need carbs to suppress your stress and anger so you can cope with the your situations.

Janet P.
Lauren Dressler said…
As a working student it can be very stressful trying to juggle both also eating healthy can be hard. I had no idea that some foods like egg yolks and beverages like tea could aggravate the stress. Drinking caffeine is not in my normal routine but I do love to sip on a good hot tea every once in a while and had no idea that it could make you anxious and aggravate stress!
Unknown said…
It's very surprising to me how the foods you eat can affect the way you cope with stress. I never knew that by eating healthy, you are increasing your body's ability to relieve stress, and unhealthy foods can aggravate and worsen the symptoms of stress. A healthy diet can improve your health more than people may realize.
Anonymous said…
Very informative and inspiring for a better diet! Just by looking at the fact what a positive impact healthy food creates in our bodies, makes a way for better choices to be made towards eating right. People tend to eat their emotions away by intake of enormous amounts of sugar and sodium, but the fact is that just by taking a hold of our thoughts, we are in control how we react to the circumstances in our lives. There are tons of healthy and affordable food available to improve and support our well being, however, unwillingness and passivity makes a person to do not care for him/herself.
-I.S.
A.A. said…
I can't say that I'm surprised to hear that my diet stinks! I seem to cope with all the not to eat listed above and more. Here's my story... a glass of wine on one hand and a cigarette on the other. However, not all the time. Lounging at home while eating a pint of Hagen Daz ice cream and watching movies is my old time favorite. I need a life-style change as I find myself adding lbs. literally by the day. I live a happy life with husband and two kids, love my job, and really enjoy school. However, not one is easy. Husband and kids require my attention, my FT job is demanding (in management/operations), and juggling school in between feels pressured when having to submit reports and study for exams. Let's just say that eating out has become my daily ritual. Exercise and healthy food choices is a must moving forward!
Anonymous said…
When stress gets to us it does seem that most of us turn to food for therapy. Just like the article mentions that the stress of finances leads to people eating more during the holidays. However it isn't always bad if you turn those bad eating habits and eat healthy snacks then you are dealing with the stress and avoiding the bad calories. The better choice isn't always as tasteful but it is the healthier choice. The post also mentions alcohol and that can be a huge down fall on us if we choose to use this as a stress reliever. Not only is I tun healthy it can lead to bad decisions that will just add stress to ones already complicated life. Carlos J Garcia
Bri (" said…
Im definetly going to try eating some of the foods listed! Im always under lots of stress and I try to cope as best I can but I never knew there was things that we can eat to help! Thnx definitely snapshoting this article. :))

-Bri
Anonymous said…
I really like how you use your scriptures to learn about how other people dealt with problems that we still have to deal with now, the story of Joseph is a great example of going through hardship and handling stress.

Richard Austin Melchior
Unknown said…
great advice and words.
many motivational quotes. its nice to know what foods shall be avoided and which shall not.
lets have some stress free holidays this year.
S.A antunez
Anonymous said…
By the way, thank you so much, DrD. Give me good information for my life.
Anonymous said…
I tend to get stressed easily. I am trying to juggle a lot at one time. I have talked to my Dr about it and since then I have tried to take time out to breath deeply and take a time out. Either go into my room or the restroom to get have a few moments to calm down. I tell my kids that "mommy needs a time out because I am really stressed right now". Also walking helps me release stress. Sometimes I even just watch a video or go on the internet for a little while to destress. I unfortunately eat whatever is around when I am stressed. Coffee is my first go to stress drink. But I have started eating raw walnuts when I am stressed. The info in this blog is helpful in knowing how to make better choices when stressed. Also to remind me that God is with me and I need to seek him and not let the stresses get to me. Thanks DrD!
-Charity
Anonymous said…
I agree with you, i like your ideas of how food can help you with stress. I remember i was so stress about my final back in high school so i looked up how to relief stress and i followed the idea of eating food. It helped. :) - Loc Ta
Anonymous said…
Everytime I felt stressed out i used to smoke a couple cigarettes and drink a cold coffee. Sometimes when I eat some of grandma's food I feel a bit more relaxed, maybe its because the fact that I have a conversation everytime we eat. After reading your blog I realize that I was doing the opposite of what i should be doing. Something I learned was that my diet does have an effect on the level of stress that I have. Maybe next time when I feel stressed out i will eat a couple fruits instead of smoking.

Emerson Gaborne
Anonymous said…
When I live in Vietnam, whenever I got stress I love to have some cookies with fruit and drink a cup of tea. It make me feel fresh and relax. Sometimes, I love to eat vegetables to relieve stress. I thinks that having full vegetarian meals 1 or 2 days per week will be good for my health. For the day, I have vegetarian meals, I feel that my body and my soul are so relieved.
Chi P
Unknown said…
This is a very helpful information, it's amazing how stress plays a big roll in our lives. Lately, between my personal life, Work and School my stress level has become very high and I have been drinking too much Caffeine and having a sweet tooth. After reading this blog, it makes me want to change to a better and healthier diets so I can able to reduce my stress level to manageable. So I need to avoid all forms of sugar, fast foods, junk foods and not a lot of Caffeine. And needs to eat more of green vegetable, fresh fruits, Fish, almonds, and drink more of Herbal tea. Through this blog to have a healthy and balance diets is very important for stress reduction. And I feel this has helped me a lot, it's good to know what foods should be avoided and which should not

VT
Unknown said…
This information is very good to me. I know these foods are good for health, but I do not know they have the effect of reducing stress. For example, tomatoes and carrots can reduce stress. I also have to change my eating habits. I should eat breakfast in the morning.
HD
Mai Cao said…
I usually tend to get stress. I have to dealing with all the problems that happen in my daily life. I used to drink a lot of coffee and eat junk foods that I think that it is good for relief my stress. After reading this post, I realize that I was wrong for deciding about the reduce stress that is not drinking a lot caffeine or eating without any knowledge. This information wake me up from the bad habit; also it help me get more understanding how to reduce stress but still keep good health. Thank you all your post, Dr.D.
Anonymous said…
Thank you Dr. D for the helpful information on how to deal with stress. I usually eat chocolate when I'm stressed, to the point of feeling sick from too much chocolate. I also drink a glass wine every night to help me fall asleep. I know these are very bad habits that I should eliminate. Also the meal management portion, I have been doing it backwards, with light or nothing first for breakfast and then heavier for dinner. The bible scriptures are awesome! What a great way to redirect stress by thinking about positive things. Thank you Dr.D! - Kathy Diep
Toan Tran said…
Thank you Dr.D for these information in coping with stress. I began to get stressed when entering college. All the pressures come from parental expectations, grades, major to choose make me exhausted some time of the week. After reading this, I can pull out some ways to relieve stress. First, I need to control my thoughts, replace negative thoughts by positive ones. Second, avoiding unhealthy food such as tea, coffee, sugar, alcohol, fast foods which create anxiety and make sleeplessness. Third, I need to eat healthy food like vegetables, fruits, fish, soups, and have a good meal management. Finally, regular exercises can help a lot in decreasing stress levels. Thanks again Dr.D.
- Toan Tran
Mike P said…
Thanks Dr. D for your advice on how to cope with stress. I typically live in a fast paced environment that's very stressful and taxing on the body. The way I used to deal with stress was to go and take a break and smoke a cigarette or two. I have since quit that habit and found that my appetite has increased and began gaining weight.I guess I need to cut out on the low nutritional value food items and start exercising more. Thanks again Dr.D
-Michael Pabelona
Unknown said…
(Hong Nguyen, CCC, Psychology 100). Thanks Dr. D for your useful information. I have actually a lot of stress in my own life. I have to study and work everyday, and I usually sleep late at night to work or do homework. Therefore, how to deal with my stress is always a difficult question I need to solve daily. After reading the advice, I think I find more ways out to avoid my stress easier than before ever. Food is really important to supply perfect energy for us. We should eat healthy food and have to know how to eat the food effectively. Each kind of food has different components to supply our body with nutrition. If we eat healthy food everyday, we'll limit and avoid many illnesses in the future.
Anonymous said…
This is amazing. I learned a lot after read this article. Now I can add some food like fresh fruits and more vegetable every meal to reduce my stress. Thanks Dr. Woodten from Phuong Thao Tran
Ashley Do said…
I think everyone gets stress, which happens in daily life. I think how to managed stress is not easy. However, after reading DrD's information, I have realized exercise is not enough to manage stress. Avoiding stress must combine with food. What kind of foods I should eat and what kind of food I should give up. Thank you DrD's article.
Unknown said…
Stress is something that everybody have to deal with everyday. I quit smoking 3 months ago and I feel great. It also reduce my anxiety because whenever I seek to a cig, I have something in my mind which mostly are unhealthy thinking. It is good to know that food can reduce stress. Now I can find great food to eat to help coping my stress.
Unknown said…
Tu Vu, Dr. Wooten, CCC, Psy 100
Anonymous said…
Thank you for reducing stress information. I can reduce my stress by changing my eating habits.This will not only help me but also my family's members to live with a healthy life
Unknown said…
Everyone has to deal with stress everyday. For me, studying and working make me stress a lot. I have to work, and I just have time to do homework in the evening. I usually drink coffee when I stay up late. Then the day after I usually get headache and get mad easily. After reading this post, I think I should stop drinking coffee and start eating more healthy food. I will also tell my family about this.
Anonymous said…
I believe having a healthy diet and eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables can really reduce your stress. When you eat some nice cold fruit it really just feels good and calms you down. When you wake up and drink a hot cup of coffee sure it feels good, but does dependence feel good? Does having to drink a cup every morning or you feel not yourself good? That's something that would cause me a lot of stress which is why I avoid drinking coffee.
- Andrew Nguyen
Anonymous said…
I always believe that the food can help us release stress until I read this topic. Thank you for posting these helpful information. When I am stressful, I always eat healthy food such as strawberries, bananas, or I drink avocado smoothie. Food make me feel better when I am stressful at school or workplace. Now, I can add one more good thing to my list when I have stress is eating fish. I knew that fishes like Salmon and Tuna contain more of Omega-3 fatty acids which protect eyes. Now I know the Omega-3 fatty acids in Salmon and Tuna fishes can also protect protect heart.
-Khanh Nguyen , Psy100-
Anonymous said…
I learned a lot from this article how to deal with all different stress that I am having every day. Everything that are listed what not to eat when you're stress it seems like I ate most of the foods that are listed there and it scared me. Thank Dr. W for this helpful information.

Hang Bui
Luis Campos said…
What ways do you cope with stress? What type of foods do you like to eat when you are stressed? Share your comments.
Stress is something we all will face at least once in a while. Especially if you work and go to school like myself. Going to school in the morning and coming out to go to work makes me stressed about what I need to handle on a day to day basis. One good way I combat stress is by managing my time wisely and prioritizing my responsibilities. I often have a day on the weekend to relax with friends. When I am stressed I eat unhealthy because it makes me feel better at the moment but I will consider eating healthy after reading your article on ways to combat stress with food. - Luis Campos
Anonymous said…
This post is definitely timely - Christmas is right around the corner, and while there are many things to be excited for, it can definitely be a stressful time.

I think it's very easy to overlook how what we put in our body can influence our stress levels. As you mentioned, it's best to avoid foods that aggravate the symptoms of stress. This time of year it's important to remember that moderation is key, and maintaining a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, protein, and staying away from salt, fat, and sugar will help in the short term and long term.

Thanks for sharing this information!

-MG
Unknown said…
For years now, I have known that the stresses from the foolishness of my younger years, new disciplines were going to applied. I met a barber in Inglewood, who I call a guru, for real,
I was instructed to go get a book call "TODAYS HERBAL HEALTH". It's taken time to achieve the vegan lifestyle, but it can and must be achieved for Health and well being. In many ways heredity is being confused with improper diets that have been in the family for years.
The earth is full of everything in the natural form to cure our ailments. Red Clover, Dandelion, black walnut hull, right beneath our feet and before our eyes. low meat is good
no meat is best and most importantly you have to eat your greens! The cow does, the bull does, the ox does, all beast of burden eat more than there fair share of fresh green vegetables soooooooooooooooooo, what's going on with us? EAT GREEN
Anonymous said…
This post were helpful to be healthy and stressed less. Make I learn how to eat healthily eat some mineral, fiber, lacto, nutrients,etc. to digest easily even helps in pacifying an anxious stressed person. And also explain benefits of the foods. It’s teaching you how to management meal to balanced nutritious food.

Yada.l
Tracy Jaffa said…
As we all know stress and diet are the root to a healthy body, mind and attitude. In today's busy society, we really need to look after ourselves, pace ourselves and try and stay positive where possible to keep our stress levels down. Diverting ourselves through friends and hobby's helps do this. Keeping a good diet, doing exercise and laughter enables us to feel in good spirits and shape! If you have concerns, try not to bottle it in. Don't smoke, do regular health checks. Try and walk as much as you can and cut out fried food, white carbs and sugar inc.high fructose and alcohol where possible and reduce down all dairy. Increase your super foods and super fruits, fish inc broccoli, spinach, cucumber, kale, lentils, avocados, asparagus, olives, walnuts. This will keep your weight more even and minimise colesterol and any heart issues.
Unknown said…
Amari Cawthorne
Response to Blog
I believe that not having enough money to get all of the gifts you want to get your loved ones is something that causes A LOT of stress. I also believe that not having loved ones that you previously shared these holidays with can take a toll on a lot of people. I know from experience. It will be really hard to not indulge into the so many food options to relieve stress but I will try!!
krystal merlin said…
I cope with stress by making sure i take time for self-care and to feed my soul. A 20 min relaxing bath with candles, or aroma therapy. I take a short 10 min in the morning to drink my coffee and read my daily meditation book, so i have something to focus on through out the day when i do feel my stress levels rising. Staying grounded and connected to something grater than myself and remaining grateful helps me.

:) Krystal M.
Anonymous said…
This is very helpful in how to cope with stress and how to be healthy. When I was reading "the food items that we should avoid" I was very surprised because I would have never thought these items can aggravate our stress. But overall it was very informative. Thank you Dr.Wooten for this information.
Unknown said…
Very nice article. This is helpful for people who use alcohol as a way to relief their stress, when this way can lead to negative outcomes.
Unknown said…
Very nice article. This is helpful for people who use alcohol as a way to relief their stress, when this way can lead to negative outcomes.

Thank you
NR
Anonymous said…
I think that the article about longevity was great. I think the ways of having a long life are is very informative. You have to keep moving and exercising. Worshiping God and going to church is the most effective thing for me. These are great ways to have a long life.




NA
Anonymous said…
I love coffee. I really on it everyday to give me the energy I need, which is why I’m very upset to learn that it’s on the “no-no” list of foods. I know that diet is important and I’ve noticed how much better I feel when I eat fruit than junk food, but it’s hard. Trying to change my lifestyle with everything else seems stressful in itself. However, I’m assuming that once I get used to it, it will benefit me a lot. Thank you for the stress tips. I definitely need it.
Anonymous said…
It's so interesting to see the list of food items to be avoided that increase stress, mostly because I feel like I rely more on these items when I'm stressed. For example, I have more coffee and fast food when I'm busy between work and school. Coffee helps keep me awake from late nights of studying and fast food is easier when I'm going between school and work, yet I never thought that these things would aggravate my stress more.

DB
Anonymous said…
I really do think this was a good article. When I get stressed out I know I eat a lot of junk food or I drink coffee. I drink coffee about two or three times in a week and for finals week I am usually drinking coffee. Knowing what foods and beverages you're not supposed to eat while you're stressed is going to change what I eat and drink.
-E.B
Anonymous said…
We all respond to stress differently, some of us deal with it our own way, and thats okay, because we are all different. We can manage stress but we never really are stress free. There are techniques to keep it down and under control. Yoga and meditation, keeping busy, starting a new hobby.

JP
Anonymous said…
I agree so much with what you are saying. Many people deal with stress differently and food is important because some people eat less or excessively. Managing what you eat during times when you are stressed is very important. Like you said avoiding coffee or caffeine is good because it most likely keeps you up more which makes you think more of you stress and it is not something good that is what I think personally.


C.V
Anonymous said…
Dr. D
I tend to get stressed over school work alot and I don't watch what I eat making me feel worse than before. I am so glad that you made this post because it showed me what list of foods to avoid and which ones to take in. I usually eat the food that you have listed as food that should be avoided , mainly junk food when I am stressed. I am definitely going to be eating the items that you listed in food items that should be included in hopes that I am able to manage my stress in moments of stressful times. I will also be applying the meal management that you added in my day to day life.
K. Lima
Nicky Ramos said…
Many people deal with stress differently and food is important because some people eat less or excessively. Managing what you eat during times when you are stressed is very important. Like you said avoiding coffee or caffeine is good because it most likely keeps you up more which makes you think more of you stress and it is not something good that is what I think personally.

- Nicky Ramos
Anonymous said…
Unfortunately stress eating was a huge part of my life for a while, sweets and caffeine in particular. It was very easy for me to do so since my little sister is the same as me. When it came to cravings we always had each other's back. I still suffer from this every now and then but I've learned to control it. This is very helpful for me to understand what's better for me to eat during those "cravings". Thank you. - PE
Anonymous said…
It came as a surprise when egg yolk was mentioned as a food that increases stress since it contains a high cholesterol percentage. I never thought of that. I tend to get stressed due to school from keeping up my grades, doing extracurriculars, and homework assignments. For this reason, I will eat all the foods that help with stress mentioned in this post. I tend to do the opposite regarding my daily meals. For example, I eat a heavier meal at night and a light meal during the morning. Therefore, I will switch that up. I will attempt to avoid all the foods that cause stress. All in all, I found this vlog post very informative.
-M.H
Anonymous said…
Personally, I have dealt with a lot of stress eating which has caused me to gain weight especially because of the pandemic, and due to my own insecurities, I have gotten more stressed due to my appearance. Additionally, I have also personally been dealing with a high amount of stress, and it seems as though while dealing with stress, you are at war with your own mental wellbeing, and it important that there are healthy ways to cope with such stress. All people react to stress differently along with coping with it differently, which is respectable, however, we all must be aware if our coping mechanisms or the ways we deal with stress are healthy. We must make sure that our ways of coping will help us in the long-term instead of just in the moment. S.P.
Anonymous said…
I think that many people have their own different ways of how to cope with stress. It is truly interesting the different types of foods that we can eat while experiencing stress. Also, it is interesting how certain foods affect our bodies when we are stressed. I cope with stress by just keeping everything bottled inside I feel like I rather keep everything to myself than sharing my problems. When I am stressed I hardly eat anything but if I do I eat comfort food.
- Castro
Anonymous said…
I agree with much of the information that was stated throughout this blog. People have different methods when it comes to coping with stress. For instance, many people like myself, tend to snack alot, but then there are others who don't supply their body's with enough food. However, when you're dealing with stress, supplying yourself with foods that are bad for your body won't help reduce it at all. I found it quite surprising when it stated that tea is something that should be avoided when dealing with stress because I've always drank herbal and fruity teas to help reduce the tension I can be feeling throughout my body due to stress. Never thought that something like teas should be avoided but the more I know.

K.C
Anonymous said…
The ways I cope with stress are trying to breathe in from time to time and calm myself down from all the rushing. I tend to leave my task for last minute with only causes me stress later on, so its like I asked for it. Anyways, once there's a deadline in these task I rush through them without pacing myself, I instead take on all the task at once with is not healthy for my mental health nor body I only strain it, resulting in stress. Thanks to more outlets such as social media, blogs such as yours really helps me bring awareness on how damaging stress can be. So I learned to take a couple of breaks away from my task which are mostly on the computer for a quick stretch and taking in deep breaths to help relieve some of the tension and stress. Some of the food I eat when stress are crunchy such as chips or bit my nails which are not good in any way it is unhealthy and doesn't provide me with any vitamins. Now I will instead be eating nuts such as almonds and others which are rich in omega providing me with energy.-S.H
Anonymous said…
My favorite part of this blog was to cope with stress by scripture. I have been extremely stressed and overwhelmed with school and work lately. I have noticed that sometimes in my most vulnerable states I do not pray. I am a strong believer in prayer and I don't know why I tend to lack what I know works. Especially when I need it most. I love the 1 Peter scripture. And I totally agree when with "When you come to realize that there is a divine purpose for your trials, then the stress of dealing with them will diminish", has already given me comfort. Yes! That was good news!!
-AK
Anonymous said…
This post is interesting, especially because I didn't know there were so many foods you were supposed to avoid when dealing with stress, especially meats. I usually eat once a day and have been trying to be healthier and eat at least two times a day so this post helps to put an idea on how my meals should be and what I should be eating.

A.K
Anonymous said…
I really enjoyed reading this blog. It really relates to the stresses people are feeling this holiday season with being in this pandemic. I like how you mention thinking positive and leaving things in God's hand, in God's Control. I believe prayer is powerful, and when I feel stressed and beat down, listening to the word of God and prayer always centers me. I like how you said, "When you come to realize that there is a divine purpose for your trials, then the stress of dealing with them will diminish." I also like all the healthy food choices you provided. I tend to have a coffee every morning, but sometimes it does cause my anxiety to worsen, and it doesn't provide me the energy I need.
-C.Z
Anonymous said…
It is crazy how back in 2011 when this was written, some of the stressors at the top relate completely to today.
With that being said, it is amazing how something as simple as changing our diet can reduce stress. I know that being in school full time has me stress eating a lot. I'm going to try to be more mindful of the snacks I grab when stress eating. Instead of junk food and comfort food, I will try grabbing some fruit or veggies, and maybe that will help my stress levels come down.

Thank you for the tips.
CD
Anonymous said…
I found reading this very interesting because everyone has stress in their lives whether it is good or bad stress. The list of food items to avoid in stressful times makes me really think about changing what I eat and think about why I am craving those foods or drinks. I honestly couldn't believe the items on the list to avoid for example meats and egg yolks. Learning about changing my habits when I am stressed including the food I eat is on my to-do list. Even the meal management provided to help with stress I need to work on because I usually don't eat breakfast and eat a heavier meal at night. Thank you for all the very important information to know.
S.W.
Anonymous said…
There are a variety of methods to cope with stress. Eating is one of my coping mechanisms when I am stressed, which has caused me to gain weight throughout the years. It is primarily bad and processed foods too. When I am highly stressed, I can tend not to eat for days at a time or just snack. It depends on the severity of what I am stressed about. I tend to snack with school stress, but if it’s serious, I don’t eat. I liked this post, and I agree with a lot of what it said. I feel every person at some point will go through stress and cope with food.
G.C.
Anonymous said…
Stress is a very difficult thing to cope with the times I'll be at there are a variety of different methods it affects each individual person differently. What you eat and how you eat drastically affect how stress is influenced and affected. Some people eat to influence stress, others are stressed as a result of what they eat. I found it reading this opened up my eyes to the effect of food in regards to nerve damage, and emotional damage. Some people eat food in the form of a happy meal and thus look to achieve some type of mental health result we're in reality, there are certain types of foods that can make us feel worse than we feel at times, or feel better than how we feel at times. This opened my mind up to a world of healthy eating.

- JB
Anonymous said…
I can relate on how to manage stress through the Word of God; however, I have realized i was eating the wrong food during the episodes of stress whereby I will try your advice and monitor the effectiveness on my system since I believe internally er almost operate the same. Thanks


RMT
Anonymous said…
Stress would always get the best of me and would either give me a period to stress eat or to cut meals. I have a set of comfort foods that would somehow uplift my mood or help me go back on track and I would admit most of them are kind of unhealthy. The stressors around us could be good or bad and would really help us improve however, our way of coping could be a huge factor in how much it could impact us after. There are foods on your list that I did not know that I should avoid when influenced by too much stress, especially since I always believed that just because it is yummy, it could relieve it. From this day on, I would focus more on balancing my meal as it would boost my mood.

- LAB
Anonymous said…
Some ways that I like to cope with stress is to take deep breaths and pray for God's assistance with whatever I might be facing at that specific moment. I also enjoy taking a shower or trying to do some self-care. Even though it takes everything I have in me to care for myself I tend to feel a bit better. I usually run to junk food & do not feel like cooking while in a mood, I tend to regret that choice after eating poorly, it just makes me feel worse. I did find this article very beneficial! Thank you very much!

S.Acosta
Anonymous said…
I use to stress about so many things and a good portion of these things were out of my control. I would let school overwhelm me the most because I was so worried about fulfilling someone's expectations instead of my own. Once I have learned that I can only stress about so much, I started to do art to help me feel at ease and take my mind off all my stressors. When I would do art, it would distract me completely and help me feel so relaxed. As I get older, I have learned that life will get super rocky but you can't let all the negativity of it rule your mind. In order for me to get through the stressful moments of life I would try to give myself a healthy reset by deep cleaning my room and giving myself an entire day to do self care. When I became super overwhelmed with stressful life situations, I would eat so little and nothing healthy at all. I would always be tired from not eating enough and it was one of the reasons I lost weight. I am already as small as it is but I lead myself to a point to where my health was my last concern and I let every big worry in my life control me; I became so focused on what I didn't do or needed to do and I gave myself stress induced headaches. Now since I have learned to balance my stress in a healthy way I am currently trying to help my health so I can be considered a "healthy" weight and not be known as "so skinny". Once you learn your balance with stress, it makes life a bit easier and less overwhelming and it gives you the confidence that no matter what you go through that you're going to get through it. Some advice I would give to someone reading this would be to take whatever situation is overwhelming you and just know that days will go by and you will complete whatever it is that is putting weight on ur shoulders.

H.S
Unknown said…
Hector Serrano- Towards the end of my time in high school i started to develop alopecia. Drs didn't know what was the cause exactly they thought it was some sort of vitamin deficiency or a bacteria or virus. I was in high school very athletic i worked out regularly and stayed healthy. I was very self conscious about the bald spots i had gotten and they progressively got worst. Thinking about them made them worst or seem worst. Finally decided not to pay it too much attention and ignore that part of my life and gradually they went away. Cant say 100% it was not the medication the Dr has given me or all the working out i did. But what i did realize is that i did not stress about it as much and my life went on as it did prior to it showing up. Stressors can come in many different ways, managing them and knowing how can definitely help reduce unwanted or unnecessary stress in our lives. I felt better than ever, no weight on my shoulders feeling self conscious about my appearance.
Anonymous said…
I believe that good food or healthy diet and some good news are stress reliever. Many people tend to result in eating when get stress or a good news is sigh of relief. A healthy immune system and cell repair are supported by a balanced diet. It gives you the extra energy you need to deal with difficult situations. According to preliminary study, vegetables and diets high in polyunsaturated fats, particularly omega-3 fats, may assist to control cortisol levels. Almost any physical exercise has the ability to reduce stress. Exercise can be an effective stress reliever even if you're not athletic or in good physical form. Exercise can increase your levels of feel-good endorphins and other natural neurotransmitters that improve your mood.


P.J.D.
Anonymous said…
How do I cope with stress?

The best way I cope with stress is by finding solutions to some of the problems that need to be solved, instead getting angry about the problem. I compartmentalize my feelings so I can think logically and sensibly about the situation before making any rash decisions. I became a member of a day spa about 10 years ago to help relieve my stress. My membership at the day spa has been my saving grace. It's therapeutic and a form of self-care.

What do I eat when Stressed?

I never really paid any attention to what I eat when I'm stressed. I never considered myself someone who ate particular things when stressed. I thought wine would be one of my stress relievers, but alcohol makes me sleepy, which for me, is counterproductive. Maybe I eat less food when I'm stressed because I have a lot on my mind or a lot of things on my plate to accomplish. It doesn't cross my ming to eat food when I'm stressed. Maybe, I eat later at night when I'm stressed. If I have lots to do, I go a long time without eating and when I have an opportunity to relax, that's when I eat. Going all day with out food doesn't seem good, but nowadays, it's called intermittent fasting. But eating late at night isn't good especially if I plan to go to bed 1-2 hours later. One thing I do late at night which is ok, is drink herbal tea and water. Hopefully changes in my life will require less of me that will reduce my stress so I can get proper sleep and live a much healthier life.

N.R. (Psy 101)


Popular Posts